Hey there, fellow anglers It's your buddy Artificial Lure here, and I'm excited to share today's fishing report for the Gulf of Mexico, particularly around Texas.
First off, let's talk about the conditions. As of today, February 10th, 2025, the tide times for the Houston area are looking pretty favorable. We've got a low tide at 1:39 PM with a height of -0.97 feet, and a high tide at 11:04 PM with a height of 1.15 feet. Sunrise is at 7:04 AM, and sunset is at 6:06 PM, giving us a good window for both morning and afternoon fishing trips.
The weather is still quite chilly, with water temperatures in the upper 50s, which is typical for this time of year. Light north winds are making it a pleasant day to be out on the water.
Now, let's dive into the fish activity. Recently, anglers have been catching a variety of species, including speckled trout, redfish, and black drum. The annual black drum run is in full swing, and these fish are being caught at places like the Galveston jetties, Seawolf Park, and the Texas City Dike. Bull redfish are also making appearances in these same spots, particularly with live halved crab as bait.
For trout, the deeper waters around South Padre and Port Isabel have been producing some slot trout despite the cold weather. In areas like Port Mansfield, about 80% of the fish caught were on Mansfield Knockers and the other 20% on Ball Tails and twitch baits.
Given the current conditions, the best approach is to focus on moving tides, especially the incoming tide, as it brings in cooler, more oxygen-rich water that encourages fish to feed actively. For lures, consider using Flats Buggs, particularly those with double bunny tails for calm conditions and curl tails for windier days. These lures are effective for sight casting to redfish on shallow flats.
When targeting trout, look to deeper waters and use tan, olive, and black crab patterns, Seaducers, and Clousers in sizes 4, 2, and 1. Wading can be beneficial to lower your profile and avoid disturbing the fish.
If you're heading out today, I recommend checking out the Galveston jetties and Seawolf Park for black drum and bull redfish. For trout, Port Mansfield and the deeper waters around South Padre are your best bets.
Remember to handle larger trout gently and release them, especially females over 21 inches, to help in their recovery and conservation.
Stay warm, and tight lines out there