The back-to-back frontal systems predicted to hit the Galveston Bay Complex during the coming week should be the key to starting some fantastic fall fishing. Rain and cooler weather are in the forecast and once conditions settle after their passage, get ready for some hot action.
Lots of small male flounder are being caught around Seawolf Park, according to a report from Bulldog’s Bait Shop, and that is the first sign that the flounder run is beginning. The timely run likely was triggered by the change in atmospheric pressure preceding Wednesday’s cool front.
Bulldog’s also reported that big croaker are being caught along the beach front along with Spanish mackerel, trout and a few flounder. The annual golden croaker run usually starts about the same time as flounder start moving toward the Gulf.
The past several years have not resulted in a major croaker run, although lots of bull croaker in the size range of rat reds were caught during the late fall. Not too long ago, the passes into the Gulf were filled with big croaker following flounder to the deeper Gulf waters.
At the time, Rollover Pass was noted for hot action on the big croaker, and during the run, anglers would be shoulder to shoulder fishing both sides of the pass and all catching fish.
I would love to see a return of those great croaker runs and, since we have seen our flounder stocks bounce back, there is no reason we cannot find a way to increase the stocks of golden croaker.
Wouldn’t it be nice to return to the glory years of plentiful numbers of croaker in the 2- to 4-pound range being caught during their big migration to the Gulf. Our future generations of fishermen would like to see that as well.
Bonnie Farmer sent a report of her grandson, 5-year-old JD Farmer, landing a Texas Grand Slam on a fishing trip in West Bay with his dad Jason and brother Carter.
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