Bay fishing for speckled trout and redfish

Speckled trout (spotted seatrout) and redfish (red drum) are the two fish most Texas bay anglers go after. TPWD calls the spotted seatrout one of the most popular sport fish on the Texas coast, and says that red drum are willing to take most kinds of bait, natural or artificial. This guide follows TPWD's own species pages and its seatrout brochure. Where it adds a bit of our own explanation, it says so.

The two fish

TPWD says spotted seatrout average about 19 inches for males and 25 inches for females, usually 2 to 3 pounds, and that small trout feed mostly on small crustaceans, medium ones on shrimp and small fish, and large trout almost entirely on other fish such as mullet, pinfish and menhaden. That is why big trout are harder to catch: TPWD notes that large trout do not feed often. Trout like shallow bays with oyster beds and seagrass, are most common in the shallows in spring and summer, and in fall move into deeper bay water such as channels and boat harbors, or out into the Gulf.

Red drum have one large black spot near the tail (some have several). TPWD says redfish prefer shallow water, 1 to 4 feet deep, along the edges of bays with submerged vegetation, and are common around oyster reefs and shoreline breaks such as coves, points, jetties, old pier pilings and guts. They feed on crabs, shrimp, marine worms and small fish, mostly on the bottom. In cold spells large numbers of red drum can be found in tidal creeks and rivers. As adults they leave the bays for the Gulf, and in the fall large adults, the "bulls", move to the gulf beaches, where pier and surf anglers catch them.

Where to look: weather and time of day

TPWD gives simple advice for spotted seatrout. In warm weather, fish the shallow areas in the early morning and late evening. In the heat of the day, move to deeper areas such as the dropoffs around grass flats, channels and oyster reefs. In moderate weather the fish may stay shallow a greater part of the day. In very cold weather, try the deep rivers, harbors and channels, generally best after a norther has passed and clearing skies bring rising temperatures. Change the weather and the time in the drawing to see where the fish move.

An interactive drawing goes here in the app.

The tide moves the bait, and so the fish. See how the tide works on the Texas coast and the tide and wind readings on the Coast page for the day you are fishing.

Reading the signs

TPWD says boat anglers watch for groups of feeding gulls in the summer and fall, because trout chase shrimp and small fish to the surface and the gulls follow. They also look for slicks, which come from the oils trout leave when they are feeding. TPWD says the smell is like watermelon or freshly mowed grass. For redfish, a back or tail showing in shallow grass is a sign they are feeding on the bottom. And under a pier light at night, TPWD says jigs are very effective when trout gather to feed. See what each sign suggests.

An interactive drawing goes here in the app.

Rigs: cork, free shrimp, bottom

TPWD says the most popular terminal tackle for spotted seatrout is the popping cork rig, and that the best baits are live shrimp and croaker, with live mullet, pinfish and dead shrimp also working. Take the cork off and use a very small weight and you have a free shrimping rig, which TPWD says works when drift fishing or where the tide is strong. A bottom rig is for when trout are feeding near the bottom. A light to medium rod and reel is right, because most trout caught are in the 2 to 3 pound range, and the gear has to be made for salt water. See floats and corks and sinkers for the parts, and a free-lined live shrimp for the simplest way to present a bait. Use an improved clinch or a Palomar to tie on a hook.

An interactive drawing goes here in the app.

Lures by season

TPWD groups the artificial baits for trout as jigs, spoons and fish-shaped lures, and says they work all year. Jigs fish well under lights at night and over seagrass, with or without a cork. Spoons are particularly good in the warmer months, and silver is probably the best color. Fish-shaped lures are best in the cooler months, fished slowly. Floating lures are a favorite for big trout in shallow water in the warm months. TPWD also says to vary the speed, the depth, the size and the color until something works.

An interactive drawing goes here in the app.

Redfish: baits and flats

TPWD says the best natural baits for red drum are live shrimp, small finger mullet, Atlantic croaker and small live blue crabs. Live shrimp are fished under a popping cork or free-shrimped. Live fish are best on the bottom on a sliding sinker rig so they can swim freely. For the lure angler, TPWD names shallow-running gold, copper or silver spoons, weedless spoons in heavy vegetation, floating and shallow-running fish-shaped plugs, and shrimp-like plastics. For the big fall bull reds, TPWD says natural bait is best: fresh cut mullet, larger live mullet or blue crab on a single or double drop bottom rig with a heavy sinker to hold it in place, on a long, stiff rod and a reel with a good drag. See the sliding sinker rig and the Owen Lupton drum rig.

Rules and releasing

You need a fishing license and a saltwater fishing endorsement to take fish in public salt water. TPWD's limits pages, valid September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027, give these numbers for the Texas coast: spotted seatrout, a daily bag of 3 with a 15-inch minimum and a 20-inch maximum; red drum, a daily bag of 3 with a 20-inch minimum and a 28-inch maximum. The possession limit is double the daily bag. TPWD adds that in a license year you may keep one spotted seatrout over 28 inches with a Spotted Seatrout Tag and one more with a Bonus Spotted Seatrout Tag, and one red drum over the 28-inch maximum with a Red Drum Tag and one more with a Bonus Red Drum Tag. Those fish are in addition to the daily bag. Limits change from year to year, so check the TPWD pages for the season you are fishing. The pier article has a license drawing, and if you are letting a fish go, see handling a fish well.

This is a summary of what TPWD and TPW Magazine say, not legal advice. TPWD and the Texas statutes and rules decide what applies to you.

For more reading, we suggest these articles

Home · Rivers · Lakes · Coast · Trout stocking · State parks · Learning Center · About · Privacy · Terms

Contact: hello@texcastfishing.com