HotSPOTLight: UPPER TEXAS COAST

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LOCATION: Christmas/Bastrop Bay
HOTSPOT: Arcadia Reef
GPS: N 29 1.734, W 95 12.574
(29.0289, -95.2096)

SPECIES: Flounder
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, live bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish Stanley Wedgetails, jig-tipped shrimp, or finger mullet.

LOCATION: Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Bart’s Pass
GPS: N 29 31.412, W 94 49.205
(29.5235 -94.8201)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Best fishing with full moon and moving tides, shrimp; dawn through midday.

LOCATION: Galveston Bay
HOTSPOT: Moses Lake
GPS: N 29 26.808, W 94 55.712
(29.4468 -94.9285)

SPECIES: Flounder
BEST BAITS: Shrimp, mullet
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish live shrimp or finger mullet, great night gigging lights; dawn-am, dusk-night.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Fat Rat Pass
GPS: N 29 28.462, W 94 38.673
(29.4744 -94.6446)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live and artificial redfish bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Drift grassline and shell points along the shore and in the pass; avoid midday, night.

LOCATION: Galveston East Bay
HOTSPOT: Moody’s Shoreline
GPS: N 29 32.861, W 94 38.589
(29.5477 -94.6432)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Work dropoffs and pilings; dawn through morning, dusk.

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay
HOTSPOT: Greens Lake
GPS: N 29 16.248, W 94 59.538
(29.2708 -94.9923)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Capt. Paul Marcaccio
281-788-4041
www.gofishgalveston.com
TIPS: Try to find a pattern: Watch the birds and the slicks. Look for structure–scattered shell, a lot of little islands, a lot of rocks. You have to spend a lot of time to find the stuff.

LOCATION: Galveston Trinity Bay
HOTSPOT: Little Hodges Reef
GPS: N 29 39.261, W 94 43.076
(29.6544 -94.7179)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish shrimp 2-3 feet under popping cork, anchor, or drift; dawn through dusk.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay
HOTSPOT: Alligator Point
GPS: N 29 10.289, W 95 6.879
(29.1715 -95.1147)

SPECIES: Flounder
BEST BAITS: Live bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Anchor on the point, fish the bottom with live mud minnows; avoid midday, night.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay
HOTSPOT: Bird Island Flats
GPS: N 29 6.128, W 95 8.726
(29.1021 -95.1454)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Spoons, live bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Work grass holes with weedless gold spoons or live shrimp, croaker, mullet; dawn-morning, dusk.

LOCATION: Galveston West Bay
HOTSPOT: Pirate’s Entrance
GPS: N 29 13.123, W 94 58.302
(29.2187, -94.9717)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics, live bait
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Watch for birds, drift while working entire reef, freeline; all day.

LOCATION: Matagorda East Bay
HOTSPOT: 3 Beacon Reef
GPS: N 28 40.767, W 95 53.3779
(28.6795, -95.8896)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: DOA Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: You are normally looking for school sized trout in the middle of the bay.

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay
HOTSPOT: Blue Hole
GPS: N 28 38.772, W 96 1.042
(28.6462 -96.0174)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live bait, topwaters, spoons
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Anchor here and fish topwaters early and late, live bait or spoons in between; dawn-morning, afternoon-dusk.

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay
HOTSPOT: Big Bayou
GPS: N 28 35.171, W 96 3.157
(28.5862 -96.0526)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Plastics, spoons
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Wade or anchor and fish the bottom; avoid midday.

LOCATION: Matagorda West Bay
HOTSPOT: Oliver Point
GPS: N 28 38.265, W 96 13.92
(28.6378 -96.2320)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Topwaters, soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Wade the shoreline grass from Oyster Point to Oyster Lake; avoid midday, night.

LOCATION: Palacios
HOTSPOT: Tres Palacios Bay
GPS: N 28 40.7329, W 96 13.1479
(28.6789 -96.2191)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: DOA Soft Plastics or Berkley Gulp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Start the day wading close to the shoreline and then moving out to deeper water until you find the fish.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake
HOTSPOT: East Pass
GPS: N 29 59.027, W 93 46.562
(29.9838 -93.7760)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live bait, plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Crab or finger mullet work best. Otherwise, fish Corkies and swimbaits.

