Fall Brings Relief After a Grueling Summer

SABINE LAKE & PASS

Reported by CAPT. EDDIE HERNANDEZ

Email Eddie Hernandez at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

IT CAN BE argued, quite convincingly I might add, that the fall fishing season is the best time to consistently bag solid numbers of trout, reds and flounders along Texas’s vast coastline.

It’s a time of year when significant seasonal changes bring much anticipated cooler temperatures. The prey and predators alike seem to be rejuvenated after a long, grueling summer.

Here on Texas’s northernmost bay system many people are convinced that no other season rivals the fall when it comes to sheer numbers and the overall quality of the Big Three. I would have to agree with them because it is what I would pick if I were forced to choose just one.

The marsh and bayous are constantly being purged as shrimp and baitfish continue to pour into the bay with every cold front. As a result, the mouths of the bayous, shorelines and open bay are all excellent places to locate fish.

Flounders will set up ambush points in the bayous at S curves and points near the mouth on outgoing tides. Trout and redfish will also take advantage of these areas as the tide leads their next meal towards deeper water.

Fishing the mouths of any bayou or cut on the eastern bank of Sabine Lake can lead to success. If you’ve got tidal movement and bait present, the odds of you catching fish increase greatly.

These areas hold bait year-round, but they seem to really step it up a notch in the fall. Throwing top-waters early, then plastics once the sun gets up should keep you on the fish. It’s hard for flounders to resist the wobble of a curl-tailed grub, tipped with fresh shrimp and dragged slowly along the bottom. Trout and redfish usually prefer it worked just a little faster. Use a 1/8-ounce or ¼- ounce lead head and bounce it off the bottom or swim it back to the boat.

The open bay should be wide open with big flocks of birds leading anglers to schools of trout and reds. Shrimp are making their way out of the marsh. The fish have them corralled and pushed to the surface where the gulls—and hopefully you—will be waiting.

The big bulls have also invaded the surf and jetties as they come in close to spawn future generations. Break out the big rods, catch some mullet, and you shouldn’t have to wait too long before the reels start singing.

Set your drag and come see us here on Sabine this fall.

 

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GALVESTON

Reported by CAPT. DEREK YORK

Email Derek York at spotstalkerfishing@yahoo.com

 

ALTHOUGH SUMMERTIME is finally coming to an end and the kids are back in school, the fishing and the temps remain hot on Galveston Bay.  This is one of my favorite times of year to fish here in the Galveston Bay complex.  The beginning of the transition into Fall means a lot of things for those of us who love being outdoors!  Dove season is upon us, archery deer season is right around the corner and the running of the Bulls, Bull Redfish that is, has begun and will only get better the later in the year we get.  

If you are wanting to catch a lot of big hard fighting fish, the fall redfish run is where it’s at.  These fish are easily targeted around the Galveston jetties and the nearshore waters in the Gulf.  My favorite way to catch these fish is using artificial lures on a lighter setup.  When we are fishing multiple people on the boat, I prefer using larger spinning gear fishing on the bottom with cut mullet.  This can produce some fast-paced action with multiple people hooked up at the same time.   One day we boated over 50 fish at the Galveston jetties.  We stopped because we ran out of bait!  

There are several other species that are highly popular in the Galveston Bay area in the Fall and the Southern Flounder is at the top of the list, along with Spotted Seatrout and Sheepshead.  

This is shaping up to be another great year for catching Flounder and with those first few “cold” fronts we will probably see them start the transition from the marsh to the passes.  I usually target the larger drains that feed directly into the main bay system.  West Bay and the south shoreline of East Bay are great places to target flounder this time of year.

Even with all this talk about redfish and flounder, the Spotted Seatrout fishing is still going strong.  We should be in for another great Fall fishing for trout as they transition from the flats and mid-bay reefs to the marshes.  Working feeding birds is also a great way to stay on the fish as bait is pushed up to the surface by hungry trout.  And remember, sometimes those bigger fish are deeper in the water column waiting for that easier meal.  

Sheepshead round out my favorites list for this time of year to target.  I always target these fish around structure like rocks, pilings and bulkheads.  Some of my favorite places to try from a boat are the Galveston jetties, Clear Lake and in West Galveston Bay near North and South Deer Islands.  The Texas City Dike is a great place to target them from the shoreline.

Regardless of what you are targeting, this time of year is great to be on the water fishing.  Less pressure and cooler temps are a welcome sight after a very busy summer on the Texas coast.  So, get out and enjoy it while you can!

