Just A Bunch of BS…Bulls and Specks That Is!
In all honesty, if this is a dream don’t dare wake me because it’s way too good to miss. The summer on Sabine has been nothing short of remarkable, especially considering where we were just a few short years ago. I’d be lying if I told you that I never wondered if we would ever see quality fish again, much less in solid numbers and size. For years it seemed like we were stuck with trout that were too small and redfish that were too big, until slowly we turned a corner and things began to change.
About this time in 2025 Sabine kicked into another gear and we began seeing some solid fish on a consistent basis. There were even rumblings of some legitimate speckled trout in the 6-pounds and heavier category showing up from time to time. Personally, I was just really happy to no longer have to catch forty trout in order to find three that would be Texas-legal. As I sit writing this column, the state of Sabine is as good as it’s been in probably ten years, and with a little good fortune it should continue along that trend.
Looking forward towards the much anticipated fall and early winter months that have become synonymous with great fishing, we are currently positioned with plenty of odds in our favor. The surrounding estuaries that border Sabine are absolutely full of shrimp, so the first couple of cold fronts that dump the water from the marshes will kickstart feeding frenzies and it’ll be off to the races from there. Look for plenty of schooling activity, both with and without birds in the area.
There are few things better than finding schools of actively feeding fish without birds hovering over them because the passing boat traffic will pay no attention and you will be able to enjoy the action without competition. The east side of Sabine along the Louisiana shoreline is a haven for schooling activity in the fall as the majority of the marsh drains on the lake lie in this area. Tons of white shrimp will exit the marsh and pour into the open water where everything from birds, fish, and hungry Cajuns await their arrival.
This much-anticipated event has its share of pros and cons, but mostly it’s a good time. Obviously there will be way more traffic on the water as everybody will want in on the action, now that the fish will be easy to find and the temperatures will be more tolerable than the virtual oven we lived in all summer. Be ready for those who are a little less considerate because it’s a certainty that you are going to run into them. Remember that no fish is worth fighting over and having a situation escalate, period.
Now the speckled trout won’t be the only schooling activity going on, not by a long shot. October is about as good as it gets for schooling redfish and we have a bunch of them to choose from. The latter weeks of summer here on Sabine were nothing short of epic as redfish in 40-50 inch class, along with jack crevalle of similar size, just ran all over the lake and ate everything they could get in their mouths. In all my time on Sabine Lake I have never seen as many jacks as we saw this summer. On many occasions I could only describe it as, “something one might see on National Geographic.”
That type of carnage should continue through October and into November, if we are fortunate with weather, so be on the lookout for the surface activity and hold on tight. One word of advice for anybody who encounters these big numbers of big fish, stay away from treble hooks and use only single hooks because it’s much easier to dig those out of both fish and other folks on your boat if you have an accident. The chaos of the schooling activity will turn the normally calm angler into a seven-year-old who had ice cream for breakfast and washed it down with a Red Bull. They will just flat out lose their mind and forget about their surroundings, which in turn can become a crazy situation.
When those big fish come up and school, I really like throwing the Coastal Pro rattling corks with soft plastic tied on heavy leader. These corks are really stout and stand up to both fish that eat the jig, as well as those that try to eat the cork. Another option is throwing a topwater rigged with single hooks instead of trebles, like they throw on the Lower Coast to avoid floating grass.
I’ve been throwing the Nutty Knocker from Flatwater and found the single hook is much easier to remove from a big redfish that takes the bait deep down towards the crushers, neither does it hang up as readily in the landing net.
One more option that I really like is the Swag LT from Z-Man because of the way the bait separates itself from the hook. It’s called a “line-through” lure, with a small channel that your line runs through on its way to the hook, which sets in a groove along the body. Once a fish is hooked, the soft plastic body actually slides away from the hook and up the line, leaving only the hook in the fish’s mouth, which is very nice for removal and release.
With all the attention paid to trout and redfish it would be criminal to not mention a few of the other players that will be plentiful this month. Flounder will take center stage for many anglers when the full moon swings around and starts the annual migration towards the gulf. Classic locations where the channels pinch down and funnel these fish into an area will be hot spots for sure. Many folks on Sabine will be camped out near the aforementioned marsh drains waiting on outgoing tides to spur the flat fish into a feeding mode. Once these fish get that urge to move you can bet the fishermen won’t be far behind.
Another fish that will be prevalent but seems to hide just under the radar is the black drum. The Sabine jetty system, which was so good this summer for folks targeting black drum as well as sheepshead, will continue to be a magnet this month for those looking for an alternative species that can satisfy on the dinner plate. Live shrimp, either free-lined or on a split shot rig was undoubtedly the best bet for these fish and it should remain that way until we really cool down.
Just for grins, I need to mention one more fish that gets almost no pressure in the Sabine area but actually has a decent population, and that would be tarpon. In the past couple of years we have been seeing more and more of these great fish along the beachfront and even along the jetty rocks, so don’t be surprised if someone catches a good one from our waters. The stretch of water between the Sabine jetty and the Galveston jetty holds some of the best tarpon fishing in the Gulf. Fish pushing 200-pounds are not uncommon if you play your cards right and there are certainly plenty of them in the 100-pound class. Many anglers headed for the nearshore rigs report seeing them as they breach the surface, so keep a big rod handy if heading out that way.
We struggled through some rough and hot days this summer, and it’s now time to enjoy the change in seasons. Please be sure to pack extra patience this month as we navigate through more traffic on the water. You can bet there will be plenty of folks, especially hunters, trying to get their last bit of fishing done before November gets here, so expect some crowds for a while.
This is also one of the best times to take a kid or beginner fisher person out and show them a great time as the options will be plentiful. Get out and enjoy the time on the water this fall because we earned that opportunity getting through the summer heat.
Enjoy!
