The View: April 2026
I don’t know about you, but to me it feels like this spring season has a bit of a different feel to it. The wind is blowing, it’s actually raining a bit, and tides are swelling.
Weather patterns are cycling and changing back to what we hope will be a wetter 2026.
Sure, the wind is typically calmer during drought years, which many fishermen tend to see as a blessing, but wildlife and humans as a whole benefit far more when we receive normal rainfall.
Green symbolizes all that is spring—new life, rebirth, and a rejuvenation of the soul.
Trees are blossoming, water temperatures are rising, and bait is becoming active. At the time of this writing, water temperatures were nearing 75°F in the Matagorda bays.
Spring Equinox tides invigorate the shallows and back lakes, so every spot in the bay becomes a potential player for finding fish. Oyster Lake, Crab Lake, Boggy and Lake Austin are great places to find redfish and black drum on live shrimp under a popping cork. Scattered speckled trout can also be found in the lakes as spring tides rise.
As finger mullet begin showing up along shorelines en masse, expect the topwater bite to get even better. March was a great topwater month, with water temperatures in the upper 60s to lower 70s on most days. Longer days and swelling incoming tides will soon prompt glass minnows (bay anchovies) to move along grassy shorelines. Look for diving brown pelicans to point the way.
The minnows usually show during afternoons in West Matagorda Bay, and incoming tides over sand and grass are a recipe for success. The problem is that many of those traditional grass shorelines in West Bay are currently devoid of grass. We are steadily losing seagrass habitat, which has adversely affected many of our traditional wading haunts.
As tides swell, knee- to thigh-deep shorelines in East Matagorda Bay will begin attracting and holding large speckled trout. Brown Cedar Flats, Half-Moon Reef and Catch-All Basin are all big trout havens. Corkys, MirrOlures, Super Spooks and She Dogs are all effective choices.
Never discount deep shell in East Bay, no matter the season. Trout use it year-round, and miles of scattered towheads of shell can be slowly drifted with soft plastics, topwaters, or live shrimp under a popping cork. In fact, some of the largest speckled trout in East Bay come from the middle of the bay while drifting.
April is never too early to fish the Gulf of Mexico. The warming trend of spring wakes up the jetties. There are some big ol’ trout out there, and a warm incoming ocean tide is all that’s needed. The magic temperature of 72–75° is already trying to happen out there.
On those days when the wind is blowing your hat off, slide back into the back lakes and work the shell for black drum and redfish. As long as you have big tides, you always have a chance.
April begins 26 episodes of the Texas Insider Fishing Report on the Space City Network and FanDuel Sports Southwest Network (formerly Fox Sports Southwest). I’ll be giving the weekly Texas Middle Coast report for what will now be my ninth season on the show. It airs around Astros broadcasts on Space City every Thursday through Saturday from April through September.
We hope to see you in Matagorda in 2026. Our bays, beaches and businesses are waiting to put a smile on your face.
