UTERGray triggerfish fishing in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake
In Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, gray triggerfish peak May–September and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Triggers on the rigs.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Gray triggerfish in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayPeak
- JunePeakTriggers on the rigs.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish gray triggerfish near Matagorda, Freeport, Galveston
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.
Fish Scouter charts 319 wreck, 8 artificial reef spots in the The Upper Texas Coast map area — the kinds gray triggerfish hold on.
What to use for gray triggerfish
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- 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.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 62–84°F water, best at 68–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch gray triggerfish in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Peak season is May–September. Gray triggerfish are here year-round. June: Triggers on the rigs.
Where do gray triggerfish hold in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Matagorda, Freeport, Galveston, Kemah, Anahuac, High Island.
What is the best bait for gray triggerfish in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Live bait: squid, live shrimp. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for gray triggerfish in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and change — read the current rule at https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/licenses.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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All about gray triggerfish · The Upper Texas Coast, the whole year