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MATAGORDA

Reported by CAPT. MARK TALASEK

Email Mark Talasek at MarkTalasek@sbcglobal.com

 

AS I WRITE this report, mid-summer temperatures are hitting the upper 90s—the opposite end of the spectrum from the frigid temperatures of last winter.

Our estuaries are recovering well from the freeze. West Matagorda is in better shape. It has direct access to deeper waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It also reaches 18-foot depths in the center for fish to retreat. East Matagorda doesn’t have that luxury only seeing seven feet on the depth finder.

Access is limited to Mitchell’s cut on the east end and the long stretch of the Colorado River from the west side. Most all species had to replenish from one of these inlets. It just took a little more time. However, we are seeing better numbers from East Bay as well as the bigger trout it’s known for.

We have been using live bait under a popping cork over deeper shell when conditions allow. The shoreline has coughed up larger trout in wade-fishing with artificials.

It’s going to be interesting to see what kind of a shrimp crop we have for the fall. We hope the bird action will return to the usual East Bay standards. Strong winds have blown us to West Bay on most of my trips.

Shrimp under a popping cork drifting grass beds has produced limits of trout for those wanting to stay in the boat. Wade-fishing along the shoreline has been equally productive. Flounder-gigging numbers have been very good. Numbers of flat fish have replenished the bay.

Overall, Matagorda fishing has been good—maybe not as well in East Bay, but it is getting better every day. To book your next trip to Matagorda, call Captain Mark Talasek 979 479-1397.

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HotSPOTLight:

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Location: Carancahua Bay
Hotspot: Pipeline
GPS: N 28 42.6, W 96 23.816
(28.7100, -96.3969)

Species: Redfish
Best Baits: Pink Skitter Walk topwater bait
Source: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
www.matagordafishing.com
Tips: Capt. Countz likes to wade fish in October for redfish. The redfish, a lot of times, can be found schooling in October. The tides are usually a little bit better, and he can get the boat in closer to the shoreline.

Location: Galveston Bay
Hotspot: Old Pilings
GPS: N 29 25.06, W 94 48.48
(29.4177, -94.8080)

Species: Speckled Trout
Best Baits: Down South soft plastics
Source: Capt. Glenn Boyd
409-789-6225
www.boydsguideservice.com
Tips: Paddle tail soft plastics with either a 3/8 or 1/2 oz. lead head…bounce it off the shell. The sound helps draw the fish.

Location: Galveston East Bay
Hotspot: Artificial Reef
GPS: N 29 30.733, W 94 39.9
(29.5122, -94.6650)

Species: Speckled Trout
Best Baits: Down South soft plastics
Source: Capt. Glenn Boyd
409-789-6225
www.boydsguideservice.com
Tips: Capt. Boyd’s favorite color in soft plastics is something having chartreuse in it.

Location: Keller Bay
Hotspot: Mud Reef
GPS: N 28 36.467, W 96 28.059
(28.6078, -96.4677)

Species: Redfish
Best Baits: Pink Skitter Walk topwater bait
Source: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
www.matagordafishing.com
Tips: Topwater action early in the morning, working some of the drains, scattered shell along the shorelines.

Location: Matagorda East Bay
Hotspot: Chinquapin Reef
GPS: N 28 43.994, W 95 47.954
(28.7332, -95.7992)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Down South soft plastics
Source: Capt. Kendall Kersh
979-248-1871
www.puresaltadventures.com
Tips: Shrimp migration begins in September which in turn causes the fish to school up and the birds to start working.

Location: Matagorda West Bay
Hotspot: Shell Island
GPS: N 28 37.533, W 96 3.515
(28.6256, -96.0586)

Species: Redfish
Best Baits: Pink Skitter Walk topwater bait
Source: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
www.matagordafishing.com
Tips: Watch for the shorebirds concentrating in one area. They are usually following redfish, blowing them up into the grass.

Location: Sabine Lake
Hotspot: Black’s Bayou
GPS: N 29 59.866, W 93 45.182
(29.9978, -93.7530)

Species: Speckled Trout
Best Baits: Soft Plastics with jig heads
Source: Capt. Eddie Hernandez
409-673-3100
www.goldenhookguide.com
Tips: The birds are working shrimp with trout under them. Any of the bigger bayous are good places to check during October.

