Texas Gulf Coast Fishing Report: Trout, Reds, and More Biting in May 2025

Howdy, folks, this is Artificial Lure with your Texas Gulf Coast fishing report for May 12, 2025. If you’re itching to wet a line, let’s break down what’s biting, the tides, and where the fish are chewing, all served up with some local flavor.

First off, the weather’s been typical for May—expect partly cloudy skies with a chance of scattered showers, especially late afternoons. Winds have been steady, but not strong enough to blow out the flats, especially if you stick to wind-protected shorelines and back lakes. For sunrise, you’ll want to be on the water by 6:25 AM, and sunset will roll in around 8:10 PM, giving you plenty of time to find your spot and settle in.

Tides have been swinging between two and four feet, with the biggest push expected as we head toward the end of the week. Those bigger tides are bringing in fresh water, which means more bait and, you guessed it, more fish moving onto the flats and into the marsh. For tidal action, keep an eye on the daily forecast—those incoming and outgoing tides are your best friends for speckled trout and redfish right now.

Fish activity is hot across the board. Speckled trout are stacked up on the flats, especially in 2 to 3 feet of water over scattered shell. Topwater action has been steady at first light, and as the sun climbs, switch to soft plastics or live shrimp under a popping cork for best results. Redfish—both in and above the slot—are prowling the marsh edges and along the levee. Black drum are chewing on crab, and the occasional bull red is showing up, too. Don’t be surprised to find a few flounder hunkered down in the grass lines, especially during higher tides.

As for lures, the Wac Attack straight tails, Deadly Dudley Rat Tails, and imitation shrimp on a popping cork setup have been the ticket this week. Live shrimp and finger mullet are the go-to baits if you prefer live baits over artificials. For big black drum and bull reds, break out the blue crab—those big boys can’t resist it.

Hot spots you’ll want to check out include East Galveston Bay, especially around Rollover Moon and wind-protected shorelines. The Houston area back lakes and Texas City dike have also been producing solid numbers of trout and reds, with the occasional sheepshead and sand trout in the mix. For flounder, focus on the grass lines and guts along the Southshore of West Bay, especially early in the morning.

Bottom line: The bite is on, the weather’s cooperating, and the fish are hungry. Grab your gear, hit the water, and let’s see what you can catch. This is Artificial Lure—tight lines and good luck out there! [1][2][3]