LOCATION: Sabine Lake
HOTSPOT: Mid South Levee
GPS: N 29 50.519, W 93 55.234
(29.8420 -93.9206)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live bait, soft plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish live shrimp, shad, or soft plastics under popping cork

LOCATION: Texas City
HOTSPOT: Texas City Dike
GPS: N 29 23.0034, W 94 52.0064
(29.3834 -94.8668)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics, Corkies or Topwaters
SOURCE: Capt. Mike Williams
713-256-9260
www.galvestonfishinguides.com
TIPS: Lure Colors: Something with shades of chartreuse and pearl with tones of gold. Pink is going to be my second choice with tons of gold.

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HotSPOTLight: MIDDLE TEXAS COAST

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LOCATION: Aransas Bay
HOTSPOT: Mack Reef
GPS: N 28 5.2279, W 96 58.6309
(28.0871 -96.9772)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics with a 1/16 oz jig head
SOURCE: Capt. Billie Kocian
361-688-8859
www.sportfishingtexas.com
TIPS: The trout should be working over the shell reefs in the bay. Color choice is determined by water quality.

LOCATION: Copano Bay
HOTSPOT: Copano Reef
GPS: N 28 6.0117, W 97 6.0067
(28.1002 -97.1001)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: With the cut perch head, you have a good chance of picking up one or two nice size trout, just casting it along the bank.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay
HOTSPOT: Ingleside Point
GPS: N 27 50.0869, W 97 14.4799
(27.8348 -97.2413)

SPECIES: Redfish
BEST BAITS: Cut and live mullet
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: The redfish should be on the flats unless there is a horrible freeze… then fish the sand pot holes.

LOCATION: Mesquite Bay
HOTSPOT: Cedar Bayou
GPS: N 28 06.006, W 96 50.224
(28.100106, -96.837062)

SPECIES: Redfish and Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: As the water warms, start migrating a little more south toward Copano Bay or Estes Flats.

LOCATION: Nueces Bay
HOTSPOT: Back end of the bay
GPS: N 27 51.0348, W 97 25.9662
(27.8506 -97.4328)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Flapp’n Shad
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: When you first pull in, look for bait action. One or two mullet jumping can mean big trout are near.

LOCATION: Port Aransas
HOTSPOT: Mud Island Shoreline
GPS: N 27 56.013, W 97 1.009
(27.9336 -97.0168)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish potholes if you can find them. Shorelines are always a good bet with cut menhaden and perch.

LOCATION: Port Aransas
HOTSPOT: Upper Estes Flats
GPS: N 27 57.0009, W 97 5.0055
(27.9500 -97.0834)

SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Cut menhaden and cut perch head, dead shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Cast close to the reefs, where the water is breaking, where the wave crashes over the reef.

LOCATION: Port Lavaca
HOTSPOT: Lavaca Reefs
GPS: N 28 36.274, W 96 36.681
(28.6046 -96.6114)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: DOA Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Try the small DOA shrimp tail, three inches, in pearl/gold flaked.

LOCATION: Rockport
HOTSPOT: Bay Oil Wells and Pads
GPS: N 28 2.742, W 96 57.8339
(28.0457 -96.9639)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Corkies or Soft Plastics
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: A Berkley Gulp in a pearl color also works great in the clearer water.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline
GPS: N 27 28.993, W 97 20.864
(27.483221, -97.347735)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boys
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Wading 3 – 3 1/2 feet between sand and mud, waist to ankle deep water. After a cold front they (fish push up on a shoreline in shallow water.