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Breaking the Ice with the Generation of Less

ROCKPORT AREA

Reported by CAPT. MAC GABLE

Email Mac Gable at captmac@macattackguideservice.com

Or Visit Online: macattackguideservice.com

 

THE FISHING TRIP was booked by a mom and dad for their 15-year-old son. I was told they had desperately tried to get their only child away from social media and into the outdoors. The all-day outing was an attempt to accomplish the same.

Most parental fishing trips were a family affair. This trip, the parents preferred not to go for reasons that later became obvious. The thought occurred to me I was going to be babysitting this 15-year-old young man, so I quizzed the mom a bit and asked the operative question: “Does your son want to go fishing?”

“Yes, he does, he just doesn’t know it yet,” she replied.

You can lead a horse to water but can’t make it drink was my first thought. A day on the water was not going to cure many years of bad parenting was another thought bouncing around in my reluctant brain.

My passion for more than 30 years—and what has kept me going as a guide—was the opportunity to introduce folks to fishing. I always looked forward to those trips.

A solo client was a blessing after many days of back-to-back trips with four or more people, so I focused on those thoughts and reserved the day on my calendar. At the bait stand the morning of the trip, my favorite bait stand operator asked why I was getting shrimp.

“The bite is on mud minnows, finger mullet and croaker” he advised.

“Quart of shrimp please,” I responded.

“Just a quart!???”

“It’s a solo client—just one person.”

“Well, I hope they like hamburgers because they won’t be eating fish tonight,” he retorted. “It’s so uplifting, these brief exchanges with an all-knowing man of wisdom such as yourself.”

“I should come by more often,” I replied.

He handed me the five-gallon bucket full of shrimp, then grumpily told me to get my own live well water.

I chuckled.

The young man was not hard to find on the dark dock as I backed my Haynie (boat) into the water. His neck was bent at a 90-degree angle, and his face was lit up like a horror movie character as he stared at his cell phone.

I docked the boat and introduced myself. I gave my usual safety spiel and told him to come aboard.

“It’s dark,” he quipped. “Do you know where you’re going?”

“Only if I can see,” I jokingly said.

He didn’t seem amused, just alarmed. The ride out, he was again transfixed on his phone. I was enjoying the cool morning and the smell and feel of the bay. It truly is soul-cleansing for me.

The tranquility was then interrupted as the young man stood on shaky legs and shouted, “I lost the cell signal!”

“Where we are going there is no signal,” I calmly replied.

He looked pale, like a deer in the headlights.

“How do I know where I am? How can I communicate? I’m at a critical point in Minecraft and have to be connected!”

His panic level now at hyperventilation stage, I was fearful he might demand to go back. To calm the moment, I showed him my Garmin GPS and told him between it and his boat captain, he could forever know where he was, and we were going to communicate the old fashioned way, by talking about fishing.

“I need a Red Bull,” he quipped.

“I hope you brought some,” I said.

“I didn’t bring anything,” he exclaimed.

“I have water, Gatorade, coffee, and maybe a Coke.”

“Get me a Coke” he said.

“Ice chest’s in the back, help yourself” I replied.

I eased into a small sand reef that had been holding black drum.

“Where are we?”

“Vision Reef,” I told him.

“I don’t see anything.”

“It’s there, let me show you.”

I showed him on the Garmin.

“Man, so all these spots on here are where you fish?”

“Yep.”

“Who put the spots on the map?” he queried.

“I did.”

“That’s a lot of spots!”

“About a thousand,” I said.

He seemed impressed. I grabbed a rod, hooked a shrimp, and the casting lessons began.

“I can’t do that,” he said. “Will you cast for me?”

“I can’t, I have a bad shoulder, so it’s going to be up to you.”

“I’m going to mess up!”

“For sure” I replied, “but that’s OK. You won’t hurt anything, just do what I showed you.”

After about 10 casts he was getting the hang of it.

“See the spot where the waves are breaking? That’s where you need to be to catch fish.”

“I can’t throw that far,” he said.

“Yes, you can, remember it’s technique not strength, and you’ll know when you get it.”

Suddenly, “Oh, Wow! Look, I did it!”

“Good job, now slowly move the cork away from the reef by reeling in. Now stop.” The cork disappeared, and the fun was beginning.

“What do I do? Help me!”

“Lift the rod up, then reel as the rod goes down.”

After five minutes of drag pulling, the fish was now beside the boat, then netted and at his feet.

“Oh my God!” he said, “he’s huge!”

I helped him hold the 24-inch drum. I took a few pictures with my cell phone, then shook his hand and congratulated him.

