Texas Gulf Coast Seasonal Fishing Calendar

Month Top Species Peak Technique Conditions & Notes
January Trophy Speckled Trout, Redfish Slow-sinking lures in Baffin Bay, deep holes Peak trophy trout season in Baffin Bay — biggest fish of year
February Trophy Trout, Bull Drum MirrOlure She Dog, slow-sinking lures Best Baffin Bay trout month; bull drum at Port Aransas jetties
March Cobia, Speckled Trout, Redfish Sight-casting cobia, trout on warming flats Cobia arrive nearshore; spring trout bite turns on
April Redfish, Speckled Trout, Cobia Soft plastics, live shrimp, sight-casting Excellent spring flats fishing; reds and trout active
May Redfish, Red Snapper (approaching) Gold spoons, topwater, jigs Pre-spawn redfish feeding hard; snapper season June 1
June Red Snapper, Mahi, Redfish Bottom fishing, offshore trolling, dawn flats Federal snapper opens; offshore mahi on weedlines; reds at dawn
July Red Snapper, Mahi, King Mackerel Offshore full pace — live bait and trolling Peak offshore month; inshore best at first light on the flats
August Red Snapper, Offshore, Redfish Offshore bottom fishing, dawn flats fishing Offshore continues strong; bay fishing best early morning
September Redfish (schooling), Flounder Gold spoons, topwater, jig-and-grub Fall transition; reds beginning to school in back lakes
October Redfish (PEAK), Flounder (PEAK) Sight-casting, jig-and-grub at passes Best inshore month of year; schooling reds and flounder peak together
November Flounder, Trophy Trout (building) Jigs in passes, slow-sinking lures Flounder migration through passes; Baffin Bay trout season starting
December Trophy Trout, Redfish Baffin Bay slow-sinking, flats fishing Trophy trout season fully underway in Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre