1904Apr

HOTSPOTS: Saltwater – April 2019

UPPER TEXAS COAST

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Tide Gauge
GPS: N 29 28.179, W 94 41.941
(29.4697, -94.6990)

East Galveston Bay Tide Gauge

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Caleb McCumber
832-451-9989
calebmccumber@gmail.com
www.captcaleb.com
TIPS: “Live shrimp, mid-day in East Bay ought to produce in April under a popping cork. Look for deeper water over scattered shell.” Capt. McCumber

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Hanna’s Reef
GPS: N 29 28.471, W 94 43.251
(29.4745, -94.7209)

East Galveston Bay Hanna’s Reef

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Van-Ta-Un Flats
GPS: N 29 32.794, W 94 45.805
(29.5466, -94.7634)

East Galveston Bay Van-Ta-Un Flats

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Caleb McCumber
832-451-9989
calebmccumber@gmail.com
www.captcaleb.com
TIPS: Capt. McCumber likes a Mid Coast popping cork, Kahle hook, with a leader anywhere from 2 – 4 feet long.

LOCATION: East Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Deep Reef
GPS: N 29 30.802, W 94 40.581
(29.5134, -94.6764)

East Galveston Bay Deep Reef

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Caleb McCumber
832-451-9989
calebmccumber@gmail.com
www.captcaleb.com
TIPS: “If it’s windy I will be pretty aggressive in popping the cork. If calm, go to a lighter pop. Do a 1 -2 count, let it sit for a minute, then 2 count again.” Capt. McCumber

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Green Island
GPS: N 28 29.805, W 96 14.265
(28.4968, -96.2378)

West Matagorda Bay Green Island

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Down South, MirrOdine and Paul Brown Soft-Dine
CONTACT: Capt. Caleb McCumber
832-451-9989
calebmccumber@gmail.com
www.captcaleb.com
TIPS: Capt. McCumber targets bait moving out of the marshes and inhabiting the grass flats.

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Middle Ground
GPS: N 28 30.692, W 96 13.611
(28.5115, -96.2269)

West Matagorda Bay Middle Ground

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Down South, MirrOdine and Paul Brown Soft-Dine
CONTACT: Capt. Caleb McCumber
832-451-9989
calebmccumber@gmail.com
www.captcaleb.com
TIPS: “I like the smaller plastics, something with some flash…a silver a natural color.” Capt. McCumber

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Cottons Bayou
GPS: N 28 30.552, W 96 12.453
(28.5092, -96.2076)

West Matagorda Bay Cottons Bayou

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: MirrOlure Lil John on 1/16 oz. jig head
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “The Lil John doesn’t catch a lot of grass. You can fish it in two feet of water and not catch the bottom. You can throw it like a bullet, doesn’t catch a log of wind, plenty of distance casting out.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: West Matagorda Bay
HOTSPOT: Greens Bayou
GPS: N 28 29.738, W 96 13.565
(28.4956, -96.2261)

West Matagorda Bay Greens Bayou

LOCATION: Sabine Lake
HOTSPOT: South Causeway Reef
GPS: N 29 47.221, W 93 55.919
(29.7870, -93.9320)

Sabine Lake South Causeway Reef

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Egret Soft Plastics
CONTACT: Capt. Adam Jaynes
409-988-3901
amjaynes@gmail.com
www.justfishsabine.com
TIPS: Fish the Egret under the popping cork.

MIDDLE TEXAS COAST

LOCATION: Aransas Bay
HOTSPOT: California Hole
GPS: N 27 55.561, W 97 4.848
(27.9260, -97.0808)

Aransas Bay California Hole

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Anthony DeLeon
361-463-3820
TIPS: Cajun Thunder popping corks, 5/0 croaker hook and live shrimp. “The length of leader under the cork depends on the water depth.” Capt. DeLeon

LOCATION: Aransas Bay
HOTSPOT: Allyn’s Bight
GPS: N 27 58.718, W 96 58.716
(27.9786, -96.9786)

