Texas fishing reports
152 reports for Texas — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Red Snapper Season Opens Strong as Whiting Hit the Texas Surf
Party boats are logging solid catches as the federal red snapper season hit its opening week, according to the Galveston Daily News Reel Report, though Galveston Bay middle grounds have been fishing tough amid persistent wind and pop-up showers. The clear inshore bright spot: whiting are running extremely strong right now, with Lone Star Outdoor News calling this prime time for easy limits and a fish fry. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes summer is heating up as a prime window for offshore powerhouses beyond just snapper, with Gulf oil and gas platforms offering some of the coast's most diverse action per Sport Fishing Mag. The CCA-Texas STAR Tournament kicked off May 23 and runs through September 7, adding competitive incentive across the full Texas coastline. No live buoy data is currently available for precise water temperatures, but seasonal June conditions typically place nearshore Gulf waters in the upper 70s to low 80s.
Hill Country bass push offshore as post-spawn summer patterns lock in
Per My Canyon Lake Fishing, TPWD has temporarily suspended its weekly statewide fishing reports while a new format is finalized, leaving Hill Country anglers without their usual state-agency benchmark. USGS gauge 08158000 recorded the Colorado River flowing at 1,570 cfs as of June 8 — moderate inflow conditions as lakes Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan enter summer. With bass firmly in post-spawn mode across Texas, Tactical Bassin reports success targeting offshore structure using a wobble head jig paired with a shaky head worm — the two-bait combination producing quality fish in early June. Crankbaits are also effective for covering water as bass scatter from shallow spawning flats toward deeper summertime staging areas. Lone Star Outdoor News notes that anglers statewide are pivoting away from cold-season species as the warm season accelerates. No direct angler reports from Travis, LBJ, or Buchanan arrived this week; conditions here draw from regional sources and USGS gauge data.
Blue Catfish Running Hot on North Texas Lakes as June Heats Up
Blue catfish action is running strong on North Texas lakes heading into June. North Texas Catfish Guide reports Eagle Mountain Lake (Fort Worth area) is near full capacity with active fresh water inflow — a combination that has the bite firing fast once you locate fish. Guide trips have been producing limits of quality blue catfish, with multiple fish over 30 pounds, and the guide notes the action 'will only get better' through the month. USGS gauge 08211200 logged 88°F water temperature on June 8, confirming summer heat is firmly locked in. With water this warm, fish push deep during midday, making dawn and dusk the critical windows. Anglers targeting bass will find post-spawn fish holding on offshore structure; Tactical Bassin recommends a wobble-head jig paired with a shaky-head worm for June offshore bass. Lone Star Outdoor News also flags Rio Grande cichlids as a fun warm-season freshwater target now that trout season has wound down.
Post-spawn bass in full feed at Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn
Lake Fork Trophy Bass reports East Texas largemouth are deep into post-spawn feeding recovery, with late May guide trips on Lake Fork producing quality fish 'from shallow to deep' as bass replenish after the spawn. That seasonal pattern mirrors what anglers typically find on Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn at the same point in the year. Tactical Bassin corroborates the bite, recently targeting post-spawn bass around isolated offshore structure with a wobble-head jig and shaky-head worm combo and also working chatterbaits and dropshots over offshore flats. The Neches River downstream of Sam Rayburn is running at 3,990 cfs (USGS gauge 08030500), suggesting moderate discharge through the reservoir system. No water temperature reading is available from the gauge this week. Last Quarter moon conditions this week can concentrate the best bites into low-light windows at dawn and dusk. Crappie and blue catfish remain seasonal staples on both impoundments, though no specific reports surfaced this week.
Post-spawn bass go offshore as Hill Country heat builds for June
Colorado River flow through the Highland Lakes chain registered 362 cfs at USGS gauge 08158000 as of June 8, reflecting moderate summer releases from the Travis-LBJ-Buchanan impoundments. No in-lake water temperature is available from monitoring stations this week. Post-spawn conditions are solidly underway: largemouth and Guadalupe bass have left shallow flats and are pushing toward deeper offshore ledges and structure. Tactical Bassin reports that June bass across similar reservoirs are responding strongly to a wobble-head jig combined with a shaky-head worm fished on isolated mid-lake structure — a classic summer ledge pattern directly applicable to Travis and LBJ. Chatterbaits and crankbaits are also producing on offshore transitions in early summer, per Tactical Bassin's seasonal coverage. Note that TPWD briefly paused its weekly fishing-report series while updating its format, per My Canyon Lake Fishing, leaving official state intel for the region currently limited.
Eagle Mountain catfish in full summer stride as June bite ignites
Water at USGS gauge 08211200 is running at 85°F and 30 cfs, indicating warm, low-flow summer conditions consistent with Texas freshwater in early June. North Texas Catfish Guide is calling Eagle Mountain Lake (Fort Worth) one of the best fishing opportunities of the year right now. The lake is nearly full with fresh water still entering the system, and the guide reports limits of blue catfish are routine, with multiple trips producing fish over 30 pounds. Channel catfish are hitting hard as well, and white bass have moved onto the main lake. Texas Fish & Game Magazine flags Lake Conroe as another summer performer, with nervous shad schools over main-lake points signaling active predators below. For bass anglers, Tactical Bassin notes that crankbaits fished from shallow to deep are well-suited to the post-spawn summer patterns taking shape across Texas reservoirs. With water temps at midsummer highs, early morning and late evening windows are typically most productive.
