Surface Temp: 62°F
 Water Clarity: Very Good for East Galveston Bay
 Location: East Bay – Crystal Beach, TX
 Captain Jeff Brandon | Get the Net Guide Services

Conditions & Setup

Thanksgiving Week brought crisp mornings, clean water, and plenty of life moving through East Galveston Bay. With surface temps sliding into the low 60s, bait has been pushing deeper into the marsh and back lakes — and that’s exactly where the redfish have settled in. If you’re not seeing mullet flips, shrimp skipping, or any sign of life, don’t waste time. This week, bait presence was everything.

Key Zones for Action

The redfish bite stayed strongest in the back lakes, especially over scattered shell beds and along grass lines, points, and drains. Most of the strikes came in classic fall redfish depth — 12 to 24 inches of water with consistent, gentle current.

Keeper trout and solid sand trout showed up across several mid-bay reefs in 3–4 ft of water. A few oversized redfish were mixed in, bulldogging through the schools and keeping drags honest.

What’s Working

We stuck with confidence baits all week:

  • Imitation shrimp lures and Fishbites tails rigged under Fish Smack popping corks
     – 12–18″ leader continues to be the sweet spot
    – Short, sharp pops to mimic fleeing shrimp
  • Weightless Deadly Dudley Rat Tails
     – Best worked with a slow swim-and-pause across shallow shell
  • WacAttack Flukes in lighter colors
     – Perfect for the clean water we’ve been seeing

These lighter, finesse-style presentations matched the clear water and cooler temps perfectly, helping coax bites even when fish were cruising slow along the grass.

Species Spotlight

Redfish: Consistent numbers all week in the marsh and back lakes, with multiple slot fish and a few upper-slot bruisers mixed in.

Speckled Trout: Keeper-sized fish holding on mid-bay reefs where bait schools were most active.

Sand Trout: Really good numbers, with several above-average fish feeding aggressively over the deeper shell.

Bonus: A handful of giant redfish crashing the deeper reefs added some surprise drag-pulling moments.

Seasonal Tips & Timing

Crowds have thinned out now that the Thanksgiving rush has come and gone, and that opens up a lot more water to fish cleanly. Late fall into early winter is a prime window on the upper Texas Coast — predictable tides, clear water, and hungry redfish sliding into the marsh.

If you’re planning to fish soon, now’s the time to lock in your fall/winter trip and take advantage of these calm conditions and light pressure.

Call to Action

Call or Text Capt. Jeff at (940) 393-6531
 Crystal Beach, TX – Stingaree Canal Launch
 🎯 Book Your Trip Now and let’s go find that fall marsh bite
📅 Reserve your winter date before the cold snaps settle in

No need to fret, I’ll get the Net.