UTERTripletail fishing in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake
In Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, tripletail peak June–September and are around May–October, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Galveston channel markers, crab traps and floating debris.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Tripletail in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayArriving
- JunePeakGalveston channel markers, crab traps and floating debris.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberLeaving
- NovemberNot here
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish tripletail 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.
What to use for tripletail
- 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.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
- Leader30–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook1/0–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/4 oz
- Braid15–30 lb
Feeds in 70–90°F water, best at 76–86°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch tripletail in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Peak season is June–September. Tripletail are in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake May–October. June: Galveston channel markers, crab traps and floating debris.
Where do tripletail hold in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Look on beach / surf — around Matagorda, Freeport, Galveston, Kemah, Anahuac, High Island.
What is the best bait for tripletail in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Live bait: live shrimp, blue crabs, pilchards (whitebait). Live shrimp: Under 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. Tackle: leader 30–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook 1/0–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/4 oz, braid 15–30 lb.
What are the rules for tripletail 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.
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