Black drum
Pogonias cromis
Thermal window
—
In peak season for this water. This tide stage (high slack) matches how they hunt.
Texas: 5/day, 14–30 in. One over 52 in allowed as part of the bag.
Texas · Galveston Bay
Redfish are the hunt — hold for moving water; Galveston slack is a boat ride.
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 2026-12-23, not this morning. Wind is a forecast. Observed water versus the table is a today-only instrument.
Forecast
low confidence
Forecast brief for Wednesday, December 23. Back to this morning
Morning line
Galveston 7.7 on Wednesday, December 23. 4 mph NW. Clear. YOLO day is Wednesday, August 26. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.
high slack · -0.39 ftModeled M2 · not a gauge
Wind
OPEN-METEO
From NW · gust 6
Sky
OPEN-METEO
Clear
Clear
A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.
Moon
100% lit
Full
spring range · 100%
Water
No gauge
Water
—
Today’s range 0.8 ft
high slack
-0.39 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
- LowWed 8:00 AM · -0.39
- HighWed 2:00 PM · 0.39
- LowWed 8:00 PM · -0.37
- HighThu 3:00 AM · 0.36
- LowThu 9:00 AM · -0.36
Bahamas tides are modeled from lunar M2. Use them for windows, not a bar crossing.
Monthly YOLO day
Wednesday, August 26 · 8.7
Best remaining dry day this month with a real wind forecast. waxing gibbous · spring · tide range ~0.9 ft · wind to 21 mph · Clouds · 4%
Next two weeks
Pulling the 14-day strip…
Where
- 8.1
East Bay reefs / Hanna's
oyster reef · field manual · mid
Home-water trout and winter mixed schools. Shell next to mud. Do not invent a Tuesday — this is the bay.
- — oyster reef on a high slack tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Speckled trout, Redfish, Black drum.
skiffwadeflyspin - 8.1
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 high slack tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin - 8.1
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 high slack tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin - 8.1
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 high slack tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
skiffkayakwadeflyspin - 7.5
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 high slack tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
skiffwadekayakflyspin - 7.5
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 high slack tide is a workable match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout.
kayakskiffwadeflyspin
When
Incoming water
9.5Wed 9:00 AM → Wed 4:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
9.5Wed 3:00 PM → Wed 10:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Incoming water
7.5Wed 10:00 PM → Thu 4:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
8.6Thu 4:00 AM → Thu 11:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
9.5Thu 10:00 AM → Thu 5:00 PM
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 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 high slack (modeled — the NOAA gauge did not answer).
- — Clear. Sky is workable.
- — Wind 4 mph NW. Castable. Sight-fishing is on if the sun is out.
- — Full moon — spring tide range. Marsh and passes usually want the extra current of a spring.
8.4
Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Thermal window
—
In peak season for this water.
Texas: 5/day, 15 in minimum.
Redfish
Sciaenops ocellatus
Thermal window
—
Present, not peak.
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
Thermal window
—
Present, not peak.
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.
Jack crevalle
Caranx hippos
Thermal window
—
Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. Off-season here.
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.