Black drum
Pogonias cromis
Thermal window
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In peak season for this water. This tide stage (outgoing) matches how they hunt.
Texas: 5/day, 14–30 in. One over 52 in allowed as part of the bag.
Texas · Galveston Bay
Redfish should be the day — fish the wind-blown shoreline — the table is not the tide here.
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 2026-12-26, not this morning. Wind is a forecast. Observed water versus the table is a today-only instrument.
Forecast
medium confidence
Forecast brief for Saturday, December 26. Back to this morning
Morning line
Galveston 8.4 on Saturday, December 26. 4 mph NW. Clear. YOLO day is Wednesday, August 26. Scores are 1–10, not a bite.
outgoing · -0.01 ftNOAA hourly · ft MLLW
Wind
OPEN-METEO
From NW · gust 6
Sky
OPEN-METEO
Clear
Clear
A 20% shower chance is not a cancel. A soaker is.
Moon
94% lit
Waning gibbous
mid range · 94%
Water
No gauge
Water
—
Today’s range 2.1 ft
outgoing
-0.01 ft MLLW
River
USGS 08066500
1,450 cfs
Trinity Rv at Romayor, TX
Discharge into this bay. High water stains the flat.
Wind vs table
Observed − predicted
—
No live gauge this hour — the printed tide is the forecast.
Clock
NOAA 8771450
- LowSat 11:30 AM · -0.87
- HighSat 7:49 PM · 1.08
- LowSat 10:57 PM · 0.99
- HighSun 4:05 AM · 1.13
- LowSun 12:25 PM · -0.63
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
- 9.0
Galveston North Jetty
pass jetty · public structure · deep
Winter sheep on granite. Fall bulls. Midday tide on the rocks.
- — pass jetty on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Sheepshead, Redfish, Speckled trout.
structurespinfly - 9.0
Trinity Bay shoreline
marsh drain · field manual · mid
River stain after rain. Drains and mud. Winter drum mix with reds.
- — marsh drain on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Black drum, Speckled trout.
skiffspinfly - 9.0
Bolivar Roads Channel
pass jetty · public structure · deep
USGS GNIS 1384775. The ship-channel throat between Galveston and Bolivar. Current over granite. Not a wade.
USGS GNIS 1384775
- — pass jetty on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Sheepshead.
structureskiffspinfly - 9.0
TX - Bolivar Peninsula west end / North Jetty
pass jetty · saved map · mid
$10 annual sticker, camp anywhere. Wide sand near Rettilon Rd; walk to North Jetty. · camp-surf · GULF ATLAS! - FISH
- — pass jetty on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
structureskiffspinfly - 9.0
TX - Follets Island CR 257 (free camping)
pass jetty · saved map · mid
Free, no permit, 14-day max. Fish San Luis Pass gulf-side at dawn. · camp-surf · GULF ATLAS! - FISH
- — pass jetty on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
structurespinwade - 9.0
Bolivar Peninsula beach - drivable/campable
pass jetty · saved map · mid
$10 annual sticker, camp anywhere along ~27 mi. West end near Rettilon Rd is widest and house-free. NOTE: Rollover Pass was filled in - gone. · 1 - BEACH CORRIDORS (yellow=2WD, orange=4WD, red=Big Shell) · Texas coast — corridors, jetties, flats
- — pass jetty on a outgoing tide is a classic match.
- — In-play: Redfish, Speckled trout, Black drum, Sheepshead.
structurespinwade
When
Outgoing water
9.5Sat 8:00 AM → Sat 1:00 PM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
9.5Sat 1:00 PM → Sat 10:00 PM
Moving water in the right part of the day.
Outgoing water
7.5Sat 9:00 PM → Sun 12:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Incoming water
7.5Sun 2:00 AM → Sun 5:00 AM
Water is moving, but the clock is against you — heat or dark.
Outgoing water
9.5Sun 6:00 AM → Sun 2:00 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 outgoing from NOAA.
- — Clear. Sky is workable.
- — Wind 4 mph NW. Castable. Sight-fishing is on if the sun is out.
- — Waning gibbous moon — mid 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. This tide stage (outgoing) matches how they hunt.
Texas: 5/day, 15 in minimum.
Redfish
Sciaenops ocellatus
Thermal window
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Present, not peak. This tide stage (outgoing) 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
Thermal window
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Present, not peak. This tide stage (outgoing) 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.
Jack crevalle
Caranx hippos
Thermal window
—
Bycatch and beach noise — not the reason you came. Off-season here. This tide stage (outgoing) 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.