By Ed Snyder/Outdoors
The Tejas SUMMER is definitely upon us with its baking heat, but how lucky we are to be on the coast where the sea breeze keeps us a bit cooler. Night-shift anglers are taking advantage of the cooler night-time trout action where it’s hit or miss on catching limits or going home with just a few. Day-shift anglers are also using the cooler mornings to wade the surf or the bay for trout or flounder. And during the heat the day schools of skip-jack and spanish mackerel are frenzy feeding on the zillions of baitfish coming through the pass.

click here for Fishing PicturesSpeckled Trout
Night-Shift and early Day-Shift anglers taking advantage of the cooler temps for trout with near or full limits of specks from 2 to 7 lbs coming in on Mirror Lures, Live Croaker, Live Shrimp, Spoons, or Live Finger mullet being the key baits. (Limit: 15 inches minimum for 10 trout with only one 25 inch trout per day allowed as part of your daily limit)

Redfish (Red Drum)
Lots of Rat-reds moving through the pass along with slots and a few Bulls. (Limit: 20 inches minimum to 28 inch maximum for 3 reds per day, one over 28inch red -plus bonus red- allowed when properly tagged in addition to your 3 fish limit)

Black Drum
Puppy Drum, Keeper eater Drum, and a few Bulls showing up. (Limit: 14 inch minimum to 30 inch maximum for 5 fish per day with one OVER 52 inches allowed)

Flounder
SLOW but a few nice flounder being caught in the bay by early waders and along the bayside bulkheads on the early tide. (Limit: 14 inch minimum for 5 fish per day)

Spanish Mackerel
Schools of mostly smallish macks are coming in to feed on the Gulf side of the bridge in mid-afternoon with a few feeding in the surf among the speckled trout. (Limit: 15 per day at 14 inch minimum – No Max)

Sheepshead
SLOW. (Limit: 15 inch minimum with 5 per day Creel)

Gafftop Catfish
SLOW but Still some catches of Gafftop to be had on all baits. (14 inch minimum for no limit creel)

Whiting/Croaker
Lots of small croaker with some nice handsized fish coming in. Whiting GREAT in the surf with a few in the cut. (No Limits)

Sandtrout/Gulftrout
Sand trout action is picking up with some good sized fish hitting on both sides of the cut. Best baits are live shrimp, cut bait, or finger mullet. (No Limits)

Blue Claw Crab
Excellent blue claw crabbing for those who enjoy the enjoyable. (Limit: 5 inches from point to point – females with eggs-(berry crabs)- NOT allowed!!!)

Stone Crabs
GOOD stones but some crabbers keeping the whole stone crab which is illegal. (Limit: only right claw may be kept when 2 1/2 inches above first knuckle)

Stingaree Bait Camp Report
Excellent speck and red action around East Bay flats, reefs, and grass. Many limits being had on both bait and plastic anglers when weather and tides allow. A 28 inch- 8lb-13oz speck was weighed in at Stingaree for the STAR tournament.

This report sponsored by Miss Nancy’s Bait Camp, Crystal Beach Local News, and Stingaree Bait Camp. NOTICE-Live Shrimp Now Available at both Stingaree and Miss Nancy’s bait camps.

Stingaree Bait Camp is open 7 days – Sat/Sun weekends from 6 am to 4 pm. Miss Nancy’s Bait Camp is Open 7 days – Fri-Sat-Sun- at 6 am to 6 pm.