Texas Gulf Coast INSHORE Fishing Report Week of October 4th 2023

Sabine Lake

GOOD. 86 degrees. Fall fishing pattern is here as the cold fronts start rolling through. Trout, redfish and flounder are coming out of the marsh following the bait fish. South end Sabine Lake is producing limits of redfish and trout drifting out from points with clear and chartreuse ⅛ ounce jig heads. The salinity is high in the lake, so be prepared for sharks. Neches River rock piles and buoys not holding fish due to high water. Target trout in the marsh. Normal lake pattern keying on mullet for trout. North Levee is producing nice catches of redfish and speckled trout at the first and second pike. Cast topwaters early in the morning, switching midday to crankbaits, popping cork with live shrimp, glo chartreuse plastics with a 1/16 ounce jig head. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake. 

Bolivar

GOOD. 85 degrees. The surf is holding lots of black drum, sharks, and some big redfish on cut bait or live bait on the bottom. The gulf side of the North Jetty holding limits of trout, redfish, sheepshead, jack crevalle against the rocks with live bait and artificial. Also the jacks are running in the surf using big spoons or big deer hair jigs. The cuts leading in the bay from ICW holding fish against shorelines. Lots of black drum are around Goat Island. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Trinity Bay

GOOD. 85 degrees. Tides are above normal and the open bay is too rough to fish. Protected east shoreline is holding some good redfish with a few speckled trout mixed in, as well as flounder. Protected areas around the Fred Hartman Bridge are fishing well for redfish, black drum, and few speckled trout. Best action on live shrimp or soft plastics. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. 

East Galveston Bay

FAIR. 85 degrees. Tides are higher than normal. Fair catches of redfish, with some speckled trout mixed in, along marsh shorelines and in the bayous. Open bay remains rough and off-colored. Flounder catches should improve with the passing cold front. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 85 degrees, water clarity murky in most areas of East Bay. Fishing was tougher as we fought strong East winds and had to adjust our tactics and locations. We were unable to fish off the shore reefs this week. We fished marsh drains, grass lines, and shell flats close to deeper water for catches of speckled trout, redfish and black drum. Shrimp imitation lures under popping corks with 12-18 inch leaders have still been producing the most bites for our anglers, and the Deadly Dudley, Slammin Sammy Chartreuse Tail Bay Chovey has worked well with ¼ ounce jig heads fished with or without a popping cork at various depths. On our live bait outings, live shrimp under a Fish Smack popping cork with an 18 inch leader produced many bites for our anglers. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC. Stingaree and Siever’s Cut are holding fish against the shorelines coming out into the bay using popping cork with live shrimp, 12-16 inches on the leader. Hannah’s Reef, Potluck Reef, and Fat Pat’s all holding fish early. Keep a watch on the birds and the restless bait. The big Poppa Pure Pearl DSL working early. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Galveston Bay

FAIR. 83 degrees. Open bay is too rough to fish. Those fishing areas protected from the wind reported good numbers of black drum, some redfish, and few speckled trout being caught. Live shrimp working best. There is not much flounder action to speak of, not yet anyway. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The surf is red hot on fire from East Beach all the way to Surfside for speckled trout, redfish and an occasional shark on live bait, and sheepshead on popping cork with live shrimp, or on the bottom with live shrimp at the wells. The A-1 gas wells off the ship channel near Brothel Island are holding some nice trout with a chatterweight and croaker. Redfish at rocks by Brothel Island on popping cork with shrimp or gulp shrimp. The speckled trout are on croaker and artificial. The South Jetty holding some big redfish with a few nice slots, and some nice sharks on the end. Gulf sides are on fire for speckled trout, sheepshead, pompano and redfish close to rocks on popping cork with live bait free-lined shrimp, or Carolina rigged float with shrimp, or chatter weight and croaker. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

West Galveston Bay

GOOD. 85 degrees. Higher than normal tides. Anglers fishing in protected water are finding a few speckled trout, but slot redfish catches have dominated the action. A few flounder catches being reported. Best action on live natural baits. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. West Bay’s south shoreline is holding a lot of speckled trout and redfish for wade anglers, or drift fishing around the coves and grass lines from Waterman’s to Bay Harbor using a chatterweight 12 inch fluorocarbon leader 3/0 k hook. Both sides of Bird Island holding fish Bird Island flats still holding good numbers of speckled trout, and good numbers of redfish for wade anglers. North shorelines between Carancahua Reef and Confederate Reef holding good trout and redfish with an occasional flounder drifting. The off pole A to D with chatterweight and croaker or popping cork with Shrimp. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Houston

FAIR. Water slightly stained; 85 degrees; 0.23 feet below pool. Fishing patterns are similar, look for the best bite at night and early in the morning. Blue catfish are good on shad in the mouths of rivers. Crappie are fair on submerged structures in 10-20 feet of water with jigs tipped with minnows. Bass are fair with an early morning topwater bite, transitioning to deeper structure with crankbaits and Texas or Carolina rigged worms. 

