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On Galveston: June 2010
Goodness gracious is has been a wind tunnel here on the Galveston area bays. I can barely remember the last time we had more than a couple days of calm conditions in a row but when they come we are catching some pretty good trout over the deep shell. A lot of our trout are set up deep right now over reefs and scattered shell, especially through East Bay, Hannah's Reef, Deep Reef, Elm Grove, and Pepper Grove Reefs. Trouble is we only get a shot when the wind lays and the water cleans up. Soft plastics on 1/4 ounce heads have been producing and they'll take any color you throw. We have been getting a few on crank baits too. Once it lies down and everything comes together we are keying on slicks and nervous-looking bait. Another problem we are having right now is the unbelievable number of shad and glass minnows this spring. I have been to a couple places where it looked like you could float the boat in the glass minnows and when they are that thick you know the trout are staying full of natural food and could hardly care less about eating a lure. Trinity Bay is as full of baitfish right now as I have ever seen it.
Trinity Bay On the days I have fished Trinity recently we were pinned down to wading protected shores and right now most of the fish are out deep. We have done OK but it can become a grind. Corkys and topwaters are working but soft plastics have been more consistent. Every now and then somebody pops a five or six pound trout but it has mostly been smaller fish averaging about two pounds and while you might grind out a limit it is not common. You would have to stumble into a better concentration of keepers than we have been able to find. Trinity is holding lots of trout and as soon as the wind allows us to work some of that deeper shell there will be lots of folks catching lots of fish. Bet on it!
West Bay The guys wading the protected coves from San Luis Pass back toward Jamaica Beach area are still picking up some nice trout. This pattern has held longer than we normally expect and for the most part has been pretty much an early morning thing, two or three good ones on a morning wade with a few running to five and six pounds. The mid-bay reef thing seems to be playing out and it is only natural as this is usually more of a late-winter and early-spring stack-up situation. This is not to say you cannot drift these reefs today and pick up a few trout but I think it is safe to say the big number opportunity has passed. Judging from reports, I'm guessing that a lot of the West Bay redfish have moved up into the marsh as the bite along bay shorelines has definitely slowed down.
East Bay Right now East Bay gets my nod for the most consistent fishing in the whole Galveston complex. Most of the south shore has been good for the wade fisherman and when the wind lays the deeper reefs down the middle starting with Hannah's and Bull Shoals and running all the way back have been very good.
Surf We can generally expect a few good surf days to come along just about any time now. Those first few days when the surf runs clean to the beach can be an absolute slugfest for pluggers. Don't miss it. Keep your eye on the weather and the surf cams.
Jetties TheGalveston jetties have to be one of the best fish magnets on the entire Texas coast. Just recently we had a couple of calm days and the guys working the rocks had a field day with slot and oversized reds and I received reports of some very nice trout as well. At this time of year there is just no telling what you might catch out there, black drum to blacktips, and everything in between. A word of caution is in order here. Rough water conditions can call for some pretty tricky boat handling along the rocks. If it is rough or the forecast calls for the wind to increase; you would be wise to wait for a better day.
General Comments There have been a good number of fish hanging in the corner by Texas City Dike along Mosquito Island back toward Moses Lake there on the Texas City Flats. Never discount the Galveston Bays as a producer of trophy trout. Several weeks ago there was a 9.75 pounder weighed during the Specktacular Tournament and that's a big fish; I don't care what part of the Texas coast you call home. That fish is alleged to have been caught along Bull Shoals. June will bring the kind of conditions we need to be able to get out in that open water and look for another just like it.
Capt. Mick signing off until next month. Don't let the good weather days pass you by; there are a lot of good fish to catch in the Galveston Bays!
Trinity Bay On the days I have fished Trinity recently we were pinned down to wading protected shores and right now most of the fish are out deep. We have done OK but it can become a grind. Corkys and topwaters are working but soft plastics have been more consistent. Every now and then somebody pops a five or six pound trout but it has mostly been smaller fish averaging about two pounds and while you might grind out a limit it is not common. You would have to stumble into a better concentration of keepers than we have been able to find. Trinity is holding lots of trout and as soon as the wind allows us to work some of that deeper shell there will be lots of folks catching lots of fish. Bet on it!
West Bay The guys wading the protected coves from San Luis Pass back toward Jamaica Beach area are still picking up some nice trout. This pattern has held longer than we normally expect and for the most part has been pretty much an early morning thing, two or three good ones on a morning wade with a few running to five and six pounds. The mid-bay reef thing seems to be playing out and it is only natural as this is usually more of a late-winter and early-spring stack-up situation. This is not to say you cannot drift these reefs today and pick up a few trout but I think it is safe to say the big number opportunity has passed. Judging from reports, I'm guessing that a lot of the West Bay redfish have moved up into the marsh as the bite along bay shorelines has definitely slowed down.
East Bay Right now East Bay gets my nod for the most consistent fishing in the whole Galveston complex. Most of the south shore has been good for the wade fisherman and when the wind lays the deeper reefs down the middle starting with Hannah's and Bull Shoals and running all the way back have been very good.
Surf We can generally expect a few good surf days to come along just about any time now. Those first few days when the surf runs clean to the beach can be an absolute slugfest for pluggers. Don't miss it. Keep your eye on the weather and the surf cams.
Jetties TheGalveston jetties have to be one of the best fish magnets on the entire Texas coast. Just recently we had a couple of calm days and the guys working the rocks had a field day with slot and oversized reds and I received reports of some very nice trout as well. At this time of year there is just no telling what you might catch out there, black drum to blacktips, and everything in between. A word of caution is in order here. Rough water conditions can call for some pretty tricky boat handling along the rocks. If it is rough or the forecast calls for the wind to increase; you would be wise to wait for a better day.
General Comments There have been a good number of fish hanging in the corner by Texas City Dike along Mosquito Island back toward Moses Lake there on the Texas City Flats. Never discount the Galveston Bays as a producer of trophy trout. Several weeks ago there was a 9.75 pounder weighed during the Specktacular Tournament and that's a big fish; I don't care what part of the Texas coast you call home. That fish is alleged to have been caught along Bull Shoals. June will bring the kind of conditions we need to be able to get out in that open water and look for another just like it.
Capt. Mick signing off until next month. Don't let the good weather days pass you by; there are a lot of good fish to catch in the Galveston Bays!