Gulf of Mexico Texas Fishing Report: Trout, Reds, Tuna Bite Strong as Fall Patterns Emerge

Good mornin’ folks, this is Artificial Lure with your Saturday, September 20th Gulf of Mexico, Texas fishing report. We’re looking at a solid fall pattern shaping up along the coast and offshore, so let’s get right to the bite.

Sunrise came at 7:07 a.m. and we’ll see sunset at 7:17 this evening. Tides are running high, with the first high tide swinging in at 5:34 a.m. and another push coming at 4:11 p.m. between lows at 11:10 a.m. and 11:15 p.m., according to Tide-Forecast and Tides4Fishing. Tidal coefficient is running high too, so expect strong water movement most of the day—prime feeding windows, especially around those tide switches.

Weatherwise, we’ve got light southeast winds, mid-70s at sunrise, climbing into the mid-80s by afternoon. The humidity’s still Texas-thick, but the breeze should keep it tolerable for y’all working the flats or heading offshore. These are the kind of early fall conditions where a morning session can land you a box full of fillets before lunch.

Now, let’s talk fishing. Inshore, the fall migration is heating up. According to local podcasts like the Gulf of Mexico Texas Fishing Report and reports posted Friday, trout and redfish are piling along grasslines and shell points. Trout have been strong on moving water, especially with a few days of stable weather backing them up. Most keepers are in the 15–20 inch class, but there are some thick slot reds mixed in—especially toward the mouths of marsh creeks and the deeper channels near Galveston and Bolivar.

Live shrimp under popping corks have been hot, but I’m telling you, the topwater plug first light—think bone or chrome Spook Jr’s and MirrOlures—is hard to beat for explosive hits. As the sun climbs, switch over to soft plastics like purple chartreuse or root beer paddle tails on a light jighead. If you’re working deeper or around structure, croaker and finger mullet are still money.

Nearshore, Spanish mackerel have been thick around the jetties, with a few big jack crevalle crashing pods of mullet. Chrome spoons and fast-moving Got-Cha plugs will draw strikes, especially if you don’t mind burning your arm between hookups. Navarre’s recent report had lookdowns and ladyfish mixed in, and that same mixed-bag action is rolling along Texas, too.

Now for you offshore diehards: tuna are still biting well along the outer shelf when you can pick your window between fronts. The chunk bite—using butterfish, cut menhaden, or squid—is producing, especially at night or low light. Recent party boat trips have yielded 20 to 40 yellowfin per haul and some big blackfin in the mix. Live and vertical jigs are strong bets; pick up heavy 200-300 gram jigs for best results if you’re working deeper.

Snapper season is always a Texas favorite and there have been good reports of limits coming from state waters, especially around submerged structure and rig legs. Cut squid or cigar minnows will get the job done, but a live pinfish or menhaden rarely fails to tempt bigger fish.

As for hot spots, the Galveston Ship Channel has been lights out for trout and reds on both tides, especially the first half of outgoing. Down south, East Matagorda Bay oyster reefs and guts are giving up solid specks. Offshore, the working shrimp boats drifting off Freeport and Matagorda platforms are prime for tuna and kingfish.

NOAA’s recent notice about aquaculture spots might not matter for the rod-and-reel crowd today, but it means more growth in the Gulf fishery ahead.

Don’t miss these prime September days—the fish know the seasons are changing, and their feedbag is strapped on.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Gulf of Mexico Texas fishing report. Be sure to subscribe for your daily dose of coastal action. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, folks. This is artificial lure with your Saturday,
September twentieth Gulf of Mexico, Texas Fishing report. We're looking
at a solid fall pattern shaping up along the coast
and off shore, so let's get right to the bite.
Sunrise came at seven oh seven am and we'll see
sunset at seven seventeen this evening. Tides are running high,

(00:21):
with the first high tide swinging in at five thirty
four am and another push coming at four to eleven
pm between lows at eleven ten am and eleven fifteen pm.
According to tide forecast and tides for fishing. Tidal coal
fishing is running high, too, so expect strong water movement

(00:41):
most of the day prime feeding windows, especially around those
tide switches. Weatherwise, we've got lights out these winds mid
seventies at sunrise, climbing into the mid eighties by afternoon.
The humidity is still Texas thick, but the breeze should
keep it tolerable for y'all. Work in the flats are
heading off. These are the kind of early fall conditions

(01:03):
where a morning session can land you a box full
of filets before lunch. Now let's talk fishing inshore, The
fall migration is heating up. According to local podcasts like
the Gulf of Mexico, Texas Fishing Report and reports posted Friday.
Trout and redfish are piling along grass lines and shell points.

(01:23):
Trout have been strong on moving water, especially with a
few days of stable weather backing them up. Most keepers
are in the fifteen to twenty inch class, but there
are some thick slot reds mixed in, especially toward the
mouths of marsh creeks and the deeper channels near Galveston
and Bolivar. Live shrimp under popping quarks have been hot,

(01:44):
but I'm telling you the top water plug first light
think bone or chrome spook juniors and miro lures is
hard beat for explosive hits as the sun climbs switch
over to soft plastics like purple char trews or rope
beer paddle tails on a light jighead. If you're working
deeper or around structure, croker and finger mullet are still money.

(02:06):
Near shore, Spanish mackerel have been thick around the jetties,
with a few big jack cravall crashing pods of mullet,
chrome spoons and fast moving gotcha plus will draw strikes,
especially if you don't mind burning your arm between hookups.
Naval's recent report had looked downs and ladyfish mixed in,
and that same mixed bag action is rolling along Texas

(02:29):
too now for you offshore diehards, tuner still biting well
along the outer shelf when you can pick your window
between fronts. The chunk bite using butterfish, cutman, hayden or
squid is producing, especially at night or low light. Recent
party boat trips have yielded twenty to forty yellowfin per

(02:50):
haul and some big blackfin in the mix. Live and
vertical jigs are strong bets. Pick up heavy two hundred
to three hundred gram jig for best results if you're
working deeper. Snapper season is always a Texas favorite, and
there have been good reports of limits coming from state waters,
especially around submerged structure and rig legs. Cut squid or

(03:14):
cigar meadows will get the job done, but a live
pinfish or menhaden rarely fails to tempt bigger fish. As
for hotspots, the Galveston Ship Channel has been lights out
for trout and reds on both tides, especially the first
half of outgoing down south east mataggar To Bay. Oyster

(03:36):
reefs and guts are giving up solid specks offshore. The
working shrimp boats drifting off freeport in mataggart To platforms
are prime for tuna and kingfish. No's recent notice about
aquaculture spots might not matter for the rod and real
crowd today, but it means more growth in the gold
fishery ahead. Don't miss these prime September days. The fish

(03:59):
know the season are changing and their feedbag is strapped on.
Thanks for tuning in to the day's Gulf of Mexico,
Texas fishing report. Be sure to subscribe for your daily
dose of coastal action. This has been a quiet please production.
For more check out Quiet please dot ai