Redfish fishing in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake

In Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, redfish peak April–May and September–December and are around year-round, spawning in September–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Back on the shorelines of West and East Galveston Bay; shrimp under a popping cork over shell.

1. JanuaryAroundLow winter tides: reds pile into the bayou mouths and deep marsh drains of East Bay and Sabine; soft plastic slow on the bottom.
2. FebruaryAroundWade East Bay for big trout; drum and sheepshead spawn. Mud and shell in East and West bays; cracked crab for big drum at the jetties.
3. MarchAroundBig drum in the ship channel; trout on the reefs. Drum at the Galveston jetties and San Luis Pass; flounder come back through the passes.
4. AprilPeakBack on the shorelines of West and East Galveston Bay; shrimp under a popping cork over shell.
5. MayPeakMarsh drains on the outgoing; gold spoons along the grass of Christmas Bay and Chocolate Bay.
6. JuneAroundGreen to the beach: surf trout, kings on the rigs, first tarpon. Wade the Galveston surf at dawn on calm days; slow-troll hardtails on the nearshore rigs.
7. JulyAround
8. AugustAround
9. SeptemberSpawningBull reds at the Galveston and Sabine jetties and in the surf — the fall spawn starts at the passes.
10. OctoberSpawningThe bull run peaks in San Luis Pass and the jetties; birds over slot reds in the bays.
11. NovemberPeakMarsh drains on the big north-wind tides; reds stacked at the bayou mouths.
12. DecemberPeakClear, low winter water in the marsh lakes; sight-cast on calm days.

Galveston Bay's East, West, Trinity and Christmas bays, Matagorda's East and West bays and Sabine Lake — shell reefs, mud flats, marsh drains and bayous behind barrier islands — with jetties at Galveston, Freeport and Sabine Pass, and a ring of oil and gas platforms just offshore.

• Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
• PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
• Finger mulletLip-hooked on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook and free-lined, or on a fish-finder rig in the surf. Cut mullet on the bottom for redfish and drum.
• Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
• CroakersHooked through the back on a 2/0 to 3/0 circle hook, free-lined or on a Carolina rig — big trout and redfish can't leave them alone.

• Leader20–30 lb fluorocarbon
• Hook1/0–3/0
• Jig head1/8–3/8 oz
• Braid10–20 lb

Feeds in 58–90°F water, best at 65–82°F.

All about redfish · The Upper Texas Coast, the whole year