UTERYellowfin tuna fishing in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake
In Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, yellowfin tuna peak April–September and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Yellowfin on the floaters.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Yellowfin tuna in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilPeak
- MayPeak
- JunePeakYellowfin on the floaters.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish yellowfin tuna 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 spots in the The Upper Texas Coast map area — the kinds yellowfin tuna hold on.
What to use for yellowfin tuna
- Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- Opelu (mackerel scad)Bridled live and slow-trolled or drifted down for ahi, ono and marlin; cut for bottom fishing.
- Leader40–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook4/0–8/0
- Braid50–100 lb
Feeds in 72–84°F water, best at 74–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch yellowfin tuna in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Peak season is April–September. Yellowfin tuna are here year-round. June: Yellowfin on the floaters.
Where do yellowfin tuna hold in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Look on wreck — around Matagorda, Freeport, Galveston, Kemah, Anahuac, High Island.
What is the best bait for yellowfin tuna in Galveston Bay & Sabine Lake?
Live bait: blue runners (hardtails), menhaden (pogies), threadfin herring (greenbacks), opelu (mackerel scad). Blue runners (hardtails): Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 40–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 4/0–8/0, braid 50–100 lb.
What are the rules for yellowfin tuna 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
Fish Scouter scores yellowfin tuna for this hour on this water, draws every reef, wreck and access point near you, and keeps your spots. $9.99 a month, 14 days free.
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All about yellowfin tuna · The Upper Texas Coast, the whole year