Mid-Coast Bays: June 2026

Fishing during May on the Mid-Coast was a lot of highs with a few lows. Meaning that my clients and I experienced some very memorable days as regards quality and quantity of the fish we caught, but there were also a few that we stood there scratching our heads, wondering why we weren’t catching fish. I mean, we had the bait and good water clarity, we also had good water movement. For whatever reason though, it just seemed the fish had vacated the area they’d been holding in for several days. Looking back on the situation, I now believe it was subtle shifts in the weather pattern that changed the wind direction or maybe the barometric pressure. Like I said, we had everything for a great recipe of catching but the fish just said not today.

Now that we are getting into a steadier summertime weather pattern, I look for things to be more on the normal side, especially since the majority of Texas got some much needed rain in late April and May. It is a blessing that there was a lot of rainwater that flowed down the Guadalupe River and made it to San Antonio Bay; this freshwater influx will help our bay’s ecosystem immeasurably.

San Antonio, Espiritu Santo, West Matagorda and the Matagorda Island surf are where I will be concentrating my efforts in June. When the wind is calm it’s really hard to beat the surf, whether you choose stay in the boat or get out and wade. For whatever reason the fish that we catch surfside are so much more aggressive than those we catch in the bays. The variety of species we catch in the surf is pretty cool as well. It is not uncommon to hook up with Spanish mackerel, Pompano, and Tarpon while chasing our favorite speckled and spotted friends.

West Matagorda’s Ranch House shoreline, along with the spoil banks along the ship channel, are two other areas that shouldn’t be overlooked during the summer months. These areas were mostly off limits when the wind was at its worst earlier in spring, but now that our summer pattern is coming into full swing the wind won’t be an issue most days. When fishing the Ranch House shoreline, remember it is imperative to fish the deeper guts to catch trout. If redfish is more to your liking then hang up tight to the shoreline. Grass beds are thick right now so choosing a weedless lure setup or switching to a weightless jighead is about the only way you can fish the grassier areas.

Birds working out in the open bays will be more common now that the shrimp are on the move. I have many customers that get excited when they notice a flock of birds working. I wish I could share their excitement but I know that it’s more than likely small trout, skipjacks, or gafftop. I know many anglers have great success working the birds in East Matagorda and Galveston, but it just isn’t the case very often in our area. With that being said, there is one exception to this scenario. If you ever notice birds working close to the crown of a reef then you are in luck! The trout that are under the birds close to a reef are usually better quality with fewer of the less desirable species present. You may still catch mostly small trout but the probability of finding some good ones is much greater.

Now that we are getting into summer I can’t stress enough how important it is to get an early start to your day. I always strive to arrive at my first spot before sunrise. Now, I’m not saying that you will not catch nice fish at midday or during the afternoon, but I have much greater confidence and success when fishing the morning hours.

The use of a spot light comes in very helpful in avoiding pilings, channel markers, and other obstructions, so don’t hesitate in using one. Those nifty headlamps that fit on your hat come in handy too, when tying knots and preparing your wade gear as you exit the boat.

In closing – a word of caution – I would like to remind everyone that there seems to be uncommon numbers of stingrays and sharks this year. Sharks love to eat stingrays, so if the rays are thick, you should likewise expect some sharks. I highly recommend wearing ForEverlast Stingray Shields and a long stringer that’s loosely attached to your body, just in case a shark grabs your fish. You’ll thank me later for both tips if you happen to have an encounter with a stingray or a shark.

Fish hard, fish smart!