“Is that what you use a cell phone for?”

“Yep, and minecrap.”

He laughed. “Minecraft,” he corrected me.

We both laughed. The ice was now broken, and I knew the black drum was not the only thing that had been hooked. 

One fish elevated me from zero to hero in his eyes, the questions stopped, and focused listening began. Three more fish later, and I told him, “You’re one fish away from a limit.

“I’ve never caught a fish in my life, and now I might catch my limit!” he beamed with a smile from ear to ear.

Communication channels now open, he told me about school and his girlfriend and that he worked.

“Your boss let you off to fish huh?”

“No, I just took off,” he said.

“You could lose your job” I said.

“I don’t care, I’ll just stay home. My parents make lots of money,” he stated.

“I know that’s probably not right, but I’ll never have as much as my parents. Kids these days just accept they will have less.”

“Reel up,” I said.

“Where are we going to fish now?”

“Nowhere, it’s time to head back to the dock.”

“Um, wait a minute, I thought the trip was all day?”

“Yeah, it’s supposed to be, but you caught some fish, and your mom already paid me, so who cares?”

He sat silently as I headed in the direction of the dock. I could tell his mind was busy churning through the early morning activity and conversation.

He then raised his hand as if in school, so I throttled back. He stood staring at me trying to form the right words. I poured a cup of coffee as we drifted along.

“I don’t think you’re being fair to my parents. They paid for a full day, and I would like to fish a full day,” he said.

“I didn’t think it mattered to you after what you shared with me. They have lots of money, and the way you apparently treat others, like your employer, so me cutting the trip short should be no big deal. Right?”

“I see the point,” he said, as he looked down, ashamed. “I would like to continue fishing if you don’t mind.”

“I think I can be persuaded to do that. By the way, we’re back in cell phone range if there are any calls you need to make, it’s still early morning.”

He smiled.  “Yes, I think I’ll call work, and let my mom and dad know I limited out!”

“Great, I might know where some reds and maybe a few trout are, that are hungry for shrimp.”

“Can I have a Coke?” he asked as he dialed the phone.

“You know where the ice chest is,” I said. He grinned and shook his head.

•  •  •

I LOVE THIS time of year, because it’s an anything goes as far as baits, lures, rigging and weather. There is no magic approach or formula that fits.

Live bait is always the go-to with croakers the mainstay for the past three to four months. My live well always has two kinds, and often, three types of bait, so keep an open mind. Experimentation is the key to success.

Copano Bay: My go-to is live shrimp on the grass edges near Turtle Pen area. Finger mullet is good free-lined at the mouth of Copano Creek.

St. Charles Bay: Drifts across the mouth of Cavasso Creek can produce keeper trout. New Penny Jerk Shad is the ticket or a free-lined live shrimp.

Aransas Bay: Grass beds near the north shoreline are a great spot for trout, using a free-lined croaker. Jaybird Reef is a good spot for trout and black drum using a live shrimp under a popping cork. The mouth of Dunham Bay is a good spot for reds, using finger mullet on a light Carolina rig.

Carlos Bay: Wades down Cedar Reef are productive for trout and reds. Free-lined croaker is best. Keep bait off the bottom as this is a heavy shell area. Early morning drifts across Carlos Lake is the ticket for nice trout using free-lined croakers.

Mesquite Bay: The reefs on the west open bay side of the cove are good for an occasional flounder and black drum using live shrimp jigged across the bottom. Wades near the mouth of Cedar Bayou can be good for trout and reds using live shrimp or croakers.

Ayers Bay: The southwest shoreline near the fish huts is a good spot for reds using finger mullet on a light Carolina Rig. On a north wind, Ayers Reef is the go-to spot for trout and reds on a popping cork and shrimp. Mud minnows work well here free-lined.

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CORPUS CHRISTI AREA

Reported by CAPT. JOEY FARRAH

Email Joey Farah at jfarah@gmail.com

 

LATE SUMMER PATTERNS here along the Texas Coastal Bend can offer some great fishing for anglers in boats, and on foot. Hot and steamy mornings usually give way to mid-day breezes with afternoon gusts.

Tropical events can raise tide levels and scatter fish, but this is normal. Large masses of bait and gamefish will rise along with these tides and move out toward the Gulf Passes in preparation for their Fall and Winter spawning.

Starting in our northern regions of Corpus Christi Bay, head toward the oil and gas wells on those calm mornings. Fish live shrimp on the bottom, free-lined with a small split shot under a cork. This will yield lots of sand trout, specks, small sharks, and always lots of action from gafftops.

