On Galveston: November 2006

Fishing is still ok. Trout fishing here on this end of the Galveston Bay system is still pretty good but we're working harder for them. We typically go through this every year for whatever reason; I guess it's the natural changing of seasons. The transition from summer to fall always seems an unsettled period until the fall pattern really takes over.

Back in September everything was looking pretty good when we were getting those first little cool fronts. We had the water temperature down in the 70's but now it is back up in the 80's. The fish are trying to get up on the flats, it is kind of a in-between deal. They seem hung up in-between the deep and shallow.

Just like you've heard me say, redfish are often the bonus around here and that's the case right now for sure. Catching the big slot reds have been the kicker everyday. On a good day we can grind out 25-30 reds, catch and release only. We had one day about a week ago where we caught about 50. Now that is good redfishing!

We are fishing out of the boat and working structure in about 4-6 feet of water in Trinity Bay. On occasion, they will get real skinny and shallow but for the most part they are hanging deep too. Soft plastics or top waters it really does not matter. If I have a good crew that can cast we will throw top waters if not we will stick with the jigs because it is a little bit dangerous out of the boat.

As soon as we can pull some more fronts and this water temperature drops and we get our tides back, look for East Bay to start turning on. You will be able to wade fish with top waters and first light is the best time of day to do this. Try to get you a big one and then later on pull out and work the birds or whatever else you want to do. Drifting reefs and edges of flats will be a good option anytime there is a breeze.

Same thing for Trinity Bay, basically I will start out early with topwaters and after the sun gets up good around 10 o'clock then we will start to go out deep, making loops, looking for tide breaks, slicks or birds, whatever will show us where the fish are. The top end of Trinity and both sides ought to be excellent coming up through the remainder of October and November.

West Bay has been a little bit spotty and likely will continue that way until winter sets in. The flounder runs will start down there in the coves and down around the Galveston Channel and around the jetties too and naturally at Pelican Island and all that area. That realistically is going to be the best once we get these fronts and some good tide drops. The flounder run will start on that end. We are kind of getting a sporadic run of it up here. We had a good one the other day that was a 26 " flounder. We did not weight it but it probably weighed about 8 lbs but we let it go to fight another day.

A lot of people predict that all these flounder leave the bays and go to the gulf but I think it is nonsense because we have a pretty good flounder action all winter in Trinity and East Bay, especially around Thanksgiving and on up to Christmas. We are catching them on the flats on soft plastics already and it will only get better. Everyone has a different opinion on things.

A lot of little males are hitting the flats right now but as soon as it gets cooler those big females, the sow flounder, will start hitting the flats, the ledges and the drop offs. That is where it is really going to be good. Everything is primed up for a good fall.

Water conditions are good everywhere, we have no freshwater problems anywhere in the system and hope it continues this way. We can use a few inches of rain upstream and right here locally to flush the marshes out a little bit. The bird activity is real spotty right now. I know everyone is all geared up to work birds but like I said the shrimp have not dumped out of the marsh yet so the fish aren't there yet either. We just have to be patient, it will come.

Looking at everything from water temperatures to weather patterns, November and December are looking good. Over the last 30 years it has been my experience that you can bank on November and December being your best big trout months around here.