Surface Temp: 58°F
Water Clarity: Good across most of East Galveston Bay
Location: East Bay – Crystal Beach, TX
Captain Jeff Brandon | Get the Net Guide Services

The first push of winter has settled in, and the East Bay is shaping up exactly how December should look. Cooler water, steady bait movement, and clean stretches of water over deep shell have made for a consistent artificial-only bite this week. Trout have held strong, and the redfish bite has stayed wide open from the marsh to the grasslines.

Key Zones for Action

Trout stayed pinned to the deeper shell, especially where the current rolled cleanly across scattered pieces of structure. Depths of 3–5 feet were the sweet spot, and the slower you worked the bottom, the more fish you connected with.

Redfish were reliable in the skinny stuff. Grasslines, soft-bottom pockets in the back lakes, and any shoreline with nervous bait pushed tight produced well. Open-water reefs with visible bait also held solid schools when the wind lay down.

What’s Working

The trout play has been all about bottom contact.

A 1/4 oz jig head paired with either the WACky Shad XL from Wac Attack or Deadly Dudley Rat Tails in lighter, natural tones has been the ticket. The key is a very slow bounce—just enough to keep the lure ticking the shell without lifting too far out of the strike zone.

For redfish, artificial shrimp and small tails under popping corks continued to shine. A short 1-foot leader helped keep the lure tight to the fish in shallow water, especially where bait was flicking across the surface. One pop, let it settle, and hold on.

Species Spotlight

Trout: Consistent numbers with a handful of oversize fish mixed in. Most bites came tight to the shell or right after a brief pause in the retrieve.

Redfish: Still hot and widespread. Marsh drains, grasslines, and shallow flats held the most aggressive fish, but they also showed up on reefs anytime bait surfaced.

Flounder: Next week should offer a chance to shift some time toward targeting flounder as their winter pattern sets in. Clean water and steady tides should make for good opportunities.

Seasonal Tips & Timing

December means fewer boats, bigger fish, and predictable structure patterns.
Cooler water pushes bait into tighter zones, so slow presentations win. If you’re planning a trip, watch for wind shifts—calm mornings over shell can light up quickly.

Ready to Fish?

Call or Text Capt. Jeff at (940) 393-6531
Crystal Beach, TX – Stingaree Canal Launch
Book your trip and let’s go get the Net.

No need to fret, I’ll get the Net.