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HotSPOTLight: LOWER TEXAS COAST

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LOCATION: Arroyo Colorado
HOTSPOT: East of Green Island
GPS: N 26 23.5379, W 97 19.465
(26.3923, -97.3244)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: 3 inch Berkley Gulp under a popping cork
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: If the water is too flat, you don’t want to spook the fish. So, toss the cork out and barely pop it.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Badlands
GPS: N 27 17.152, W 97 25.053
(27.2859, -97.4176)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Sand Shad with a 1/8 oz. lead head
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: When there is a north wind, fish the Badlands. Key on bait and work the lure a little bit slower.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: East Cleburne Rocks
GPS: N 27 16.198, W 97 30.5069
(27.2700, -97.5085)

SPECIES: Speckled trout
BEST BAITS: Corky Fat Boy
SOURCE: Capt. Tommy Countz
281-450-4037
www.matagordafishing.com
TIPS: The pink Fat Boy has always been a good producer for big fish. Work the bait really slow. You are fishing in about 3 feet of water.

LOCATION: Baffin Bay
HOTSPOT: Pensacal Point Rocks
GPS: N 27 16.153, W 97 25.387
(27.2692, -97.4231)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp or Croaker
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: If you don’t know how to fish a topwater, switch over to a popping cork with live shrimp or croaker, depending on what’s available.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Fishing Shacks
GPS: N 26 26.4756, W 97 20.591
(26.4413, -97.3432)

SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, Fresh Shrimp.
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Anchor up near a set of pilings marks where a shack used to be, or where one may still be standing, and toss a live shrimp or fresh shrimp out on a fish finder or split-shot rig towards the edge of the ICW. If the current is pulling hard, you may want to go with the heavier weight of the former.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Horse Island
GPS: N 26 20.3539, W 97 20.2489
(26.3392, -97.3375)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: 3 inch Berkley Gulp under a popping cork
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Use a three inch Berkley Gulp in different colors, along with a 1/16 oz. jig head under a popping cork, or without the popping cork. The 1/16 oz. jig head keeps the bait in the water column longer.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Marker 63
GPS: N 26 14.343, W 97 16.482
(26.2391, -97.2747)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live bait, Gulp Shrimp, twitchbaits.
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish the flats just west of the Marker. Trout and redfish hang out around the potholes in 3- to 4-feet of water. The traditional live bait and soft plastics work well.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Port Isabel Turning Basin
GPS: N 26 3.761, W 97 9.482
(26.0627, -97.1580)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Live shrimp, Gulp! Shrimp in New Penny, Rootbeer/Glitter, Kelly Wigglers in Plum/Chartreuse, Black/Chart.
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish the edges of the drop-off early when trout are sulking down deep. If the sun comes out and begins to warm the shallows, tie on a Mauler rig and fish live shrimp or plastic tails round pilings and rocks.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: South Bay
GPS: N 26 2.961, W 97 11.031
(26.0494, -97.1839)

SPECIES: Black Drum
BEST BAITS: Live Shrimp, fresh shrimp, Gulp! Shrimp in New penny, Root Beer/Glitter.
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish the channel edges on the bottom to intercept feeding drum. Fresh or live shrimp are bets. Use stout tackle; there are some big drum out there.

LOCATION: Lower Laguna Madre
HOTSPOT: Three Islands
GPS: N 26 16.621, W 97 17.7319
(26.2770, -97.2955)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish
BEST BAITS: Soft plastics with a 1/8 oz jig head
SOURCE: Capt. Joel Ramos
956-626-5143
TIPS: Use the 1/8 oz. jig head so that you can keep the bait in the water column; it doesn’t sink as fast.

LOCATION: Middle Ground
HOTSPOT: Ron’s Rock
GPS: N 27 1.927, W 97 26.864
(27.0321, -97.4477)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Shrimp
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: Fish live shrimp with a slide weight, swivel and leader.

LOCATION: Port Mansfield
HOTSPOT: Glady’s Hole
GPS: N 26 49.0006, W 97 30.0075
(26.8167, -97.5001)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout
BEST BAITS: Egret Zombie Ghost Walker, Super Spook Jr., and One Knocker
SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas
Fishgame.com/fishgamegear
TIPS: In windy conditions, the spoils north and south of Port Mansfield are good places to fish. You could probably wade for miles on the submerged south spoils.

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