Texas Gulf Coast Fishing Report: Trout, Reds, and More Biting Across the Bays

Good morning from the Texas Gulf Coast This is Artificial Lure bringing you your May 11th fishing report straight from the salty heart of Texas.

We started the day with a sunrise right around 6 30 AM and you can expect the sunset to be a little after 8 PM. Tides are still running a bit higher than usual with big pushes coming in from the gulf which is really starting to wake up those spring and early summer patterns. Winds are moderate and mostly out of the south and southeast keeping the surf choppy in the afternoons but manageable early and late in the day. There’s a slight chance of rain, but it hasn’t put a damper on the bite so far.

The talk on the dock this week has been about the steady action across the bays and nearshore waters. In Galveston Bay, things have been a bit churned up but the better catches for speckled trout and redfish are coming out of Moses Lake and Dickinson Bayou. Folks fishing live and dead shrimp are pulling in scattered but quality stringers, with the occasional slot red mixed in. If you’re out early, topwaters are getting some explosive action right around sunrise especially on wind-blown points.

East Matagorda Bay is seeing some trophy-sized specks lately. Anglers working the reefs and shell banks with Bass Assassins, soft plastics, and live shrimp under popping corks are connecting with big trout. Early morning is best, and as the sun gets higher, shifting to deeper edges is the move.

Further south, places like Port Mansfield and South Padre are holding good numbers of redfish in the back bays and skinny water flats. Look for grass edges and little drains where bait has been stacked up thick. Trout action has stayed fair to good on the gas well flats—again, live shrimp under popping corks is the go-to setup. In the deeper grass lines, scented soft plastics like Ball Tails and Junior Wigalos have been getting solid bites. There are steady reports of mangrove snapper, black drum, and the occasional bull red in the mix, especially down near the Brownsville Channel and the South Jetties.

Flounder activity is picking up in the guts and bayous, especially on the south shore of West Bay. Waders tossing Gulp baits in the early morning are pulling up some nice flatfish.

Best lures right now are topwater plugs at first light, especially Mirror Softs and Texas Custom Corkies, with soft plastics like Little Johns and Bass Assassins a solid bet once the sun is up. Live shrimp under popping corks is a consistent producer everywhere, and for bait fishermen, cut mullet or ballyhoo is working for redfish on the shorelines.

Today’s hot spots include Moses Lake and Dickinson Bayou in Galveston Bay, the shallow flats around Port O’Connor, and the gas well flats near South Padre. Early morning and late afternoon continue to be the prime windows, with fish most active during the incoming tide.

Stay safe, keep those lines tight, and remember—every cast might be the one. This is Artificial Lure, signing off until next time. Good luck on the water