D ecember is here and it signifies an end as well as a beginning. It is the end of another fine year on Sabine Lake and the beginning of some of the best redfishing on the upper Texas Coast.
Trout, redfish and flounders have cooperated quite nicely for the past several months and now, all of a sudden Old Man Winter is banging on the door. There is no need to worry though because the redfish bite will keep going strong this month and should even become a little more consistent as we get closer to Christmas.
The December redfish bite has always been something we look forward to. The east bank of Sabine Lake will produce lots of reds this month, but if it’s anything close to how it’s been in recent years, it will pale in comparison to the action in the bayous.
There’s no doubt they will be cruising the shorelines of Sabine Lake looking for an easy meal, but if you want real, consistent rod bending action, deep in the bayous is where you want to be. Redfish are pretty easy to catch year round, but here on Sabine the month of December has become prime time for targeting them in the chilly waters of the bayous.
It is pretty much a matter of finding bait. Mullet is a major source of nutrition for redfish in the winter, mainly because other options such as shad and shrimp become scarcer as the water temperature drops. Therefore, if you happen to see a school of mullet, or even one or two cruising the shallow bank, there is a very good chance that there are some hungry reds nearby.
On nice calm days, it shouldn’t be hard to find mullet along long stretches at shoreline in the bayous. If you’ve located the bait, you’ve probably located the fish—especially if there’s any tidal movement.
Small drains and cuts leading to the back lakes in the marsh will usually hold the most bait and fish. Dark colored soft plastics such as Morning Glory, Red Shad and Texas Roach rigged on 1/8 oz. lead heads work very well. Gold spoons and spinner baits are also hard to beat. If you’re having difficulty locating any bait, look for dead giveaways like wakes and mud boils. These are pretty common occurrences, as these fish will aggressively feed in just inches of water.
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Location: Walter Umphrey State Park Fishing Pier
Species: Redfish, Whiting, Black Drum
Baits/Lures: Fresh Dead Shrimp, Finger Mullet, Cut Bait
Best Times: All Day
Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com
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