SAN ANTONIO BAY

THE SAN ANTONIO BAY system includes Espiritu Santo, San Antonio, Guadalupe, Hynes, Mesquite and Ayers Bays and Mission Lake. It is fed by the combined waters of the San Antonio and Guadalupe Rivers. The system covers some 136,240 acres. The main bay is separated from the Gulf by Matagorda Island. Average depth is about 6 ft. with a bottom mainly of mud, sand and shell.

With strong spring winds subsiding we will be able to start shing areas like the je ies and occasionally the beachfront when the wind conditions allow the surf to get right.

Being in the Coastal bend, the wind is typically always blowing, but May/June have more favorable days with calmer winds and give you the ability to sh more areas that will be holding sh.

However, on the other hand, when the wind is prominently blowing from the southeast, we use this to our advantage which allows us to target isolated schools of trout and red sh on and o of the protected south shorelines.

When the wind allows us to dri , the Mid Bay Humble Channel Flats produces limits of trout with some in the 5 lb range. We always enjoy catching and releasing these bigger trout. is conservative practice is allowing these larger 5-6 lb trout to continue to spawn, which is vital to replenish our bay systems.

is time of year will start the trend of the sh feeding early on shallower ats and dropping o the edges into the cooler water as the temperature rises into the a ernoon hours.

Typically Port Aransas, East Flats area produces solid trout along the edge of the drop o s, as the red sh are commonly found hanging around the shoreline and ats. In this area, so plastics is a go-to lure for trout. is area is a protected shoreline this time of year for clearer water for sight cast at red sh, or if you prefer live bait, we recommend a popping cork with live shrimp.

It’s that time to start watching for signs. Most sh are on the move, not staying in one area too long, but following the bait. Watch for bird action, slicks, nervous bait activity, and mud boils.

the cuts in the reef looking for jumping bait fish; AprNov; dawn thru midday

FLOUNDER

Good gigging at night under lights, work pts. & edges; AprJun; avoid midday, aftn

Work along dropoffs edges near shell reef, night gig; Apr-Jun; avoid midday, aftn

Pumpkinseed Bull Minnows, work bayou edge bottom; AprSep; morn, afternoon WADEFISHING 1 trout & a few flounder, croaker, perch; December thru September

Reds, trout & a few flounder, muddy water, use dark worms; December thru September SOURCE: TEXAS LAKES & BAYS FISHING ATLAS

Adjacent to East Flats, you have Dagger Island with the same topography. Target the drop o edges for trout and ats for red sh and black drum.

With the plethora of oyster reefs in Nueces Bay, shing this area is another great option because the southerly wind pushes the bait into this bay system. is means the bait will be congregating around these reefs bringing in the trout and red sh close behind.

We want to encourage you to check your tide tables and pay close a ention to your major and minor feeding times.

Middle Coast

Come join us to kicko this summertime fun in the sun in the Coastal bend! We will hook YOU up!

CONTACT CAPT. THOMPSON:

Email: RandKCoastalOutfitters@gmail.com

Online: RandKCoastalOutfitters.com

Middle Coast Hotspots

LOCATION: Aransas Bay

HOTSPOT: South Bay

GPS: N 27 54.282, W 97 3.254 (27.9047, -97.0542)

LOCATION: Copano Bay

HOTSPOT: 40 Acre Reef

GPS: N 28 4.543, W 97 11.209 (28.0757, -97.1868)

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay

HOTSPOT: Shamrock Island

GPS: N 27 45.9679, W 97 9.7829 (27.7661, -97.1631)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish

BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: If it’s not windy, fish deeper water areas going for trout, and redfish second.

LOCATION: Carlos Bay

HOTSPOT: Cedar Reef

GPS: N 28 8.251, W 96 53.049 (28.1375, -96.8842)

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish

BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: In early May, fish live shrimp in the potholes.

LOCATION: Corpus Christi Bay

HOTSPOT: Corpus Christi Bay Wells

GPS: N 27 44.764, W 97 11.141 (27.7461, -97.1857)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Live croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Twitch the croaker to make it grunt and to keep it from burrowing down in the grass.

