Sabine Lake
GOOD. 71 degrees. Fishing is picking up on the southern end of Sabine Lake to midlake as the salinity increases. Nice redfish catches off the points, mouth bayous, or drifting in 2-4 feet of water over clam and oyster shell with live shrimp under a popping cork or red shad 5 inch plastics with a quarter ounce jig head. North Levee continues to produce nice speckled trout, with redfish mixed in, on the first and second pikes and along the rocks with topwater lures early morning, and live shrimp under a popping cork and crankbaits throughout the day. Sight fish for mullet with some speckled trout mixed in. Jetties holding nice drum, sheepshead, redfish and bull redfish off the rocks with live shrimp under a popping cork, Carolina rigged live shrimp, or freelined live shrimp. Trout are biting on incoming tides in the Sabine Channel with live shrimp under a popping cork, glo chartreuse 5 inch. Flounder catches off the flats near Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site. Bessie Heights Marsh points and drops are holding limits of sheephead, drum and redfish using Carolina rigged live shrimp, or live shrimp under a popping cork. The equinox is near, so the higher tides should bring even more baitfish in. ICW holding redfish on the rock piles and shell flats. Texaco Island producing nice trout, with a few redfish, and croaker up to 16 inches. Taylor’s Bayou holding numbers of slot redfish and trout. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
GOOD. 70 degrees. Sheepshead around structure and rocks with live shrimp. 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. 71 degrees. A few fish coming from the east shoreline of Trinity bay. Waders catching scattered trout and reds on artificial lures. Northwest shoreline and upper reaches of Galveston bay are good for reds, black drum, and a few speckled trout. Live shrimp drawing the most strikes. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
GOOD. 68 degrees. Wader still catching the majority of the speckled trout, with soft plastic lures drawing the most strikes. Open bay reefs when fishable producing sheepshead, black drum, and scattered speckled trout. Live shrimp is the best bait, followed by soft plastics. 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. 66 degrees. Open bay structure producing catches of black drum, sheepshead, speckled trout, and the occasional redfish. Live shrimp under popping corks drawing the most strikes. Shoreline action has been spotty. A few speckled trout, sheepshead, and black drum being landed. Late week prospects not great due to passing cold front. 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. 69 degrees. Catches of black drum, and few redfish, and some speckled trout, over shell all on live shrimp. Waders have picked up a few fish on soft plastics and mullet imitation plugs. 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; 60 degrees; 0.10 feet below pool. Bass are shallow in cover on spawning beds out to 12 feet biting crankbaits. White bass are running in the creeks biting roadrunners. Crappie are good on minnows and jigs. Catfish are good in 12 feet of water and near docks biting on cut bait.
Texas City
GOOD. 63 degrees. Anglers fishing from the Texas City Dike are catching oversized black drum mostly on live halved crab. Waders fishing the base of the dike picking up a few speckled trout. Please wear a life vest when wading this area. Galveston jetties are good for big black drums. Those fishing with live shrimp catching sheepshead, slot reds and black drum, a few speckled trout, and some pompano have been landed. Late week cold front will curtail the action. 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. 71-74 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. Check the weather and wind forecast before heading out. Trout and a few redfish can be caught drifting, or wading in the afternoon. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 70 degrees. Check the weather and wind forecast before heading out. Catches of drum, with few redfish mixed in, are good in the reefs with live shrimp under a popping cork or cut mullet. Flounder activity is slow. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
GOOD. 72 degrees. Water clarity is murky while the winds persist. Big bull redfish, and jack crevalle are biting at the back of the jetties near Bird Island. Oversized black drum, 60-80 pounds, are good in the same area on blue crab. Slot redfish are good halfway to the end of the jetties on Spanish sardines and live shrimp. Trout are outside of the jetties on live shrimp, and soft plastics in blue moon or dirty tequila. Sheepshead continue to bite all over the jetties using live or dead shrimp. Expect the sheepshead bite to taper off when the water temperature reaches 70 degrees and the barnacles start to open. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
GREAT. 67 degrees. Redfish are good 1-2 feet of water on cut bait, soft plastics, and topwaters near sand pockets. Trout are good in 1-4 feet of water with a 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. Pre-front bites have been really good. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters.
Port Aransas
GOOD. 72 degrees. Check the weather and wind forecast before heading out. Redfish, drum and sheepshead at the Island Moorings on shrimp. Bull redfish, jack crevalle, sheepshead and drum catches at the Fina Docks. Dagger Island holding some redfish on shrimp or cut menhaden. Few scattered catches on trout but mostly undersized, better catches using artificials. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
GOOD. 69 degrees. Check the weather and wind forecast before heading out. Redfish and black drum catches along the Spoil Islands on shrimp. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.
Baffin Bay
SLOW. 70 degrees. Fishing patterns are slow for bait and artificial anglers alike. Fish in areas uninterrupted by boat traffic. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.
Port Mansfield
GOOD. 69 degrees. Northerly winds has made fishing challenging, but fishing still remains good. Trout and redfish are holding in potholes and have eagerly been taking the KWigglers Ball Tails in Bine Diamond and Laguna pearl. When high pressure exists downsizing to a Ball Tail junior has been key. Water level is up a bit and I expect it to stay that way as we move into springtime. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
FAIR. 71 degrees. Fishing is always good, but the catches are fair this week. Trout are getting better, so limits of slot trout are common off the flats. Gaswell is good and the pasture near Port lsabel up to end of Long Bar has been consistent. Most redfish are being caught on edges of spoil banks anchoring down and using cut mullet on bottom. If you need a little more excitement, drift the edges of spoil banks using live shrimp under popping cork. Sheepshead are great around jetties and the old causeway with an occasional puppy drum thrown in. Be safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
FAIR. 71 degrees. Fishing is always good, but the catches are fair this week. Trout are getting better, so limits of slot trout are common off the flats. Gaswell is good and the pasture near Port lsabel up to end of Long Bar has been consistent. Most redfish are being caught on edges of spoil banks anchoring down and using cut mullet on bottom. If you need a little more excitement, drift the edges of spoil banks using live shrimp under popping cork. Sheepshead are great around jetties and the old causeway with an occasional puppy drum thrown in. Be safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW