Galveston Fishing

Monday was an excellent day to fish. Light winds, fair tidal movement and comfortable temperatures made conditions special. Welcome to fall fishing in the Galveston Bay Complex.

Polly and I took advantage of the conditions and headed to our favorite flounder holes after loading up with live shrimp, mullet and gulps. Surprisingly, there were few anglers on the water considering it was a holiday for a lot of people.

We started our fishing along the Galveston Ship Channel and fished near two fine gentlemen named Ryan and Zack who were anchored close to one of the docks. At that point they had two flounder in the box and soon after we arrived, caught a third and pulled anchor. The fourth slot was saved for a saddle blanket.

We spent all morning working that area and eventually left with our limit of four flounder. At noon, two anglers taking advantage of their lunch break from their jobs on Pelican Island drove up and fished along the edge of the bulkheads. They fished with tandem soft plastics bouncing them off the bottom. During the short time they fished, I saw them catch and release at least six or seven nice flounder.

With our limit of flounder, we headed to the North Jetty to try for some reds. Murphy’s Law again prevailed as large flounder were stacked up just north of the Boat Cut. Each flounder we caught and released was much larger than the 16- to 18-inch flatfish in our fish box. A large sheepshead was the only other fish caught at the jetties. Oh well, next time it is to the jetties first and with some tandem soft plastics, probably Flounder Pounders.

Malcom Mencacci found the birds working in Upper West Bay on Monday and limited out on trout by 11 a.m. A large flounder and two reds rounded out his Texas Grand Slam. Chicken On A Chain Assassins and Storm Jerk Minnows on quarter-ounce jigs were the baits.

Barbara Garibaldi, Louis Bait Camp, reported good catches of flounder and reds coming from Highland Bayou and the Diversionary Canal. Robert Ewing, Zachery Wallis and Calvin Rockett limited out on flounder to 20 inches and had two reds as well. Garibaldi said she has a good supply of bait.

Along the beach front, sand trout, croaker, pompano, gafftop, black drum, bull reds and black-tip sharks were being caught off of the 61st Street Fishing Pier.