Mid-Coast Bays: May 2026
Heading into late-spring there are noticeable differences in our bay system between now and a couple of months ago.
Bay waters have warmed tremendously and we are now seeing an abundance of bait in all areas of that hold good structure. By good structure I am talking about oyster reefs, guts and sand bars that run along sandy shorelines, and also the emergence of new seagrass beds.
Seagrass serves several roles in our ecosystem – as a filter to improve water clarity – its roots help prevent erosion by stabilizing bottom sediments – and it provides structure where forage species can hide and game fish can feed. Even understanding all these benefits, it can still be frustrating at times, trying to fish in areas with abundant seagrass.
Without going into a lot of detail of various names and types of seagrass, just keep in mind there are differences in the way different types of grass grow. I typically find seagrass to be less dense on hard, sandy bottoms. Don’t get me wrong, you will come across some areas with dense beds of grass but for the most part, on hard sandy bottoms, seagrass just doesn’t grow as lush or thick as it does in the back lakes with mostly muddy bottoms. So, while you might be able to work a soft plastic on a plain jighead with ease through most grass beds on sandy bottoms, grass in back lakes calls for a totally different set-up. This is where weedless set ups really shine.
Before braided line became all the rage, I used mostly 12-pound mono on all my reels and Texas-Rigged weedless set-ups were my go-to for fishing in dense strands of grass. Texas rigs were easily tied to the main line by using a #10-barrel swivel, which helped reduce line twist and also prevented the free sliding worm-weight from traveling too far up the line during the cast, finished with a 4/0 to 5/0 offset wide-gap hook. Personally, I feel the wide gap hooks provide for a better hookup ratio. Now, with almost all my reels spooled with braided line, I use a monofilament leader attached to the braid using a uni knot and no longer use barrel swivels.
Maximizing the benefits of this style of terminal rigging, I now use Bass Assassin’s weighted swimhooks, which eliminates the old bullet weight we used to use. Bass Assassin’s 5-inch scented Die Dapper in Mama’s Chicken or Purple/Chartreuse works extremely well with this set up. I mention these two colors specifically because they are a great choice right now. Our water color is pretty perfect this time of year. We have just enough wind and movement to keep the water from being too clear but not so much that it makes it muddy.
Another great weedless option that produces good catches is the Johnson Silver Minnow in quarter- to half-ounce sizes. Even though their name says Silver Minnow they come in many colors, my favorite of which are gold, silver and black. On cloudy days I opt for gold or silver and on bright, sunny days I have really have good results using the black ones. Remember when you are retrieving these spoons, they are meant to wobble and not spin. If you see your spoon spinning on the retrieve, then you need to slow it down till it wobbles instead.
Wading right now will yield good results, fishing the sandy bottomed shorelines of our major bays. San Antonio and Espiritu Santo bays will be my go-to areas looking for active bait and scattered grass between the guts that run parallel to the shorelines. On cloudy days I will usually find my best bite fishing knee- to hip-deep. On cloudless days I get a better bite fishing hip to chest deep. I fish the oyster reefs in San Antonio Bay the same way as I just mentioned.
If wading is not your forte, then look to drift over some of the deeper reefs in San Antonio Bay. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get bites on your first or second drift. I find myself “reef hopping” more often than not till I come across a decent bite. On the windier days I prefer to drift in the back lakes like Long Lake, Shoalwater Bay, the Lagoon and Contee lake.
Before closing I want to shoutout a big “Happy Mother’s Day” to my beautiful mother. Mom, your love and sacrifices have shaped me into the person I am today. I am forever grateful for your unconditional love and support. You are my greatest inspiration. Love you more!
