Redfish
Sciaenops ocellatus
Thermal window
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Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Texas (Sep 1 2025–Aug 31 2026): 3/day, 20–28 in slot. One over 28 in per license year with a Red Drum Tag.
Texas · Galveston Bay
Redfish should be the day — push West and East Bay grass as the wind lets water back in.
Largest Texas estuary. Trinity, East, West, and Christmas bays. Wind often moves more water than the tide table. Home water for drum, sheep, trout, and reds.
- ⚠ This brief is for 2026-07-16, not this morning. Wind is a forecast. Observed water versus the table is a today-only instrument.
Forecast
medium confidence
Forecast brief for Thursday, July 16. Back to this morning
Morning line
Galveston 7.9 on Thursday, July 16. 16 mph SSW. Clear. YOLO day is Wednesday, August 26. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.
incoming · 1.32 ftNOAA hourly · ft MLLW
Wind
OPEN-METEO
From SSW · gust 20
Sky
OPEN-METEO
Clear
Clear
A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.
Moon
3% lit
Waxing crescent
spring range · 3%
Water
No gauge
Water
—
Today’s range 1.9 ft
incoming
1.32 ft MLLW
River
USGS 08066500
1,440 cfs
Trinity Rv at Romayor, TX
Discharge into this bay. High water stains the flat.
Wind vs table
Observed − predicted
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No live gauge this hour — the printed tide is the forecast.
Clock
NOAA 8771450
- HighThu 7:53 AM · 1.32
- LowThu 11:49 AM · 1.16
- HighThu 4:49 PM · 1.31
- LowFri 12:40 AM · -0.23
- HighFri 8:22 AM · 1.23
Monthly YOLO day
Wednesday, August 26 · 9.0
Best remaining dry day this month with a real wind forecast. waxing gibbous · spring · tide range ~1.4 ft · wind to 21 mph · Clouds · 6%
Next two weeks
Pulling the 14-day strip…
Where
- 8.4
West Bay grass
grass flat · field manual · skinny
Flooded grass on a rising tide. Windward mudline for reds; leeward clear for trout.
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
skiffwadekayakflyspin - 8.4
Christmas Bay
grass flat · public structure · skinny
USGS GNIS 1354478. Smaller, clearer pocket. Kayak and wade water. San Luis influence.
USGS GNIS 1354478
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
kayakskiffwadeflyspin - 8.4
TX - Galveston Island SP bayside trails
grass flat · saved map · mid
Camp + 3 paddling trails into Carancahua Cove. · flats · GULF ATLAS! - FISH
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin - 8.4
Christmas Bay
grass flat · saved map · mid
Upper coast's only true seagrass flat, coastal preserve. Fall tailing reds. Kayak launches off CR 257. Camp Follets = gulf camp + bay fish, one island. · 4 - FLATS ZONES - NO WADE REQUIRED (green) · Texas coast — corridors, jetties, flats
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin - 8.4
Galveston Island SP - Carancahua Cove trails
grass flat · saved map · mid
Camp + 3 marked paddling trails (Dana Cove, Oak Bayou, Jenkins Bayou). Reds and drum in skinny water 400 yd from the tent. · 4 - FLATS ZONES - NO WADE REQUIRED (green) · Texas coast — corridors, jetties, flats
- — grass flat on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin - 8.1
San Luis Pass
pass jetty · public structure · mid
NOAA 8771972. Real current. Wade the bars on a moving tide; respect the rip. GNIS hydro layer does not carry this name — the gauge is the official clock.
- — pass jetty on a incoming tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
wadeskiffspinflystructure
When
Incoming water
8.6Thu 8:00 AM → Thu 10:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
8.6Thu 9:00 AM → Thu 1:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
8.6Thu 2:00 PM → Thu 6:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
9.5Thu 6:00 PM → Fri 2:00 AM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Incoming water
9.5Fri 2:00 AM → Fri 10:00 AM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Launch and beach access
Cited to TPWD, Texas GLO beach-access plans, and NPS. 2WD/4WD is the county plan, not a guess.
Seawolf Park
TPWD / Galveston Parks — public ramp & pier
Pelican Island. Ramp, pier, jetty-adjacent. County park fees.
Official sourceSan Luis Pass County Park
Brazoria County / GLO beach-access system
Follets Island. Ramp and beach. Current at the pass — wade with respect.
Official sourceGalveston East Beach
City of Galveston / Texas GLO beach access
Drive-on beach. 2WD when packed; 4WD after rain. GLO + city plan, not a TPWD ramp.
Official sourceGalveston 61st Street / Offatts Bayou
City of Galveston / TPWD-listed launch
West Bay and Offatts. Trailer traffic. The bay side of the island.
Official source
Legal water
No-take and closed water cited to the agency that owns it. Only the Keys box is FKNMS.
No FKNMS polygon in this box. Mainland Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Mexico, and the Bahamas are not Keys sanctuary closures.
Why — and who
- — Tide is incoming from NOAA.
- — Clear. Sky is workable.
- — Wind 16 mph SSW. Work the leeward shore. Fly gets harder.
- — Waxing crescent moon — spring tide range. Marsh and passes usually want the extra current of a spring.
6.6
Speckled trout
Cynoscion nebulosus
Thermal window
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Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Texas: 3/day, 15–20 in slot. One over 28 in per license year with a Spotted Seatrout Tag (plus bonus). Soft mouth + slot = measure every fish.
Black drum
Pogonias cromis
Thermal window
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Off-season here. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Texas: 5/day, 14–30 in. One over 52 in allowed as part of the bag.
Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Thermal window
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Off-season here. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Texas: 5/day, 15 in minimum.
Jack crevalle
Caranx hippos
Thermal window
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Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. In peak season for this water. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.
Generally unregulated. Still, do not leave a pile.
Regs citedTPWD Outdoor Annual · Sep 1, 2025–Aug 31, 2026 · rolls in 8 days. Texas bag and season roll every September 1. The stamp is the book we cited, not a license.