Updated: Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, November 5, 2026
This Texas Gulf Coast fishing report is a seasonal outlook for Aransas, Corpus Christi and Matagorda Bays and the jetties at the passes. The fall flounder run is at its peak, speckled trout are working shorelines and bull redfish remain at the jetties. Cold fronts and north wind are the main variable.
What’s Hitting
Flounder are moving through channels and passes on their fall run, with the best activity in late October and early November. Speckled trout are on the shorelines and grass flats, and bull redfish are at the jetties and passes. Black drum hold around the reefs and sheepshead build on pilings. Redfish tail in the shallows on calm mornings. Sheepshead and black drum are also active at jetties and piers, providing an alternative when flounder are not cooperating.
Where to Find Them
The jetties at Port Aransas, Port O’Connor and Port Mansfield hold bull reds and flounder on the outgoing tide. The shorelines of Aransas Bay and Redfish Bay hold trout and redfish, and the channel edges hold flounder. Around Corpus Christi, the Laguna Madre flats and the Packery Channel jetties are productive options. Surf anglers can try the beach at Padre Island National Seashore and the Port Aransas jetty for bull reds and drum.
Tides & Conditions
With the moon waning, tides are modest, so wind is the main driver. A north wind after a front can blow water out of the bays and push fish into deeper channels. Moving water in the channels and passes remains the best window. Check the marine forecast for the Gulf side. Even small tide changes can matter in the shallow bays, so plan around any movement shown on the tide chart.
Tackle & Tactics
Mud minnows and finger mullet on a Carolina rig for flounder, live shrimp under a cork for trout, and cut mullet for bull reds at the jetties. Use 20 pound fluorocarbon and enough weight to hold bottom in the current. Slow your presentation in cooler water. A quarter-ounce jighead with a curly-tail grub is a dependable flounder lure when dragged slowly along sandy bottom.
Local Intel This Week
Public access includes Roberts Point Park in Port Aransas, Rockport Beach Park and Cole Park in Corpus Christi. Fish concentrate in channels, along shorelines and at jetties. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish, since flounder and redfish rules are specific. Another popular location is the Corpus Christi Marina and the JFK Causeway shoreline, which hold trout and redfish.
This Week’s Tip
Wait out the first day after a front, then fish the second. Trout and flounder settle into predictable patterns once the wind eases.
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