The Texas coast is at one of its best stretches of the year. Speckled trout fishing is peaking in the bays, redfish are pushing into the surf, the first tarpon are arriving along the beachfront, and the offshore snapper fishery is strong. From Galveston down through the Lower Laguna, late May rewards the angler who beats the heat and the wind.
Speckled trout peak
Wade-fishing the grass flats at first light is the signature Texas spring game, and the trout bite is at its peak. Work the grass, the guts, and the sand pockets with soft plastics, topwaters, and live croaker, and you will find the better fish before the sun gets high and the wind comes up. The Galveston complex, Matagorda, and the Baffin and Lower Laguna systems are all producing, with the trophy-trout water down south giving up the heaviest fish. A quiet wade and a slow presentation pay off in the clear shallows.
Reds in the surf, tarpon arriving
Redfish are pushing into the surf on the calm, green-water days — work the guts with cut bait, spoons, and soft plastics, and watch for the slicks and the bait. The first tarpon of the season are tracking the beachfront, and along with them come Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, and sharks for the surf crowd. The beachfront fishes best when the surf lays down and the water cleans up.
Offshore snapper
Offshore, the red snapper fishery is strong around the reefs, rigs, and rocks — confirm the current season dates, then drop bait for snapper, with king mackerel and ling (cobia) in the mix. Pick the lighter-wind days for the run.
- Speckled trout: wade the grass at first light, plastics and croaker
- Redfish: the surf guts on calm, green days
- Tarpon & beachfront: early tarpon, Spanish mackerel, and jacks
- Offshore: red snapper and ling (confirm season)
Where to focus this week
The Galveston complex and its jetties, Matagorda’s east and west bays, and Baffin Bay down south are the trophy-trout focus, with the wade-fishable grass and sand giving up the better fish at first light. The surfside guts produce reds on the calm, green days, and the beachfront is where the early tarpon are tracking.
A soft plastic on an eighth- to quarter-ounce jighead, or a walking topwater, is the wade-fishing standard for trout — work it slowly and cover the guts and pockets methodically. For surf reds, a fish-finder rig with fresh cut bait, fished in the second gut, is the proven approach.
Timing
Beat the heat and the wind with an early start — the wade-fishing and the surf are both best in the calm, cool first hours, and the Texas afternoon wind is a reliable adversary this time of year. The moving tide and good water clarity make the difference inshore. Watch the forecast and pick your days for the surf and offshore plans.
Looking ahead to June
The trout fishing stays strong into June, and the tarpon presence builds along the beachfront as the water warms. The surf reds remain a calm-day target. The recurring obstacle is the Texas wind, so take advantage of every light-wind morning for the wade-fishing and the beachfront.
Regulations reminder: seasons and slot limits change through the year. Confirm the current rules with your state agency before you keep a fish.
On the water this week? Send your photos and details through our reader report form — the best submissions run in next week’s report.