Texas Gulf Coast INSHORE Fishing Report Week of February 15th 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 58 degrees. ICW holding limits of nice redfish using live shrimp under a popping cork. Sabine Channel producing a few trout, nice redfish, drum and redfish on incoming tides using live shrimp under a popping cork. Redfish continue to bite in the lake off points and drifting out from the points, and into the bayous. Baitfish have moved in the bayou grass lines. North Levy is producing nice catches of slot trout on long drifts with live shrimp under a popping cork, silver swimbaits, or ⅛ ounce glo chartreuse soft plastics. Redfish are biting on Carolina rigs with live shrimp or mullet in the Neches River turnarounds 15 feet deep, and on Bessie Heights cuts heading into the flatst. Sheepshead and drum are biting off the points and drops in the river. nice redfish Carolina rigged live shrimp or mullet. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 59 degrees. The Ditch has some redfish against grass sides with an occasional nice trout using popping cork or artificials. The deeper ends of the reefs or wind protected cuts with popping cork and shrimp. The jetty holding sheepshead and trout on live shrimp close to rocks. Yates Slough’s holding redfish on grass lines close to Siever’s Cut biting on cut bait positioned 12-18 inches under a cork with shrimp, or burner shad. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Trinity Bay

SLOW. 58 degrees. Trout are fair along the piers near Sylvan Beach. Northern end of the bay is beginning to clear. Scattered catches of speckled trout, sheepshead and redfish on live shrimp. Back of Trinity Bay is fresh. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 60 degrees. Waders Are beginning to catch numbers of speckled trout on soft plastics. better size fish on mullet imitation plugs. Back of the bay is fresh. Catches of sheepshead and black drum over shell reefs on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Yates Slough’s holding redfish on grass lines close to Siever Cut fish 12-18 inches under cork with shrimp or burner shad black or dark green. Deep Reef to Fat Pat is holding fish under birds on twitch baits and soft plastic. The East Bay reefs are starting to see more action with speckled trout early using artificial twitch bait, or split tails. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Galveston Bay

GOOD. 61 degrees. West shoreline of the middle bay is holding plenty of sheepshead, with an occasional redfish biting best on live shrimp. A few trout are being caught with soft plastics drawing the most strikes. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The jetties are still holding trout and redfish. Focus on whichever side is the most calm with popping cork and shrimp or free lined shrimp. SWP holding redfish and trout by the rocks and the pier and near the parking lot using popping cork with shrimp. Lower Bay and Lil Hanna’s has some fish on deeper sides of reefs. Smith Point holding redfish and trout. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 60 degrees. Anglers are finding a mix of speckled trout, redfish, and black drum drifting in off-colored streaks around Green’s and North Deer Island. Best bite on live shrimp under popping corks, but dark colored soft plastics will work too. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Look for sloughs off of the ICW holding fish in calmer water. The sloughs leading to Greens Lake, Carancahua Lake and Chocolate Bay holding redfish and trout on popping cork and shrimp, or top water baits early then switch to soft plastics and work plastics slow. Jones Bay and the Diversionary Canal are holding some redfish and trout on popping cork with shrimp. Mecum’s Reef drop-off holding a redfish and trout early in the day. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Houston

FAIR. Water stained; 55 degrees; 0.19 feet above pool. Crappie are good in deep water suspended down 10-15 feet using jigs. Catfish are good in 12 feet of water and near docks biting on cut bait. Bass are shallow on spinnerbaits or flipping laydowns and stumps. White bass are in the creeks and main lake chasing shad biting on slabs.

Texas City

GOOD. 60 degrees. Better numbers of large black drum and bull redfish coming from the Texas City Dike on live crab. Galveston jetties producing sheepshead on live shrimp. Those fishing with crab are landing decent numbers of bull reds and black drum. A few black drum and bull reds coming from Pelican Island Bridge. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The Dike is holding redfish and trout along the rocks with scattered drum and flounder. Dickinson Bayou is 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. Sheepshead with an occasional trout and redfish are at the entry to Campbell’s Bayou. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC.

Freeport

GOOD. 59 degrees. Cold and windy weather is in the forecast so the fish will be slow and sluggish. Sheepshead, drum and flounder catches in Chocolate Bay, Cold Pass and San Luis Pass with live shrimp on popping cork or freelined. Trout catches drifting with popping cork and shrimp or artificial lures in Chocolate Bay and Bastrop Bay. Redfish and trout in the harbor with live finger mullet or live shrimp. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 60 degrees. Trout and redfish are best wade fishing in the last two hours of sunlight. Drifting on the west end of the bay will land a few catches. Very few catches of drum. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 60 degrees. The Colorado River continues to be fresh and stained so the bite is slow. A few redfish are biting on cut mullet. When the wind allows, drum are plentiful on mid bay reefs. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O’Connor

GOOD. 59 degrees. Trout are good on the outside of the jetties with live shrimp, rootbeer colored artificial shrimp, magic grass and dirty tequila soft plastics, and live shrimp. Redfish are good at the ends of the jetties on sardines, and dead shrimp. Slot redfish are in the washouts using spanish sardines or live shrimp. Sheepshead are plentiful everywhere using live or dead shrimp. No catches of black drum to report. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.

Rockport

GREAT. 60 degrees. After the recent cold front fishing has slowed. Redfish are slow in 1-4 feet of water with a mud and shell bottom on live bait or artificials. Trout are good in 1-4 feet of water mud and shell bottom on live bait, suspension baits, and large soft plastics. Drum are great in 2-4 feet of water on dead shrimp. Report provided by Damian Hubbs, Mathis Bait Co.

Port Aransas

GOOD. 58 degrees. Redfish are at the rocks at the jetties on live shrimp or liver perch. Redfish, sheepshead and drum are biting at the end of the jetties on shrimp. Redfish, black drum and sheepshead are biting near the Island Moorings on shrimp, or shrimp under a popping cork with a two foot leader near the pilings. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

SLOW. 58 degrees. Rincon Channel continues to be the key for catches of redfish and trout with live shrimp under a popping cork. Few sheepshead catches on live shrimp. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Baffin Bay

FAIR. 65 degrees. The water in Baffin Bay has not looked good, so target the land cut anywhere there is bait along the West drop-off using live shrimp with a slip weight for some nice trout, redfish and drum. Fishing should start to improve as the bait fish return to the bay, bringing the game fish in to feed. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.

Port Mansfield

GOOD. 70 degrees. Prior to this cold snap fishing was good. Water temperatures were around 70 degrees and fish responded well. Mansfield Knockers and Ball Tails were hot. Most fish were on 2-3 feet of water laying in potholes. Things slowed a bit as a result of this front but things should pick up once the water warms back up. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters

South Padre

GOOD. 65 degrees. Sheepshead are biting the best while the spawn is on. Sheepshead are consistent at the old causeway with a few trout and puppy drum mixed in. If the wind allows, the jetties are on fire near the end on both sides for sheepshead. Few trout on the beach side of south jetties. Redfish on gas well and Peyton’s Bay during high tide. Be careful out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

GOOD. 65 degrees. Sheepshead are biting the best while the spawn is on. Sheepshead are consistent at the old causeway with a few trout and puppy drum mixed in. If the wind allows, the jetties are on fire near the end on both sides for sheepshead. Few trout on the beach side of south jetties. Redfish on gas well and Peyton’s Bay during high tide. Be careful out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Source TPW