Red Snapper Season in Full Swing as Trout Stack Deep Bay Shell
Party boats out of Galveston have been running hard since the federal red snapper season opened May 22, with Galveston Daily News — Reel Report noting a busy opening week on the water. Inshore, Capt. Mark Talasek in Matagorda tells the same outlet that calm winds have allowed crews to work deep open-bay shell in both the bays and surf, producing great numbers of speckled trout with the occasional redfish in the mix. Middle Galveston Bay, by contrast, has been described as tough; anglers may find better results ranging south toward Matagorda Bay. On the surf, whiting are in strong form: Lone Star Outdoor News — Fishing reports the species is running extremely well and calls this a prime time for an easy fish fry. The 2026 CCA-Texas STAR Tournament, which kicked off May 23 and runs through September 7, is adding competitive energy across the entire Texas coast. No current environmental readings are available; check local conditions before heading out.
Laguna Madre grass flats in summer stride for trout, reds, and whiting
Texas Fish & Game Magazine's recent Bay Profile frames the Lower Laguna Madre as clear-watered, grass-flat country that "doesn't fish like the rest of Texas," and early June conditions appear to be delivering. Capt. Kevin Navid ran back-to-back Baffin Bay and Laguna Madre trips on May 28 and June 4, reported via TexasFishingTips (YT), signaling consistent on-water pressure across the region. Nearshore, Lone Star Outdoor News — Fishing reports whiting are "running extremely well" along the Texas coast right now, making South Padre beachfronts a productive light-tackle bet. The 2026 CCA-Texas STAR Tournament is in full swing through September 7, per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, adding incentive for every red that hits the deck. No buoy or gauge readings are available for this cycle; check current tidal and wind conditions locally before launching. Last Quarter moon should moderate tidal swings through the early-week window.
Post-spawn bass go wide at Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn
With the spawn winding down across East Texas, largemouth bass are spreading into their early-summer feeding zones on Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Lake Fork Trophy Bass guides report bass are 'moving to a number of productive feeding patterns to replenish themselves,' accessible from shallow to deep. USGS gauge 08030500 recorded moderate Sabine River inflow at 4,060 cfs on June 7, pointing to stable Toledo Bend levels. Tactical Bassin highlights the swinging jig and shaky head worm combo as hard to beat for offshore post-spawn bass right now, with isolated structure and offshore flats producing quality fish. Texas Fish & Game Magazine reports threadfin shad schooling patterns emerging on East Texas lakes as summer heat builds. The Last Quarter moon this weekend opens productive dawn and dusk feeding windows for anglers willing to be on the water at first light.
Post-Spawn Bass Transition to Offshore Structure on Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan
Largemouth bass on Travis, LBJ, and Buchanan are entering the post-spawn transition, with early June seasonally pushing fish toward offshore humps and main-lake flats as the heat builds. Tactical Bassin's June coverage documents bass keying on isolated offshore structure, with a wobble-head jig paired with a shaky head worm drawing consistent quality fish, a pattern well-suited to the deep, clear basins of the Highland Lakes. The USGS gauge below Austin (08158000) logged 673 cfs on June 7, reflecting moderate, stable outflow from the Highland Lakes chain with no significant flood-driven turbidity concerns. My Canyon Lake Fishing reports nearby Hill Country lakes are running considerably higher than last year, a favorable indicator for lake levels and shoreline habitat across the region. Texas Fish & Game Magazine's summer coverage highlights schooling bass activity building on Texas reservoirs as threadfin shad begin concentrating on main-lake points. Water temperature data was unavailable from gauges this cycle.
Red snapper opener fires offshore while speckled trout pack bay shell
Gulf water at 82°F (NOAA buoy 42035) has the summer bite firing on multiple fronts from Galveston to Corpus Christi. The federal red snapper season opener has been a success offshore: party boats out of Galveston have been consistently busy, and Wave Dancer Charters' Capt. Taylor Borel made a 50-mile run from the Galveston Yacht Marina with strong results, per Galveston Daily News — Reel Report. Inshore, Capt. Mark Talasek out of Matagorda reported great numbers of speckled trout on deep open-bay shell in both the bays and the surf, with occasional redfish in the mix. Lone Star Outdoor News — Fishing flags whiting as running extremely well right now, calling this a prime window for easy fish-fry action. The 2026 CCA-Texas STAR Tournament is underway through September 7 per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, adding competitive stakes up and down the coast all summer long.
Blue catfish bite peaks on Texas lakes as summer sets in
Water temps have reached 85°F at a monitored south Texas gauge (USGS 08211200) as early June locks in summer conditions across the state. North Texas Catfish Guide is calling Eagle Mountain Lake "perfectly set up" right now: the reservoir is running nearly full with fresh inflows, pushing blue catfish and channel catfish into active feeding mode. The guide reports that once fish are located, bites come fast — white bass are also on the move through main-lake water. At Lake Conroe, Texas Fish & Game Magazine highlights a textbook early-summer schooling pattern, with nervous patches of threadfin shad over main-lake points signaling stacked bass below. Post-spawn largemouth are transitioning offshore; Tactical Bassin recommends a wobble-head jig or shaky-head worm on isolated structure and flats for consistent June action. At 41.3 cfs, low river flow is concentrating fish in deeper pools and shaded bends.