Story by Nate Skinner for Lone Star Outdoor News
This story originally appeared in the Aug. 27 issue of LSON
Calm conditions typically associated with the month of August arrived mid-month at the Texas coast. From Sabine Lake to Freeport, anglers reported schooling action from red drum. From back lake marshes to open bay waters, the reds have been aggressively feeding during periods of tidal movement and during peak solunar times.
Angler Christopher McKinley found schools of redfish cruising in the shallows over mud flats with scattered oyster shell in several marshes in back lakes near Freeport.
“I have seen the most activity during peak low tide, when the fish have been restricted to stacking up along the deepest flats within these back marshes,” McKinley said. “Some of the reds have been cruising and feeding in water so shallow their backs stick out above the surface.”
Bryan Lake and Old Reservoir are two areas that have been holding swarms of redfish.
“These areas can be tricky to navigate on a low tide, but the amount of fish that have been present in these lakes has been absolutely incredible,” McKinley said. “Top-water baits, gold spoons and soft plastics have all produced strikes when cast into the middle of a feeding school of reds.”
Galveston guide, Capt. Jamie Pinter, said there are several schools of redfish roaming across the Galveston Bay complex right now.
“In East Galveston Bay, targeting slicks and mud boils has been the ticket,” he said. “Sometimes the schools of reds will have terns hovering over them as well. You’ve got to be careful though, because where there are a lot of birds working, it’s usually been schools of gafftop.”
Mid-bay reefs in West Galveston Bay also have been holding large numbers of redfish where there are significant concentrations of baitfish present.
On calm days, Sabine area angler Allen Parker said schools of redfish have been coming to the surface to feed in the open waters of the middle of the lake during the afternoons.
“There hasn’t really been any rhyme or reason to what the large schools of reds are doing,” Parker said. “It seems like the afternoon hours have held the most action, especially when there is an outgoing tide. Most of these fish are at the upper end of the slot, or oversized.”
Parker said once you locate a school of reds crashing along the surface, that they’ll eat just about anything.
“Just cast whatever lure you want, smack dab into the middle of the school, and hold on,” he said.
Sabine guide, Capt. Chris Phillips, said there are plenty of redfish cruising over oyster and clam shell along the Louisiana shoreline of Sabine Lake.
“Some of these fish are holding tight to the bank, while others can be found 50 to 100 yards off of the bank over shell humps,” Phillips elaborated. “My customers have been catching them on live shrimp rigged under a popping cork as well as on soft plastics.”
Shell ledges and rocks and rip rap along the Sabine Pass channel have also been hotspots for redfish.
“There’s redfish out at the jetties right now too,” he said. “They seem to be showing up in more and more places as the month wears on.”