The large Islands in Corpus Christi Bay will be great live bait fishing along the deep-water sides. Live croakers will bring trout and reds. Cast up shallow along the beaches where you find grass growing in knee-deep water.

The shallow inner flats behind these islands are full of grassy flats and scattered sand pockets for wade fishermen and shallow water drifters. The stretch of road between Port Aransas and North Padre offers a large amount of public access to some great shallow water wade fishing.

Explore the trails that lead west from the highway, slipping in on foot and in kayaks. Shallow water fishing here should start with topwater plugs at sunrise. Then move toward large gold weedless spoons as the sun comes up. When you are in less than knee deep water, cast only when you see a fish.

Sight casting is much like stalking, quiet steps hoping to see a gamefish before they see you. Making a planned cast in front of a feeding fish, then watching it eat the bait is so exciting.

My choice for ultra-shallow water casting is the 3-inch, ¼-ounce DOA Shrimp. I always have a natural color, a dark, and a bright version of the same lure, so that I have all spectrums of color covered. 

To our south, I’ll drift-fish in my Ultra Shallow Water Dargel Scout, teaching my guests to see gamefish in shallow water and catch big reds and trout on lures. We will be in the flats east of Baffin Bay in The Meadows, and Nine Mile Hole.

Always bring a small bit of dead shrimp to use for the thousands of black drums you will find digging for grass shrimp and crabs back in those shallow flats. When the tides rise, move over sand bars and shorelines against where gamefish can round bait up.

As tides roll out, these shallow flats will drain into the side of the ICW Canal. This will be a highway for activity in late summer. The main channel contains lots of current, deep cool water, and traveling schools of bait.

Fishing the edge of the channel with soft plastics in the morning when winds are slack is great fun. Night-time movements leave gamefish to rest in the grass flats adjacent to the channel. This often holds a large percent of the action as well. Making small drifts or wades along the spoil islands south of Bird Island Basin will put you right into the fish.

The beaches here are long and full of late summer fish. Look toward the jetty areas for groups of redfish to be had on live finger mullet, and small sharks on large pieces of cut mullet.

Sunrise and sunset are magic on the beach for fat speckled trout on topwater lures. After the sun comes out switch to DOA Terror Eyes soft plastics. These baits are perfect for surf fishing and imitating the tiny gulf minnows that are all over the surf.

You never know what you will hook in the surf, I always use a good length of fluorocarbon leader in the 30- to 40-lb range. Spanish mackerel are quick to bite through light line.

As we transition toward fall, large groups of redfish, including 38- to 50-inch bull reds will gather in schools to chase shad and mullet along the King Ranch shoreline. Hooking into one of these beasts is a lifetime memory.

Majestic monster redfish should always be released. They are more than 12 years old and some are into their 20s.

We have just begun to recover from the winter fish kills of the spring freeze. This is going to take more than a few seasons. So, remember that a sport fisherman doesn’t kill everything he catches.

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HotSPOTLight:

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Location: Corpus Christi Bay
Hotspot: East Flats
GPS: N 27 49.135, W 97 6.266
(27.8189, -97.1044)

Species: Speckled Trout
Best Baits: Bone color One Knocker topwater bait
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
www.FishGame.com/FishGameGear
Tips: You won’t get the real heavy trout in October. If you want big fish, target reds.

Location: Nueces Bay
Hotspot: Nueces Bay
GPS: N 27 51.035, W 97 25.966
(27.8506, -97.4328)

Species: Speckled Trout
Best Baits: Bone color One Knocker topwater bait
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
www.FishGame.com/FishGameGear
Tips: On windy afternoons, tuck in behind the islands and work the guts that have water moving through them.

Location: Port Aransas
Hotspot: Brown & Root Flats
GPS: N 27 51.164, W 97 5.812
(27.8527, -97.0969)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Cut Bait, Live Mullet or a gold spoon
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
www.FishGame.com/FishGameGear
Tips: Free line around the islands with a piggy perch.

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

Species: Redfish
Best Baits: Soft Plastics
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
www.FishGame.com/FishGameGear
Tips: All the flats should produce fish at this time of the year.

Location: Upper Laguna Madre
Hotspot: Spoils along the Intracoastal
GPS: N 27 33.684, W 97 16.759
(27.5614, -97.2793)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Shrimp under a popping cork or free lining live croaker
Source: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
www.FishGame.com/FishGameGear
Tips: Fish along the edges of sand or grass drop offs in waist deep water using free lined live croaker.