LOCATION: Port Aransas

HOTSPOT: East Flats

GPS: N 27 48.991, W 97 07.139 (27.816517, -97.118983)

SPECIES: Speckled trout and redfish

BEST BAITS: Touts or live bait

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Fish topwaters if conditions allow—otherwise, croaker. Live shrimp under a popping cork is iffy; the perch will steal the shrimp off the hook.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout and Redfish

BEST BAITS: Live Croaker or Cut Mullet

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Rig croaker or shrimp, consisting of a small sliding egg weight and a Kahle hook

SPECIES: Redfish

BEST BAITS: Freeline live pin perch or cut mullet

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Hook the pin perch under the anal fin, the same way as if you were using croaker for trout.

LOCATION: Port Aransas

HOTSPOT: Mud Island

GPS: N 27 56.380, W 97 00.763 (27.939667, -97.012717)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Freeline live croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Hook the croaker right above the anal fin so he can swim around naturally, won’t be upside down or sideways in the water.

LOCATION: Port Aransas

HOTSPOT: Outside Dagger

GPS: N 27 50.217, W 97 09.967 (27.83695, -97.166117)

LOCATION: Redfish Bay

HOTSPOT: Dagger Islands

GPS: N 27 50.1019, W 97 10.2659 (27.8350, -97.1711)

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre

HOTSPOT: Intracoastal Spoil Banks

GPS: N 27 33.6839, W 97 16.759 (27.5614, -97.2793)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Freeline live croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: A croaker should last 10-15 minutes before he becomes fatigued and needs to be replaced.

LOCATION: Port Aransas

HOTSPOT: Quarantine Shoreline

GPS: N 27 54.733, W 97 03.502 (27.912217, -97.058367)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Live croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Pop the croaker a little bit with rod tip every 30-40 seconds... by moving your wrist, not your arm.

LOCATION: Redfish Bay

HOTSPOT: Harbor Island Flats

GPS: N 27 52.035, W 97 04.749 (27.86725, -97.07915)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Topwaters

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Wade here for spawning trout.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre

HOTSPOT: King Ranch Shoreline

GPS: N 27 29.141, W 97 20.939 (27.485684, -97.348991)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Freeline live croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: In June, Engel switches exclusively to live croaker as bait of choice for speckled trout. “Baitfish become so numerous as the water warms up, they will strip a live shrimp off a hook in 10 seconds.” –

Capt. Marvin Engel

LOCATION: Port Aransas

HOTSPOT: Super Flats

GPS: N 27 54.669, W 97 02.196 (27.91115, -97.0366)

SPECIES: Redfish

BEST BAITS: Freeline live pin perch or cut mullet

SOURCE:

Capt. Marvin Engel

361-658-6674

TIPS: Give a spot about 20-25 minutes to produce fish, giving enough time for the redfish to find the bai

LOCATION: San Antonio Bay

HOTSPOT: Cedar Point

GPS: N 28 14.184, W 96 39.659 (28.2364, -96.6610)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Topwaters

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: A bone/silver She Dog, with a Walk-the-Dog retrieve should produce results.

LOCATION: Upper Laguna Madre

HOTSPOT: Pita Flats

GPS: N 27 35.066, W 97 17.658 (27.5844, -97.2943)

SPECIES: Speckled trout

BEST BAITS: Freeline live croaker

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Pop your line about every 15-20 seconds, reel 2-3 cranks to get slack out of the line.

SPECIES: Speckled Trout

BEST BAITS: Soft Plastics

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Good soft plastic colors are strawberry wine and pumpkin seed, fished with a 1/8 oz. jig head. Vary the retrieve until you find what the fish want.

SPECIES: Black Drum

BEST BAITS: Cracked crab or frozen shrimp

SOURCE: Texas Lakes & Bays Fishing Atlas Fishgame.com/fishgamegear

TIPS: Drum can be found just about everywhere in the bays…from Carlos to Ingleside, around reefs, flats or deep drop offs.