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On Galveston: June 2008
Things are looking a little better.
Trinity Bay is still not ideal however it will bounce back soon. We do have a lot of fish over here but the water is still in bad shape due to all the runoff from the rivers. They have been running all spring. Come early to mid-June Trinity should be back in full force providing the creeks do not rise and the rivers do not flood again. The best fishing right now for consistency has been East Galveston Bay.
EAST BAY
I had a real good day not too long ago. We were wading in clear, knee-deep water and using Corkys. Our fish are still on a heavy glass minnow pattern along the shore lines. Competing with all that bait can be difficult sometimes but this one was our day. We had exceptional luck finessing them out of the clear water. The number of four and five pound trout we landed was very impressive.
Wind is always a factor in your fishing plans and right now it is killing us. Anyone who ever spent more than few days on the Galveston Bay System understands that our water clarity does not hold up like the lower coast can. We can catch fish in these conditions but it usually means a lot of work to find the fish and then figure out the bite. These fish can be pretty screwy at times.
The majority of our fish are on deep shell in about six to eight feet of water. When you can get that one day a week where the wind lays down and the water cleans up a little bit, we can slide out and work slicks, tide lines and bait breaks over the shell. We are using soft plastics and doing quite well when the conditions allow.
We have some seven and eight pound trout being brought in with soft plastics from the shell reefs; especially Hannah Reef and in the south end of East Bay. Both of these areas have been holding a lot of fish. We suspect a lot of these are came from around Smith Point and been pushed off the east shoreline due to the runoff.
We are loaded up with shad and glass minnows and this always attracts lots of trout and reds to the areas they use. The biggest issue we have is timing. Over and over again you will catch the fish if you are there at the right time, and if you are not …you will not be catching. Basically we have discovered that if you find fish you have to sit on them and just make the most of your day by catching one here and there. If you are patient they will turn on and you can have a banner day.
LOWER GALVESTON
The Texas City portion of Lower Galveston Bay is holding a lot of fish. Fishermen in that area are experiencing the same problems we are having in Trinity and East Bay. Timing is everything it seems and the wind and weather along with the incredible numbers of glass minnows and small shad seem to be the major culprits here too. Reports I have received indicate that the best bite has been from about three in the afternoon until dark. It has made it hard on those of us who go out early because you are just tired by the time things get rolling. I have been trying to run more of my trips in the afternoon and sticking it out until right before dark when those fish really turn on.
WEST BAY
The green tide has started to roll through San Louis Pass, and despite the wind, the water clarity in that part of West Bay has been generally good and the catching is good too. Chocolate, Christmas and Bastrop bays have also been producing some nice fish. The most consistent bite has been with live shrimp, bringing in fish up to the seven pound class. There have been some reports of a thirty-inch 10-pound trout behind the Pass about a week ago. Late May and June almost always bring good wade fishing in and around San Louis Pass.
Waders should focus on tide swept guts, sandbars and ridges. I would expect that everything from Bird Island to Alligator Head and even over to the south side of West Bay around the old Rooster Collins Bait Camp and West Bay Fishing Club area will offer excellent fishing soon if it hasn’t kicked off already. Early morning wades have produced some big fish over there this time of year.
The best lure to use over here is your Mirrolures, Corkys, gold spoons and topwaters. The big trout report seems very scattered right now but good numbers of twenty to twenty-two inch class trout are coming regularly.
Our jetties are holding a lot of redfish and some solid trout and we look for that to get even get better. When the wind diminishes there will be some big trout caught out there on the jetties, especially the north jetties. I went out there the other day and there were about forty boats lined up. They have been keeping the secret quiet and they are catching some pretty big fish.
TRINITY
I hate to say it but fishing in Trinity Bay is way off right now. It is going to turn around eventually but we have to get rid of a lot of runoff before it will happen. When the rivers go down and hopefully we do not get any more floods, it will be good. Late May and early June should be really good. I think things will be just about right unless we get another big flood north us.
So that’s the way it is here on the Galveston Bay System. Things are beginning to pick up and I’m sure they will continue to improve as we begin to receive more summer-like weather. Our average trout weight is very good and the numbers are sure to follow. I think we’re in for a great summer fishing season.
