Sabine Lake
GOOD. 71 degrees. April showers have muddied the water clarity in the lake, subsequently slowing the bite in the lake. Sabine Pass Jetties will be a good place to start this week. ICW is producing good catches of redfish, sheepshead, and drum on the rock piles and bulkheads using live shrimp under a popping cork. Neches River and Bessie Heights are holding nice limits of redfish with trout mixed in, in the canals off the marsh in 2-6 feet of water. Sheepshead and drum are good in the ditches with six feet of water with live shrimp under a popping cork or Carolina rigged. North Levee is good for limits of speckled trout with live shrimp under a popping cork, or topwater baits early in the morning. Forecasted north winds will concentrate fish to the North Levee. Flounder are good at the North Levee on mullet and live shrimp carolina rigged. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 70 degrees. The surf is starting to hold some black drum, pompano, small shark and occasional redfish. The North Jetty surf side holding sheepshead and trout against rocks look for bait. Redfish in the channel on Carolina rigged mullet, shad, and crab. The end holds nice schools of trout and sheepshead. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
Trinity Bay
SLOW. 68 degrees. There has been an increased amount of water flowing downstream from the San Jacinto and Trinity Rivers, so the upper end of Trinity bay and northern end of Galveston Bay is off colored. Scattered catches of speckled trout and black drum and an occasional redfish are being caught off live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
GOOD. 70 degrees. Nagging strong to moderate northeast winds have limited the open bay reef fishing. Those fishing along the protected shorelines and back marshes catching scattered redfish and speckled trout. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. This week we fished a number of areas in the marsh, as well as a quite a few drains on a stout incoming tide. Water temperatures in East Galveston Bay were in the low 70s, and we had winds that were for the most part, 10-20 mph out of the North to North East. Water clarity is good up around Stingaree Marina to Elm Grove and once you get past Big Pasture Bayou and East, the water gets darker. The redfish caught were up along the grass lines and around pinch points of drains. These areas also produced Black Drum, and Flounder, with the majority of fish coming on Live Shrimp, under a popping cork with an 18 -30” leader. We also caught several fish in the same areas on �¼ ounce jig heads and artificial tails, with White Ice achieving the most consistent bites. Most of Speckled Trout came on artificials bounced off shell beds on protected shorelines, and in channel bends, depending upon the time of day we were fishing, and the top water bite is beginning to heat up in the early mornings. Mosquitos were not as bad this week, but the Gnats were brutal when we were fishing areas up in the marsh. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC. Yates Bayou (Drain) holding redfish against grass line on popping cork and shrimp. Then Hanna’s is great early on same bait or twitching artificials. Look for birds and slicks, and moving bait. Pepper Grove Cove to Moody’s Pass holding fish. Smith Point to Moody National Wildlife. Redfish look for schools and birds. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
Galveston Bay
GOOD. 68 degrees. Fishing has not been consistent while the winds are blustering. Scattered reports of speckled trout and redfish coming from protected areas like Moses Lake and Dickinson Bay. Black drum being caught along rocky areas on the east side of the ship channel. Even a few redfish from the same area. Live shrimp accounting for the catches. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The South Jetty still holding Trout, sheepshead and redfish close to rocks free-lined shrimp, or Carolina rigged float with live shrimp or soft plastic. SWP Holding redfish from Pier and from rocks. Sheepshead in front of the concrete Seawall. The drains out of Swan Lake and Campbell’s Slough holding sheepshead with an occasional Redfish. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
West Galveston Bay
GOOD. 71 degrees. Anglers using live shrimp around the Causeway bridge catching a mixed bag of black drum, redfish, and speckled trout. Waders are fishing with live croaker or soft plastic lures. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Greens lake holding redfish against grass lines and by sandy shores early. ICW holding fish through greens cut and Carancahua cut holding trout and redfish with the amount of wind wind we are getting. Mecom Reef will have fish on it early up by rocks with artificial or live bait free-line or under cork. You’ll need to find protected waters with bait moving around as the winds pick up. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
Houston
FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.88 feet above pool. Water runoff has lowered the water temperature. Catfish are biting in 15-20 feet of water on shad. Some catfish are staying close to bulkheads waiting for the shad spawn to resume. Crappie are good in 8-16 feet of water in open water fishing black and chartreuse or blue and white jigs off the bottom. Structures are holding smaller fish. Bass have pushed out to 6-10 feet of water using chatterbaits, or Texas rigged worms. White bass are good under the lights at night with rattletraps and double rigged jigs. Report by Jason Machala, JM Fishing Guide Service.
