On This Water

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 2026-11-15, not this morning. Wind is a forecast. Observed water versus the table is a today-only instrument.
  • Texas flounder season is closed Nov 1–Dec 14. Catch-and-release only if you hook one.
9.1OF 10

Forecast

low confidence

Forecast brief for Sunday, November 15. Back to this morning

Morning line

Galveston 9.1 on Sunday, November 15. 10 mph WSW. Clear. YOLO day is Wednesday, August 26. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.

Mail it
-1.1-0.5-0.00.51.1HLHLHLHLSun 6 AMMon 6 AMTue 6 AMWed 6 AM
incoming · 0.71 ftModeled M2 · not a gauge

Wind

OPEN-METEO

NESW10MPH

From WSW · gust 11

Sky

OPEN-METEO

Clear

Clear

A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.

Moon

32% lit

Waxing crescent

neap range · 32%

Water

No gauge

Water

48°92°

Today’s range 1.5 ft

incoming

0.71 ft modeled

River

USGS 08066500

1,450 cfs

Trinity Rv at Romayor, TX

Discharge into this bay. High water stains the flat.

Wind vs table

No live gauge

No live gauge this hour — the printed tide is the forecast.

Clock

NOAA 8771450

  • HighSun 8:00 AM · 0.71
  • LowSun 2:00 PM · -0.73
  • HighSun 8:00 PM · 0.74
  • LowMon 2:00 AM · -0.75
  • HighMon 8:00 AM · 0.76

Bahamas tides are modeled from lunar M2. Use them for windows, not a bar crossing.

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 20 mph · Clouds · 5%

Next two weeks

Pulling the 14-day strip…

Where

  • TX - Galveston Island SP bayside trails

    grass flat · saved map · mid

    9.0

    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, Black drum, Sheepshead.
    skiffkayakwadeflyspin
  • Christmas Bay

    grass flat · saved map · mid

    9.0

    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, Black drum, Sheepshead.
    skiffkayakwadeflyspin
  • Galveston Island SP - Carancahua Cove trails

    grass flat · saved map · mid

    9.0

    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, Black drum, Sheepshead.
    skiffkayakwadeflyspin
  • Galveston North Jetty

    pass jetty · public structure · deep

    8.7

    Winter sheep on granite. Fall bulls. Midday tide on the rocks.

    • pass jetty on a incoming tide is a classic match.
    • In-play: Sheepshead, Redfish, Speckled trout.
    structurespinfly
  • Bolivar Roads Channel

    pass jetty · public structure · deep

    8.7

    USGS GNIS 1384775. The ship-channel throat between Galveston and Bolivar. Current over granite. Not a wade.

    USGS GNIS 1384775

    • pass jetty on a incoming tide is a classic match.
    • In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Sheepshead.
    structureskiffspinfly
  • TX - Bolivar Peninsula west end / North Jetty

    pass jetty · saved map · mid

    8.7

    $10 annual sticker, camp anywhere. Wide sand near Rettilon Rd; walk to North Jetty. · camp-surf · GULF ATLAS! - FISH

    • pass jetty on a incoming tide is a classic match.
    • In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
    structureskiffspinfly

When

  • Incoming water

    10.0

    Sun 8:00 AMSun 10:00 AM

    Moving water in the right part of the day.

  • Outgoing water

    10.0

    Sun 9:00 AMSun 4:00 PM

    Moving water in the right part of the day.

  • Incoming water

    9.7

    Sun 3:00 PMSun 10:00 PM

    Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.

  • Outgoing water

    8.7

    Sun 9:00 PMMon 4:00 AM

    Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.

  • Incoming water

    10.0

    Mon 3:00 AMMon 10:00 AM

    Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.

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 source
  • San Luis Pass County Park

    Brazoria County / GLO beach-access system

    Follets Island. Ramp and beach. Current at the pass — wade with respect.

    Official source
  • Galveston 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 source
  • Galveston 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 (modeled — the NOAA gauge did not answer).
  • Clear. Sky is workable.
  • Wind 10 mph WSW. Castable. Sight-fishing is on if the sun is out.
  • Waxing crescent moon — neap tide range. Marsh and passes usually want the extra current of a spring.

Redfish

Sciaenops ocellatus

8.4

Thermal window

48°92°

In peak season for this water. 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.

Speckled trout

Cynoscion nebulosus

8.4

Thermal window

44°90°

In peak season for this water. 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

6.6

Thermal window

46°88°

Present, not peak. 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

6.6

Thermal window

48°84°

Present, not peak. This tide stage (incoming) matches how they hunt.

Texas: 5/day, 15 in minimum.

Jack crevalle

Caranx hippos

4.8

Thermal window

64°94°

Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. Off-season here. 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 7 days. Texas bag and season roll every September 1. The stamp is the book we cited, not a license.