Redfish stay steady along the Texas coast as water holds warm

What's biting

What's next

With water temps in the low 80s, the next few days should fish like an extension of summer on the shallow flats, with the best windows at first light and the last hour before dark. Midday heat pushes fish toward deeper cuts and shaded edges, so plan to move or slow down once the sun is high.

A waxing crescent moon means little moonlight after sunset, so evening feeding leans more on tide movement than on a bright night. Plan around the moving water on your local tide chart, since our predicted high and low times were not available this afternoon.

Per Salt Strong, a popping cork rig is a good way to cover shallow water for redfish, and the same coverage suggests switching to soft plastic jerk lures when fish ignore a plug in good-looking water. Texas Fish & Game Magazine is also running coverage of autumn jetty fishing, a pattern that tends to improve as fall settles in.

Context

Mid October on the upper and central Texas coast is typically a transition period. Water is still warm but nights are starting to cool, and fall fronts begin to push baitfish out of the bays and marshes toward the passes and beaches. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes the annual November flounder closure is staying in place under TPWD's proposed rule changes, so check current state regulations before harvesting flounder.

Readings in the low 80s are on the warm side for the date, so the full fall pattern may arrive a bit later than usual and depend on the first strong front.