Texas Gulf Coast INSHORE Fishing Report Week of March 22nd 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 63 degrees. Salinity is high in the north end of the lake and in the Neches River holding good numbers of speckled trout. The front last week pushed a lot of bait in the system. Redfish, drum, speckled trout and sheephead are good in the ICW rockpiles and shell banks. All species are fishing well in the Neches River off points and drops in the river turnarounds in 4-14 feet of water with live shrimp under a popping cork. Bessie Heights Marsh ditches are good in 6-8 feet of water Carolina rigs with live shrimp or mullet. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.

Bolivar

GOOD. 63 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. 60 degrees. Best action still in the northwest corner of the bay. Trout, redfish, and a few black drum being taken on live shrimp under corks. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

East Galveston Bay

GOOD. 62 degrees. Open bay reefs are too rough to fish due to winds. Late week forecast calls for winds to diminish. Wading the shorelines is the best option for scattered catches of speckled trout and redfish. Soft plastics drawing the most strikes. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter.

Galveston Bay

GOOD. 55 degrees. Mid bay fishing has been put on hold due to high winds. Once the winds diminish this area will be good for black drum, sheepshead, and a few speckled trout, all on live shrimp. Moses Lake producing fair catches of trout and redfish, on live shrimp and soft plastics. When the shorelines are fishinable they are holding black drum, sheepshead, and a few trout. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 63 degrees. Anglers fishing protected waters finding fair trout action. Redfish have been the most cooperative species. Soft plastics and live shrimp have been the best baits. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Houston

FAIR. Water stained; 65 degrees; 0.11 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. 60 degrees. Anglers fishing from the dike are still catching big black drum and the occasional bull red on live halved crab. Rough conditions persist along the jetties. Boats willing to tolerate the seas catching a few big drum, bull reds, and sheepshead, and keeper drum. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.

Freeport

GOOD. 65 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. 64 degrees. Few anglers out fishing as they dodge between fronts. Best success targeting redfish on protected shorelines and the backs of lakes using cut mullet and shrimp. Flounder gigging is improving. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 64 degrees. Few anglers out fishing as they dodge between fronts. Best success targeting redfish on protected shorelines and the backs of lakes using cut mullet and shrimp. Flounder gigging is improving. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.

Port O’Connor

GOOD. 65 degrees. Check the wind forecast before heading out. Big bull redfish, and jack crevalle are biting at the back of the jetties near Bird Island. Oversized black drum 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. Few catches of trout. Sheepshead continue to bite all over the jetties using live or dead shrimp. 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. 65 degrees. Check the weather and wind forecast before heading out. Redfish, drum and sheepshead and pampano off the jetties on live shrimp. Bull redfish catches using cut mullet or menhaden fishing 30 feet down. Nice catches of redfish in Redfish Bay behind the Spoil Islands on cut mullet or menhaden. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 69 degrees. East Flats holding nice redfish and drums in the canals behind the fishing house with shrimp. Bigger slot redfish catches using cut mullet or menhaden. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters.

Baffin Bay

SLOW. 65 degrees. Producing some nice trout, redfish and big drum with live shrimp under a popping cork drifting over the rocks of Baffin. Water is looking good, but in much need of some fresh water. Croaker season is just around the corner. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.

Port Mansfield

GOOD. 69 degrees. Fishing has been fair on days without high winds. When the wind allows, fish are still holding in about 2 feet of water. Topwaters such as the Mansfield Knockers have been productive since the water temperature has been hovering around 70 degrees. The KWigglers Ball Tail juniors have also been producing good fish that have been staging in potholes. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.

South Padre

FAIR. 70 degrees. Weather forecast should improve for the weekend. Water will warm in the afternoon causing the trout to migrate from deep to shallow. Trout bite is becoming aggressive on Gas Well Flats, with catches of slot and bigger trout up to 25 inches behind Three Islands. Artificial lures are working with a lot of blow-ups on topwater lures in the pot holes behind Three Islands and south of the Cullen House on the westside. Redfish are best on cut mullet anchored down on Gas Well Flats. Be safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Port Isabel

FAIR. 70 degrees. Weather forecast should improve for the weekend. Water will warm in the afternoon causing the trout to migrate from deep to shallow. Trout bite is becoming aggressive on Gas Well Flats, with catches of slot and bigger trout up to 25 inches behind Three Islands. Artificial lures are working with a lot of blow-ups on topwater lures in the pot holes behind Three Islands and south of the Cullen House on the westside. Redfish are best on cut mullet anchored down on Gas Well Flats. Be safe out there. Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Source: TPW