Texas City

FAIR. 83 degrees. It is bull redfish season and the catches have been good. Anglers fishing off the Texas City Dike on the channel side have reported fair catches of bull redfish. Waters at the Galveston jetties have been rough, but those anglers toughing out the conditions are catching good numbers of redfish. Galveston beachfront piers are seeing some fair bull redfish numbers. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. The rock shoals in front of Swan Lake are producing black drum and speckled trout using shrimp under popping cork. Trout in the guts between the shoals drifting croaker across Campbell’s Reef. The shoreline on the right side as you get on the dike holding nice trout for wade anglers with artificial or live bait. Mosquito Inland holding trout with an occasional redfish on artificial bone color working the best. Report provided by Captain Raymond Wheatley, Tail Spotter Guide Service LLC. 

Freeport

GOOD. 85 degrees. Southeast winds pushed water into the bay and water temperature is declining. Recent rain in the forecast and cold fronts will get the shrimp moving and improve the bite. Redfish and black drum catches using shrimp or gulp under popping cork in the back lakes. Flounder, trout and redfish holding in the rivers and cuts in the bays. Trout and redfish can be caught in the surf using croakers or mullet. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures. 

East Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 85 degrees. Fishing for redfish has improved now that the tides are higher and there is an abundance of shrimp in the bay. Redfish are biting gulp and cork, cut mullet, or live shrimp under a popping cork. As the water cools the artificial lure bite will pick up. The forecasted cold front should improve the trout bite. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service. 

West Matagorda Bay

SLOW. 85 degrees. Fishing for redfish has improved now that the tides are higher and there is an abundance of shrimp in the bay. Redfish are biting gulp and cork, cut mullet, or live shrimp under a popping cork. As the water cools the artificial lure bite will pick up. The forecasted cold front should improve the trout bite. There is a good night trout bite in The Colorado River, and will only continue to improve as the water temperature cools. Same baits live shrimp croaker gulp under a cork. Artificial bite picks up in the cold water. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service. 

Port O’Connor

GOOD. 85 degrees. Slot redfish are biting from the middle to the end of the jetties on both sides using Spanish sardines or live shrimp. Oversized drum are at the end of the North Jetty on dead shrimp. Tarpon are in the jetties biting live croaker off the bottom, but expect this pattern to change after the cold front. Catches of trout in the surf free lining live croaker. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service. 

Rockport

GREAT. 86 degrees. Speckled trout are good in 2-4 feet of water over grass and sand on live bait, topwaters, and soft plastics. Redfish are great as shallow as one foot around the islands and marsh inlets on gulp and cut bait. Sheepshead catches near structures on live shrimp. Black drum are good in 3-6 feet of water on dead shrimp and Fishbites. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters. 

Port Aransas

GOOD. 84 degrees. Redfish are biting at the jetties and the Fina Docks on live finger mullet or live shrimp. The surf has been choppy. Trout are biting in the ship channel on live croaker. Rocks along the ship channel are holding mangrove biting dead shrimp, but the best catches on live shrimp. Occasional catches of flounder. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters. 

Corpus Christi

GOOD. 84 degrees. Redfish, with a few drum mixed in, are good in the potholes of the flats behind Mustang Island on live or cut mullet. Very few catches of trout along the wells. Occasional catches of flounder. Report by Captain Doug Stanford, Pirates of the Bay Fishing Charters. 

Baffin Bay

GREAT. 86-95 degrees. Weather patterns have been slowly transitioning to slightly cooler mornings and evenings. Northern winds and scattered showers in the area before sunrise has improved the early morning fishing. The bite continues to be aggressive with topwater lures. Fishing slicks and areas that hold a lot of 2.5-3 inch baitfish in knee to waist deep water along parallel guts to the shoreline have been holding many great redfish and speckled trout. Read the water carefully, look for baitfish jumping frantically, slicks that may pop up in the area, swirls and “big eats.” Pelicans and seagulls above can also help direct you to the area that is holding baitfish. All these factors will help you become a successful angler when stalking your personal best fish or a stringer to take home. As the day carries on and hot temperatures set in, smaller lures with a reflective base such as Mirrordine’s, Softdines and soft plastics with a lot of hinge action have been producing a good reaction bite. When you get a bite, stay put, fan out your casts and work slowly throughout that area. Stay hydrated and safe out on the water, and as always, tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures. The trout bite has been great all week early in the morning with croaker. All you have to do is find a new slick and fish right behind it, and bang you catch a trout. As you are reeling in trout, there may be one or two followers. fishing is amazing right now in Baffin. Report by Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing. 

Port Mansfield

GREAT. 85 degrees. Water levels have risen, and water temperatures have cooled some. Redfish are good on the flats using Mansfield Knocker topwaters in about 2 feet of water. A few good trout are in the same areas. Most fish have been holding in and around potholes. This pattern should continue for the coming weeks. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters. 

South Padre

GOOD. 87 degrees. Winds have been light but there is a cold front in the forecast. Bull redfish are at the jetties. Sheepshead are at the end of jetties and the old causeway. Smaller sized black drums are south of New causeway. Redfish, speckled trout and a few black drum can be caught drifting with popping cork on the gas well flats. Still plenty of trout free shrimping on the edge of the intracoastal at the shacks at Three Islands. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre. 

Port Isabel

GOOD. 87 degrees. Winds have been light but there is a cold front in the forecast. Bull redfish are at the jetties. Sheepshead are at the end of jetties and the old causeway. Smaller sized black drums are south of New causeway. Redfish, speckled trout and a few black drum can be caught drifting with popping cork on the gas well flats. Still plenty of trout free shrimping on the edge of the intracoastal at the shacks at Three Islands. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.

Source: TPW