Aransas Bay Allyn’s Bight

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp under a popping cork
CONTACT: Capt. Anthony DeLeon
361-463-3820
TIPS: Shallow water you want the bait to be able to stay above the grass.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay
HOTSPOT: East Flats
GPS: N 27 48.991, W 97 7.139
(27.8165, -97.1190)

Corpus Christi Bay East Flats

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Cut Mullet, Cut Crab, Live Mullet
CONTACT: Capt. Anthony DeLeon
361-463-3820
TIPS: “The majority of redfish will be in 3 feet of water or less. Speckled trout, if cold water, will be 4 feet of water or deeper.” Capt. DeLeon

LOCATION: Redfish Bay
HOTSPOT: Redfish Bay
GPS: N 27 50.929, W 97 9.94
(27.8488, -97.1657)

Redfish Bay Redfish Bay

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Cut Mullet, Cut Crab, Live Mullet
CONTACT: Capt. Anthony DeLeon
361-463-3820
TIPS: For redfish, Capt. DeLeon uses a Carolina Rig with 1/2 oz. weight, a 5/0 croaker hook. The leader is about a 1 1/2 to 2 feet in length. He uses 30 lb. braid on his reels with a 20 lb. monofilament for leader.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay
HOTSPOT: Estes Flats
GPS: N 27 56.541, W 97 5.944
(27.9424, -97.0991)

Redfish Bay Estes Flats

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Cut Mullet, Cut Crab, Live Mullet
CONTACT: Capt. Anthony DeLeon
361-463-3820
TIPS: Fronts: “Move around enough you will find fish after a front,” says Capt. DeLeon. He said he make as many as 10-12 stops.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline
GPS: N 27 29.134, W 97 21.108
(27.4856, -97.3518)

Upper Laguna Madre King Ranch Shoreline

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwater lures early and soft plastics later in the day
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: Capt. Countz said in April he works the King Ranch shoreline from Corpus to Baffin. “Look for baitfish action and/or slicks.”

LOWER TEXAS COAST

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Kennedy Shoreline
GPS: N 27 14.567, W 97 25.459
(27.2428, -97.4243)

Baffin Bay Kennedy Shoreline

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwater lures early and soft plastics later in the day
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “I will be wading close to the shoreline throwing topwaters early and switching off to soft plastics.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: N Carrallos Shoreline
GPS: N 27 15.162, W 97 29.177
(27.2527, -97.4863)

Baffin Bay N Carrallos Shoreline

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Lele Lures
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “In April we throw topwaters in these areas. The Lele worked really well in the fall. Start working the bait in 6-8 feet of water.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Penescal
GPS: N 27 17.155, W 97 25.558
(27.2859, -97.4260)

Baffin Bay Penescal

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Lele Lures
CONTACT: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
tcountz@sbcglobal.net
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: “The Lele is perfect when fishing grassy areas. With a southeast wind we will be fishing the Kennedy shoreline.” Capt. Countz

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Bowie Park
GPS: N 26 8.198, W 97 10.843
(26.1366, -97.1807)

Lower Laguna Madre Bowie Park

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Kelley Wigglers
CONTACT: Capt. Josh Garza
956-648-8532
joshgarza26@gmail.com
TIPS: Capt. Garza prefers the Wiggle Tail Shad and the 3-inch paddle tail, with a 1/8 oz. jig head

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Bayside Drive
GPS: N 26 10.226, W 97 18.012
(26.1704, -97.3002)

Lower Laguna Madre Bayside Drive

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Kelley Wigglers
CONTACT: Capt. Josh Garza
956-648-8532
joshgarza26@gmail.com
TIPS: Retrieve: “Burn back the bait in shallow areas using the paddle tails. The willow tailed bait is a slower retrieve.” Capt. Garza

LOCATION: Port Mansfield
HOTSPOT: Buther’s Break
GPS: N 26 35.403, W 97 22.961
(26.5901, -97.3827)

Port Mansfield Buther’s Break

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Kelley Wigglers
CONTACT: Capt. Josh Garza
956-648-8532
joshgarza26@gmail.com
TIPS: Sandy bottom…key structure. “I prefer to wade anywhere from knee deep to waist deep water as the temperature rise.” Capt. Garza

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