Galveston Fishing Report - October
Capt. Greg Verm
October 30, 2014
Galveston Bay - Saltwater Fishing Report
Galveston Fishing Report for October
October has been a great month for fishing in Galveston. Our fishing patterns seem to be three to four weeks behind, and I feel the weather is the main factor. Water temps have been in the low 80's still, and we just had a cool front make its way down this week, and should begin to drop the temps.
The Galveston Jetties are loaded up with redfish. Nice upper slot fish and even more fish just over 28" up to 33". The best baits are BIG Live shrimp free lined or just enough weight to keep up with the currents at any given time… from an 1/8 oz to 3/8 oz – just experiment and see what is working. Also, small piggies are working real well too – fished the same way. I am using a number 4 treble with either baits. I actually had a customer on an afternoon charter yesterday catch his very first tarpon…. Yes a tarpon in October. We are also catching a few nice specks along the jetties as well. Not great numbers…. But very nice in size.
The back bays and marshes are holding very healthy slots, and many fish just undersize that will be 20" keepers in November and December. Live shrimp and live mullet are the most productive baits back in the bayou and marshes. In another month we will primarily be using live finger mullet, but right now a combination of both. There are still a large amount of shrimp back in the marshes but this last cool front with the westerly flow has lowered the tides and drained the marsh – so I expect that to change and see birds to really begin to work the satellite bays and main bay.
Mother Nature has done a great job protecting the flounder from our gigs. High east and southeast winds have stained our waters and hindered our gigging trips. We are rescheduling more flounder gigging trips than we are running. When we have been able to run our gigging charters – I am seeing more of a September pattern than an October pattern. I am finding myself in my ‘September' spots and not my October honey holes…. Hopefully Mother Nature will cooperate and we will finish October strong before the November closure.
Galveston Bay Fishing Forecast:
Look Ahead
I expect Galveston fishing to get even better as the waters continue to cool and we see more baits coming out of the marshes. We will finish strong in October, hopefully we will see some light winds and lower water temps which will also clear up the murky waters we have had since August, and can get some good gigging in.
The marshes and bayous will be where we spend most of November fishing for Redfish, specks and flounder. As well as some outstanding fishing in the back lakes – we also will see an abundance of ducks and geese that will call our marshes home for a while. This is always a special time of year for us in the areas we fish…. Couldn't ask for better scenery.
If you would like to get in on an Galveston Fall Fishing Charter, Flounder Gigging Charter or even just go take a guided tour and check out the spectacular Galveston Birding – give us a call and we will show you what Galveston has to offer.
Target Species:
redfish, flounder and speckled trout
More Fishing Reports:
