The Texas Gulf Coast is in the heart of its prime inshore window this week. Redfish and trout are blowing up across the bays, the snapper countdown is on, and the first tarpon of the year are showing at the jetties.
Inshore — Prime Time
Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, and the Aransas/Corpus complex are all firing. Speckled trout are crushing topwaters at first light on the grass and shell flats. Soft plastics on a jighead through the day. Live shrimp under a popping cork is the foolproof option. Slot trout are easy to come by; trophy fish over 25 inches are getting caught daily across the system.
Redfish are spread across the flats and back lakes. Tailing fish are showing at low tide in the back lakes of Matagorda and the Lighthouse Lakes near Port Aransas. Bull redfish are stacked at the passes — Pass Cavallo and Aransas Pass are both producing fish in the 30-plus inch range.
Red Snapper — June 1 Opener
Federal red snapper season opens June 1 (state waters open year-round but most of the quality structure is federal). This is your scouting window — find your structure in 80–120 feet, mark your numbers, and be ready. The bite when the season opens will be intense.
Tarpon Arriving
First tarpon of the year have shown at the jetties from Galveston south to Port Aransas. Numbers will build through June. Live mullet drifted at the jetties on outgoing tide is the early approach.
Offshore
King mackerel are stacked offshore. Slow-trolled live menhaden under a balloon at the wrecks and platforms. Cobia are still around the rigs and platforms.
Specific Spots This Week
For Galveston, the south jetty at first light on incoming tide is producing trout and reds. The Texas City Dike is loaded with sheepshead and the occasional bull red. In Matagorda Bay, the East Bay flats and the back lakes north of Sargent are firing on topwater at dawn. San Antonio Bay anglers are working the grass flats off Cedar Point and the cut at Cavasso Creek with KWiggler soft plastics. Aransas Pass at first light produces big trout in the surf — wade-fishing with topwaters. Lighthouse Lakes north of Port Aransas is producing tailing reds at low tide on a calm morning. Port Mansfield area in the lower laguna is fishing for trophy trout — slow-rolled corkies and soft plastics over potholes.
Conditions and Outlook
Water temp 76–79°F. New moon Saturday — soft tides but strong dawn/dusk windows. Light southeast winds through Friday. Two weeks to snapper.
Local Intel This Week
Galveston West Bay flats are stacked with pre-spawn trout — wade fishing at first light with soft plastics and topwaters is producing trophy fish over 25 inches. Lighthouse Lakes near Port Aransas hold tailing redfish at low tide. The Galveston Jetties are getting the first tarpon of the year on live mullet drifted on outgoing. San Antonio Bay back lakes hold trout and reds. Texas freshwater + saltwater license required ($30 residents), trout slot 15-25 inches, 5 per angler. Tight lines.