Texas City
GOOD. 69 degrees. Better numbers of bull redfish being taken off the Galveston jetty rocks on fresh dead shad and blue crab. Still catches of oversized black drum, along with sheepshead, puppy drum, and a few speckled trout for those anglers using live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The Dike is holding bull redfish along the rocks with scattered drum and flounder. Dickinson Bayou, holding some redfish and drum on popping cork and shrimp or soft plastics. The Rock shoals south of the dike holding fish on popping cork with live shrimp. Millers Point holding a few trout and occasional Redfish. Look for slicks and birds this time of year. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.
Freeport
GOOD. 70 degrees. Fishing patterns are starting to move from mud and shell to the spring pattern on the rocks and sand. Check the wind forecast before heading out. Spanish mackerel, pompano, sheepshead and big redfish at the jetties with live shrimp. Sheepshead are spawning anywhere with moving water, so target the pass, river, and jetties. Redfish are in the river, back lakes, river and bays with live shrimp under a popping cork or soft plastics in new penny, chartreuse, Texas roach or red/white. Flounder are showing up in the bays mixed in with trout and redfish. River holding flounder and trout. Few catches of trout in the surf mixed in with jack crevalle and sharks. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
East Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 70 degrees. Wade fishing is producing the best catches, but when the winds allow drift. Shrimp is starting to show up and birds are working the shorelines in the afternoons. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 70 degrees. When high winds are present fish in The Colorado River and Diversionary Canal. When the winds allow fish the reefs for redfish, drum and sheepshead. Shrimp is starting to show up and birds are working the shorelines in the afternoons. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
GOOD. 72 degrees. Bull redfish and jack crevalles are schooling on the incoming tides between jetties and Bird Island using blue crab. Oversized redfish and drum on blue crab and shrimp at the back of the big rocks in the jetties. Trout are very slow. Sheepshead are good on shrimp all over the jetties. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
GREAT. 70 degrees. The early morning bite has been extremely good for redfish and trout. Redfish are good 2-4 feet of water on gulp, topwaters and live bait. Trout are good in 2-4 feet of water on topwaters, natural colored saltwater assassins and suspension baits. Drum are great in 2-4 feet of water on dead shrimp. Sheepshead are loaded around the jetties on live shrimp. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.
Port Aransas
GOOD. 75-78 degrees. Sheepshead, drum, redfish, bull redfish, pompano and jack crevalle are good at the jetties on shrimp. Trout are good near Redfish Bay, Dagger Island and tip of Mustang Island on artificials or shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish are near Dagger Island, and in Aransas Bay. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
GOOD. 75-78 degrees. Trout are good freeling live shrimp at the Gas Wells. Spoil Islands near Ingleside are good for redfish on cut mullet or menhaden, and drum on live shrimp. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.
Baffin Bay
SLOW. 65 degrees. Fishing has steadily improved. Look for a rapid change in water depth or bait fish on the surface. The combination will usually produce some nice fish under a popping cork with live shrimp. Drum are on fire with some nice catches of redfish. Trout catches are good with some catches over 23 inches long are nice and fat which means they are full of eggs. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.
Port Mansfield
GOOD. 69 degrees. Fishing has been pretty good, especially since the winds have relented. Water levels remain elevated and fish are holding in the flats. Look for signs of bait and target small gras beds and potholes. Small baits such as the KWigglers Ball Tail Juniors has been very effective. Topwaters have also been good in the same areas. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
FAIR. 73 degrees. Trout are good with limits coming in the intercoastal near shacks, and potholes on the east of the color line on gas wells using artificials. If you are fishing live bait stay on the dark and dirty side of the color line and drift, if you are throwing artificials be on the lighter clear side. Redfish are still spotty along spoil banks using cut mullet. Red snapper are good on reefs when the weather permits. Be safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
FAIR. 73 degrees. Trout are good with limits coming in the intercoastal near shacks, and potholes on the east of the color line on gas wells using artificials. If you are fishing live bait stay on the dark and dirty side of the color line and drift, if you are throwing artificials be on the lighter clear side. Redfish are still spotty along spoil banks using cut mullet. Red snapper are good on reefs when the weather permits. Be safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre
Source: TPW