Texas Gulf Coast INSHORE Fishing Report Week of January 25th 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 59 degrees. Limits of redfish are on the ICW rocks biting live shrimp popping cork. Limits of trout coming off the North Levy on live shrimp with a popping cork. South Levy is also producing trout on live shrimp under a popping cork and swimbaits. Redfish and trout coming off the bayous and points. The water in Sabine Lake is fresh, holding trout on the northern end, and redfish on the southern. Sheepshead and drum are biting in 6-8 feet of water in the river and cuts and points in outgoing tides in Bessie Heights with live shrimp under a popping cork. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake. 

Bolivar

GOOD. 61 degrees. Fish 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 Sloughs to Siever’s Cut holding 12-18 inch redfish on grass lines using shrimp under cork or burner shad. Stingaree’s to Rollover holding redfish in deeper marshes on popping cork with shrimp. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Trinity Bay

SLOW. 57 degrees. Burnett, Scott, and Crystal Bay producing decent numbers of speckled trout on live shrimp and soft plastics. A few redfish in the same area. Catches of sheepshead over hard shell and rock groins, along with a few black drum on live shrimp. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. 

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 59 degrees. Waders having the best luck with scattered catches of trout on mullet imitation plugs and soft plastics. Open bay reefs are slow. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Smith Pointe holding redfish and trout look for the birds. Gas wells in East Bay holding black drum on the bottom with shrimp. The East Bay reefs are starting to see action with speckled trouts early in the day biting on artificials, twitch bait, or split tails. Deep Reef to Fat Pat is holding fish under birds on twitch baits and soft plastic. Hanna’s has some fish on deeper sides of reefs. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Galveston Bay

GOOD. 56 degrees. Scattered catches of trout, black drum, and redfish fishing areas protected from the wind such as Moses Lake, Dickinson Bayou, and Clear Lake. Live shrimp produces the best bites. Open bay is too rough to fish. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The flounder season has been great with a push of flounder throughout the harbor after the last big front. Pelican Bridge holding flounder on both sides on the shores. Redfish, speckled trout and sheepshead are biting on shrimp under popping cork or free-lined near the jetty rocks. SWP holding speckled trout and sheepshead against rocks free-line shrimp or under a cork with shrimp. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 58 degrees. Waders and boat anglers catching some decent speckled trout on a variety of lures. Recently a 31 inch 9.30 pounds trout was caught and weighed on a certified scale. Open bay is too rough to fish. 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 biting top water baits early then switch to soft plastics and work plastics slow. Carancahua and Confederate Reefs are starting to see action and it should continue if it stays warm. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Houston

FAIR. Water stained; 60 degrees; 0.02 feet above pool. Reports of crappie stacked up shallow biting on jigs and minnows. Catfish are in 5-15 feet of water biting on cut bait. Bass are shallow on spinnerbaits or flipping laydowns and stumps. White bass are in the creeks chasing shad biting on slabs. 

Texas City

GOOD. 58 degrees. Texas City Dike producing fair catches of oversized black drum on live crab and cut mullet. Sheepshead bite is fair at the Galveston Jetties on live shrimp. Bull redfish and black drum being caught on live crab and cut mullet. A few flounder taken in the Galveston channel. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock barriers between Swan Lake and the dike are holding redfish and sheepshead on live shrimp, and trout on Texas roach or purple/chartreuse soft plastics or imitation shad in Texas roach and gold glitter shrimp. Work artificials slower than normal, because fish movement slows when the weather cools. Big black drum and oversized redfish showing up at the Dike on the bottom. Redfish, speckled trout and sheepshead on shrimp under popping cork or free line near the jetty rocks. Pelican bridge holding flounder. SWP holding speckled trout and sheepshead against rocks free-line shrimp or under a cork with shrimp. Black drum starting to show up at Seawolf Park. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Freeport

GOOD. 61 degrees. Fishing patterns remain steady. Trout are good in the harbor and bays, using soft plastics or gulp under a popping cork. Redfish are good using soft plastics, gulp under a popping cork, live mullet or cut mullet in the cuts. Drum and sheepshead are good around cuts with oyster using live and dead shrimp. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures. 

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 62 degrees. Fishing has been up and down with the weather. Drift or wade fish with artificials for trout and redfish. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service. 

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 62 degrees. Fishing has been up and down with the weather. Just as fishing improved in The Colorado River the rain will slow the bite, flushing the trout and redfish into the bay reefs. Wading or drifting with cut mullet or live shrimp will land catches. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service. 

Port O’Connor

GOOD. 61 degrees. Trout are good on the outside of the jetties with live shrimp, rootbeer colored artificial shrimp, magic grass soft plastics, and live shrimp. Redfish caught in numbers at the back of the jetties on sardines, and live shrimp. Sheepshead are plentiful everywhere using live or dead shrimp. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service. 

Rockport

GREAT. 60 degrees. Forecasted high winds, check weather and wind reports before heading out. Redfish are good in 4-6 feet of water on live mullet and soft plastics. Trout are good in 2-4 feet of water using soft plastics and topwaters. Drum are good in 2-4 feet of water on dead shrimp. Report provided by Damian Hubbs, Mathis Bait Co. 

Port Aransas

GOOD. 63 degrees. Before the cold front jetties we’re producing catches of sheepshead, drum and keeper speckled trout on live shrimp. Trout and redfish are biting in Estes Flats with shrimp under popping cork. Ransom and Dagger Island are producing small trout and redfish with some slot redfish mixed in with shrimp under a popping cork. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters. 

Corpus Christi

SLOW. 65 degrees. Fish in the deep protected water of Rincon Channel with live shrimp under a popping cork. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters. 

Baffin Bay

SLOW. 64 degrees. Check the wind forecast before heading out. Limits of trout, a few redfish, drum, and sheepshead on live shrimp fishing deep water on structure on the east side of Baffin Bay. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing. 

Port Mansfield

GOOD. 62 degrees. Fishing has been good despite low water levels. That said, water levels should rise some, but fishing will remain consistent. Potholes have been holding good trout and redfish. A few flounder are also being caught along the way. KWigglers in the Wigalo has been very productive, with some big fish coming on the Mansfield Knockers. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters 

South Padre

GOOD. 68 degrees. Live bait is starting to show up. Still need water to start warming. Redfish are showing up single or in small schools on both sides of the bay along spoil banks. Slot speckled trout are biting on live shrimp under popping cork and free shrimping in the intercoastal. Numbers of trout are down, but seems to be improving with a lot of smaller trout in deeper water south of the gas wells. Sheepshead and smaller puppy drum are around the old causeway. Some monster black drum and redfish are on the south side of the jetties. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre. 

Port Isabel

GOOD. 68 degrees. Live bait is starting to show up. Still need water to start warming. Redfish are showing up single or in small schools on both sides of the bay along spoil banks. Slot speckled trout are biting on live shrimp under popping cork and free shrimping in the intercoastal. Numbers of trout are down, but seems to be improving with a lot of smaller trout in deeper water south of the gas wells. Sheepshead and smaller puppy drum are around the old causeway. Some monster black drum and redfish are on the south side of the jetties. Stay safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Source TPW