LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Raymond Shoal
GPS: N 28 40.449, W 95 53.898
(28.6742, -95.8983)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “Raymond Shoal area … a group of reefs on the west end of the bay, out in the middle…look for bait and slicks. Instead of wading, you are drifting in your boat looking for trout.” Capt. Countz
LOCATION: East Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Bird Island
GPS: N 28 43.86, W 95 45.617
(28.7310, -95.7603)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails with 1/8 – 1/16 oz jig head
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: Capt. Countz’s favorite colors in the MirrOlure soft plastics are glow/chartreuse tail, Purple Demon.
LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Deep Reef
GPS: N 29 30.802, W 94 40.581
(29.5134, -94.6764)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
captpaul@gofishgalveston.com
gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: “Attack the wells with a systematic drift over one side as well as the other side. If you don’t get a fish or a hookup, then move on to the next well.” Capt. Marcaccio
LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Richards Reef
GPS: N 29 31.408, W 94 44.276
(29.5235, -94.7379)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
captpaul@gofishgalveston.com
gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: “Every well in Trinity Bay have fish on them. There is a tremendous amount of shell both on the front and back side of the well. Tide movement is a plus.” Capt. Marcaccio
LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Lakies Pass
GPS: N 29 28.471, W 94 43.251
(29.4745, -94.7209)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
captpaul@gofishgalveston.com
gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: “Fish only feed on three things … sight, sound and smell. Colors that present more of a contrast to the fish, or reflection catch more fish.” Capt. Marcaccio
LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay
HOTSPOT: Sun Oil Gas Wells
GPS: N 29 38.932, W 94 48.436
(29.6489, -94.8073)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwater baits
CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
captpaul@gofishgalveston.com
gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: “Downsize your bait size … She Pups, Baby Spooks, Skitter Walks. Slower retrieve.” Capt. Marcaccio
LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay
HOTSPOT: Exxon C Lease Wells
GPS: N 29 40.446, W 94 45.579
(29.6741, -94.7597)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
captpaul@gofishgalveston.com
gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: “Know your shorelines. As you approach, look for drains and bayous, ambush points on incoming and outgoing tides. Outgoing is probably the most effective.” Capt. Marcaccio
LOCATION: Matagorda Surf
HOTSPOT: Surf
GPS: N 28 35.569, W 95 59.268
(28.5928, -95.9878)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “Anytime you get a light northwest wind that slicks off the surf, you are missing a good time to wade the beach, catching trout. Same thing … look for bait activity, birds diving, slicks. Action can be fast and furious.” Capt. Countz
LOCATION: Sabine Lake
HOTSPOT: Causeway Reef
GPS: N 29 47.221, W 93 55.919
(29.7870, -93.9320)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails
CONTACT: Capt. Adam Jaynes
409-988-3901
amjaynes@gmail.com
www.justfishsabine.com
TIPS: “Best baits are Wedgetails and Trout Killers. If we get any freshwater runoff, move out to the jetty.” Capt. Jaynes
LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Greens Bayou
GPS: N 28 29.738, W 96 13.565
(28.4956, -96.2261)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwater baits early in the morning
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “Wading, throw topwaters early up along the shoreline, working the tide. Look for drains, or work subtle structure changes in the bottom.” Capt. Countz
LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Cotton’s Bayou
GPS: N 28 31.094, W 96 12.617
(28.5182, -96.2103)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tails later in the morning
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: Capt. Countz likes a small soft plastic such as the MirrOlure Lil John, rigged on a 1/16 oz. jjg head. “If you’re wading in two or three feet of water a light jig head keeps the bait from sinking really quick.” Capt. Countz
LOCATION: Copano Bay
HOTSPOT: Northwest Shoreline
GPS: N 28 8.618, W 97 7.718
(28.1436, -97.1286)
SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: “If you find a drum school or pod diving deep or moving away when you get ready to cast to them, you are too close. This is a good time to add the light jig heads to get extra distance on your casts.” Capt. McPartland
LOCATION: Copano Bay
HOTSPOT: West Copano Shoreline
GPS: N 28 7.346, W 97 10.014
(28.1224, -97.1669)
SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: Capt. Jack does not use a swivel to attach his leader line to the reel line. He ties the two together with an Albright knot.
LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay
HOTSPOT: Portland Shoreline
GPS: N 27 52.772, W 97 16.552
(27.8795, -97.2759)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Free lined live croaker
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: Free line a live croaker in grass bed pockets
LOCATION: Port Aransas
HOTSPOT: California Hole
GPS: N 27 55.561, W 97 4.848
(27.9260, -97.0808)
SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: “Dead shrimp is the best bait, free lines on a # 6 Kayle hook.” Capt. McPartland
LOCATION: Port Aransas
HOTSPOT: Aransas Channel
GPS: N 27 52.401, W 97 5.366
(27.8734, -97.0894)
SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: Normally Capt. Jack does not use any added weight on his free lining rig. But if he needs a little more distance he will go with a 1/8 or 1/16 jig head to use with the dead shrimp.
LOCATION: Redfish Bay
HOTSPOT: Morris Cummings Cut
GPS: N 27 52.624, W 97 6.866
(27.8771, -97.1144)
SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: “If the drum are in the cut, and don’t see any pods popping up, take out your map and look for similar looking places.” Capt. McPartland
LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Pita Flats
GPS: N 27 35.066, W 97 17.658
(27.5844, -97.2943)
SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Dead Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Jack McPartland
361-290-6302
treblejcharters@yahoo.com
treble-j-charters.com
TIPS: The same terminal rigging will work for redfish, but probably cut mullet will work better than dead shrimp.
LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge Bar
GPS: N 27 18.109, W 97 28.051
(27.3018, -97.4675)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker
CONTACT: Capt. John Little
361-816-9114
captjohnlittle@sbcglobal.net
TIPS: “I will be throwing live croaker along the Tide Gauge Bar and in the guts in the area. We have caught some huge trout in this place early in the morning.” Capt. Little
LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Center Reef
GPS: N 27 16.138, W 97 28.051
(27.2690, -97.4675)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Dead shrimp
CONTACT: Capt. John Little
361-816-9114
captjohnlittle@sbcglobal.net
TIPS: “After the trout quit biting we will target redfish in the Badlands, mouth of Baffin Bay as well, using live or dead shrimp.” Capt. Little
LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Badlands
GPS: N 27 18.447, W 97 25.993
(27.3075, -97.4332)
SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or shrimp
CONTACT: Capt. John Little
361-816-9114
captjohnlittle@sbcglobal.net
TIPS: “Casting into grass pockets located along the grass lines can produce redfish and black drum using live or dead shrimp for bait.” Capt. Little
LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline
GPS: N 27 29.134, W 97 21.108
(27.4856, -97.3518)
SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft plastic shrimp tail
CONTACT: Capt. John Little
361-816-9114
captjohnlittle@sbcglobal.net
TIPS: “The King Ranch shoreline is a good place to look for trout in the evenings; we have limited out in 20 minutes. Live croaker, live shrimp under a popping cork, or soft plastic all work well.” Capt. Little
LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Badlands South
GPS: N 27 17.152, W 97 25.053
(27.2859, -97.4176)
SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Dead or live shrimp
CONTACT: Capt. John Little
361-816-9114
captjohnlittle@sbcglobal.net
TIPS: “Use live or dead shrimp on a 1/8 oz. jig head similar to how you would rig a soft plastic, casting into sand and grass pockets.” Capt. Little
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