Fall mullet run arrives as Texas weighs new redfish tag rules
Water along the Galveston-to-Corpus corridor is still running warm for mid-October. NOAA CO-OPS gauges logged 84.6°F at station 8771450, 82.8°F at station 8771341 and 83.5°F at station 8772471 as of October 10. Saltwater Sportsman's look at the annual mullet run notes millions of baitfish pushing out of Gulf bays and estuaries from September into November, the bait surge anglers watch for as the fall bite builds. On the regulations side, Texas Fish & Game Magazine reports Texas Parks and Wildlife is weighing rule changes touching redfish tagging, with existing seasonal harvest closures staying in place for now.
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Expect water temps to hold in the low-to-mid 80s through the next two to three days. The Gulf hasn't had a real cold push yet, so the seasonal cooldown that typically kicks redfish activity into higher gear is still ahead rather than underway.
The new moon this week means stronger spring tides, with bigger water movement through bay passes and drains, worth building a trip around rather than fishing a dead tide. If the mullet run Saltwater Sportsman describes keeps pushing bait out of the back bays as it typically does into November, expect predator activity in passes and drains to build through the back half of October.
Early mornings and the last hour of daylight, when bait gets pushed hardest on the moving tide, are the windows worth planning a weekend trip around right now.
Context
This is roughly on schedule for the middle Texas Gulf Coast in mid-October. Water in the low 80s is normal for this point in the fall transition, with the real cooldown and the strongest redfish run in the bays still generally a few weeks out.
The baitfish migration described in Saltwater Sportsman's mullet-run coverage is an annual Gulf-wide pattern that typically runs September through November, and this season's timing fits that window. Any tag-rule changes TPWD finalizes would apply going into next season rather than changing anything on the water this week.
Synthesized from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.
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