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A Special Time of Year for Lower Coast Fishing

BAFFIN BAY

Reported by CAPT. GERAD MERRITT

Email Gerad Merritt at GeradMerritt@gmail.com

Visit Online: ParadiseGuideServices.com

 

FISHING THIS TIME of year tends to be special. I am still fishing my normal rocks, but adding in a lot of shorelines and grass flats. I tend to venture out to the Laguna Madre and fish through the cuts and off the edge of the spoil islands.

When fishing these areas, I am looking for bait fish and birds working the waters. When looking at birds anywhere, you must remember that birds diving down under water and flying away does not necessarily mean good bait fish. This is a mistake I have seen fishermen make quite often. You need to wait and watch them to make sure they continuously dive down in the same areas.

One thing I like to do when fishing a shoreline or grass line is make sure there is not too much bait. In my opinion, when this happens, the fish can be more selective in what they are going to eat. Therefore they do not necessarily need what you are throwing at them.

I am still using croakers this time of year when I can find them, and they seem to work just fine in attracting the fish. The trick is remembering that you do not want oversized bait. When the live bait I am using is on the larger side, I will have to let the fish run with the croaker a little longer.

When a trout hits on a croaker, they bite it from the side and will need to turn it head-first to eat it. My hook placement on the croaker is almost always in the tail, so an average sized trout may take a little time to get the hook into its mouth when I use a bigger bait.

In south Texas, it seems the February freeze did take a toll on our fish population, but the numbers are coming back in stride. Make every cast count and do not get discouraged.

Keep in mind the old tricks of the trade you have learned over the years, and you should do fine. Do not be afraid to move spots looking for some of the same signs. There are certainly days where we may move 10 or 15 times looking for fish, hoping they will cooperate.

I always tell my customers when we are fishing to use what they like, whether it is live or artificial bait. If you need to go to plastic, throw it. A lot of fishing is about having the confidence in what you are doing. It makes all the difference being able to feel a bite or in the way you are working the bait, no matter what you happen to be throwing.

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HotSPOTLight:

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Location: Baffin Bay
Hotspot: Rocky Slough
GPS: N 27 9.903, W 97 26.716
(27.1651, -97.4453)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Shrimp under a popping cork or free lining live croaker
Source: Capt. Carlos Garcia
956-433-6094
Tips: September starts the migration of redfish moving up shallow. Look for school of reds.

Location: Lower Laguna Madre
Hotspot: Holly Beach
GPS: N 26 4.83, W 97 14.87
(26.0805, -97.2478)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Topwater artificials or soft plastic tails
Source: Capt. Carlos Garcia
956-433-6094
Tips: If you prefer to free line live shrimp, rig with a split shot and treble hook. Let it glide into the current.

Location: Lower Laguna Madre
Hotspot: Stover Point
GPS: N 26 12.191, W 97 17.702
(26.2032, -97.2950)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Topwater artificials or soft plastic tails
Source: Capt. Carlos Garcia
956-433-6094
Tips: Redfish lures: topwaters, soft plastics, something with a nice red glitter in it.

Location: Lower Laguna Madre
Hotspot: Cullen Bay Channel
GPS: N 26 15.812, W 97 17.166
(26.2635, -97.2861)

Species: Speckled Trout & Redfish
Best Baits: Topwater artificials or soft plastic tails
Source: Capt. Carlos Garcia
956-433-6094
Tips: Super Spook in bone white with a jerky retrieve, walking the dog.

Location: Port Mansfield
Hotspot: Rincon de San Jose Shoreline
GPS: N 26 47.384, W 97 28.459
(26.7897, -97.4743)

Species: Redfish
Best Baits: Topwaters, Live Mullet, Soft Plastics
Source: Capt. Carlos Garcia
956-433-6094
Tips: Fish from the boat or wade, doesn’t really matter that much how you are fishing. The fish are hungry, and they are ready to feed.

Location: South Bay
Hotspot: East Table Top
GPS: N 26 1.431, W 97 11.089
(26.0239, -97.1848)

Species: Redfish
Best Baits: Topwaters, Live Mullet, Soft Plastics
Source: Capt. Carlos Garcia
956-433-6094
Tips: It doesn’t matter if you fish the flats, deep, shallow, the jetties…every place you will find oversize redfish … small schools of five to six oversized redfish coming in to deposit their eggs.

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