Trinity Bay is still not ideal however it will bounce back soon. We do have a lot of fish over here but the water is still in bad shape due to all the runoff from the rivers. They have been running all spring. Come early to mid-June Trinity should be back in full force providing the creeks do not rise and the rivers do not flood again. The best fishing right now for consistency has been East Galveston Bay.
EAST BAY
I had a real good day not too long ago. We were wading in clear, knee-deep water and using Corkys. Our fish are still on a heavy glass minnow pattern along the shore lines. Competing with all that bait can be difficult sometimes but this one was our day. We had exceptional luck finessing them out of the clear water. The number of four and five pound trout we landed was very impressive.
Wind is always a factor in your fishing plans and right now it is killing us. Anyone who ever spent more than few days on the Galveston Bay System understands that our water clarity does not hold up like the lower coast can. We can catch fish in these conditions but it usually means a lot of work to find the fish and then figure out the bite. These fish can be pretty screwy at times.
The majority of our fish are on deep shell in about six to eight feet of water. When you can get that one day a week where the wind lays down and the water cleans up a little bit, we can slide out and work slicks, tide lines and bait breaks over the shell. We are using soft plastics and doing quite well when the conditions allow.
We have some seven and eight pound trout being brought in with soft plastics from the shell reefs; especially Hannah Reef and in the south end of East Bay. Both of these areas have been holding a lot of fish. We suspect a lot of these are came from around Smith Point and been pushed off the east shoreline due to the runoff.
We are loaded up with shad and glass minnows and this always attracts lots of trout and reds to the areas they use. The biggest issue we have is timing. Over and over again you will catch the fish if you are there at the right time, and if you are not …you will not be catching. Basically we have discovered that if you find fish you have to sit on them and just make the most of your day by catching one here and there. If you are patient they will turn on and you can have a banner day.
LOWER GALVESTON
The Texas City portion of Lower Galveston Bay is holding a lot of fish. Fishermen in that area are experiencing the same problems we are having in Trinity and East Bay. Timing is everything it seems and the wind and weather along with the incredible numbers of glass minnows and small shad seem to be the major culprits here too. Reports I have received indicate that the best bite has been from about three in the afternoon until dark. It has made it hard on those of us who go out early because you are just tired by the time things get rolling. I have been trying to run more of my trips in the afternoon and sticking it out until right before dark when those fish really turn on.
WEST BAY
The green tide has started to roll through San Louis Pass, and despite the wind, the water clarity in that part of West Bay has been generally good and the catching is good too. Chocolate, Christmas and Bastrop bays have also been producing some nice fish. The most consistent bite has been with live shrimp, bringing in fish up to the seven pound class. There have been some reports of a thirty-inch 10-pound trout behind the Pass about a week ago. Late May and June almost always bring good wade fishing in and around San Louis Pass.
Waders should focus on tide swept guts, sandbars and ridges. I would expect that everything from Bird Island to Alligator Head and even over to the south side of West Bay around the old Rooster Collins Bait Camp and West Bay Fishing Club area will offer excellent fishing soon if it hasn’t kicked off already. Early morning wades have produced some big fish over there this time of year.
The best lure to use over here is your Mirrolures, Corkys, gold spoons and topwaters. The big trout report seems very scattered right now but good numbers of twenty to twenty-two inch class trout are coming regularly.
Our jetties are holding a lot of redfish and some solid trout and we look for that to get even get better. When the wind diminishes there will be some big trout caught out there on the jetties, especially the north jetties. I went out there the other day and there were about forty boats lined up. They have been keeping the secret quiet and they are catching some pretty big fish.
TRINITY
I hate to say it but fishing in Trinity Bay is way off right now. It is going to turn around eventually but we have to get rid of a lot of runoff before it will happen. When the rivers go down and hopefully we do not get any more floods, it will be good. Late May and early June should be really good. I think things will be just about right unless we get another big flood north us.
So that’s the way it is here on the Galveston Bay System. Things are beginning to pick up and I’m sure they will continue to improve as we begin to receive more summer-like weather. Our average trout weight is very good and the numbers are sure to follow. I think we’re in for a great summer fishing season.