Texas fishing reports
579 reports for Texas — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Hill Country lakes shift into fall bass pattern
Gauge readings across the Austin area show warm, steady water. USGS gauge 08155500 reads 72°F with 20 cfs, gauge 08170990 reads 70°F with no measurable flow, and gauge 08105891 reads 79°F. Per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, fall is a transition period for largemouth bass on Texas reservoirs, as shad move into creeks and coves and bass often follow. That sets up shallow-water chances, though the same piece points anglers toward main-lake humps and ridges for truly big fish.
Fall redfish and snook window opens on the lower coast
Water temperature sits at 76.3°F and 76.5°F at the two NOAA CO-OPS stations (8775237 and 8779770), still warm for mid-October. That keeps redfish and snook feeding comfortably in the shallows rather than stacking up deep. Salt Strong (articles) flags fall as one of the best times of year to fish, noting big redfish schools moving into certain areas and a push of fall patterns worth chasing. Their inshore advice leans on the small details: presentation, spot selection and timing. They also point to popping cork rigs as a proven way to catch redfish, trout, snook and flounder, with a little prep making the rig more versatile on the water.
Redfish and fall transition set the tone on the Texas coast
Water temperature readings across the upper and mid Texas coast are split this morning. NOAA CO-OPS stations 8771450 and 8772471 both read 79.7°F, while station 8771341 reads 71.6°F, an eight-degree spread that points to cooler water along one stretch of the coast. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes that fall is an overlooked time to work the coast's jetty systems, and Sport Fishing Mag says slow-sinking and suspending plugs become more productive as water temperatures begin to cool, particularly for large fish. Coastal Angler Magazine shared a recent 28.5 inch redfish caught in shallow water earlier this month, a reminder that reds stay accessible on the flats through October.
Texas bass key on fall shad moves as water cools
Fall is a transition season for largemouth bass on Texas reservoirs, and Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes that as water temperatures begin to drop, shad move into creeks and coves and bass often follow. Our gauge readings show how varied the water is right now. USGS gauge 0821150305 reads 63°F, while USGS gauge 08211200 reads 76°F with flow near 58.8 cfs. That 13-degree spread is a reminder to judge each water on its own temperature rather than a regional average.
Hill Country lakes settle into the fall bass pattern
Water is cooling into the low 70s across the Hill Country, with gauge readings of 70 to 74°F this morning (USGS gauges 08155500, 08105891 and 08170990). That is the range where fall bass start following shad toward creeks and coves. Per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, largemouth bass on Texas reservoirs move shallow as temperatures drop and shad push into creeks and coves, which sets up good shallow-water opportunities. The same piece notes that anglers after truly big fish should also work main-lake humps and ridges. Tactical Bassin's October video points to shallow cover as an overlooked fall option, fished with jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater.
Redfish and fall trout patterns settle in on the lower coast
Water is holding in the high 70s to low 80s across the Lower Laguna Madre region, with NOAA CO-OPS station 8775237 reading 77.2°F and station 8779770 reading 82.4°F as of mid-morning UTC. That spread matters. The warmer water at 8779770 keeps fish active and feeding through the day, while the cooler reading signals the fall transition is underway. Redfish are the most reliable target in these conditions, and Coastal Angler Magazine shared a 28.5 inch bull redfish caught in shallow water earlier this month, a reminder that fish of that size still cruise skinny water this time of year.
Fall bass transition builds on East Texas reservoirs
Water is still warm across the region, with USGS gauge 08017044 reading 80°F, gauge 08017095 at 76°F and gauge 08017118 at 74°F early this morning. That spread tells us the cooling trend is underway but uneven, which is the setup for fall feeding patterns to start. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes that as water temperatures begin to drop, shad move into creeks and coves, and largemouth bass often follow. Lake Fork Trophy Bass describes October as a month when the weather cools and quality fish can be caught, with lighter pressure as many anglers head to deer stands and blinds.
Fall redfish and snook window opens on the upper Texas coast
Water along the Gulf Coast is still warm for mid-October, with CO-OPS station 8771450 reading 81.7°F, station 8772471 at 80.4°F and station 8771341 at 73.6°F. That spread of about eight degrees across the coast is the story this week. The cooler water at 8771341 is where fish will feel the first fall push. Salt Strong's article on fall fishing says big schools of redfish are moving into certain areas right now, and that a fall tripletail and redfish pattern is worth planning around. Salt Strong also notes that its weekend game plan for the Upper Texas Coast went live for October 16th to 18th. Snook came up in Salt Strong's inshore breakdown, which mentions redfish and snook catches. Those fish are mostly a Florida and far south Texas story, so treat them as a possibility rather than a bet.
Fall bass start following shad toward Texas creeks and coves
Two USGS gauges give a split picture of Texas water right now. Gauge 0821150305 read 67°F and gauge 08211200 read 78°F in the overnight observations, with 58.3 cfs flowing at the second site. That 11-degree spread is a reminder that fall water cools unevenly, so the fish are not all in the same phase. Per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, falling temperatures push shad into creeks and coves, and largemouth bass often follow, which creates some strong shallow-water opportunities.
Hill Country bass settle into the fall shad pattern
Fall is moving bass toward shallower water across Texas reservoirs. Per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, shad are moving into creeks and coves as water cools, and largemouth often follow. Gauge 08170990 reads 70°F, gauge 08155500 reads 72°F, and gauge 08105891 reads 78°F, so the region's water is still warm but trending down. Tactical Bassin points to October as a prime time for the shallow trick, working jigs, soft jerkbaits and topwater around subtle shallow cover that bass use and anglers often overlook.
Redfish season builds as Gulf Coast water cools into fall
Bay water along the Galveston to Corpus stretch is still warm, with NOAA CO-OPS station 8771450 reading 82.4°F, station 8772471 at 81.1°F and station 8771341 at 79.2°F in the late afternoon. That spread of roughly three degrees across stations points to the warmest water sitting in the shallows and the slightly cooler water closer to deeper channels. Fish will use that gradient through the day. Texas Fish & Game Magazine notes that fall is a transition period on Texas waters, with baitfish moving into creeks and coves as temperatures begin to drop. Redfish tend to follow bait into the same structure, so shallow shorelines, drains and marsh edges are where we would start. Saltwater Sportsman's coverage of the fall mullet run adds that mullet pour out of bays and estuaries along the Gulf from September into November, which gives reds a steady food supply to hunt.
Warm Texas water keeps fall bass in transition mode
Water in the Texas gauges is still summer-warm, with 77°F at gauge 0821150305 and 80°F at gauge 08211200 this afternoon. That is well above the range where fall feeding patterns fully switch on. Per Texas Fish & Game Magazine, largemouth bass on Texas reservoirs are in a seasonal transition: as water temperatures begin to drop, shad move into creeks and coves, and bass often follow. That sets up shallow-water chances, though anglers after truly big fish are pointed toward main-lake humps and ridges.