Galveston Bay system producing bigger trout

By Robert Sloan

For Lone Star outdoor newS

Wade-fishermen on East and West Galveston bays are seeing better and improving trout catches over the past month. Few giant trout are being caught, but good solid fish that have been in short supply for the past few years.

“About 3 years ago we had a record setting amount of rain, and all that water moved a whole lot of trout out of our bay systems here,” said longtime guide Jim West. “For a good while we were not catching a whole lot of solid trout. We were catching a lot of dinks. But those fish are getting bigger and fishing for them is improving. Larger trout in the 6- to 7-pound class are beginning to move in.”

West does a lot of wading — about 90 percent of the time.

“Wading allows us to cover more water,” he said. “And we can fish deep or shallow. In a boat you’re going to be more limited in the area you can fish, especially on windy days. Right now, we are doing best by fishing with mullet-imitation lures, with the best patten on West Bay at the mouths of bayous and the area around San Luis Pass. With an incoming tide trout will move up into the bayous. On an outgo ing tide we’ll wade the outside of the bayous where the better trout will be feeding on mullet.”

Some of the best areas holding trout are over sand or mud. And a moving tide is always best. West said the wa ter is still a little cool. A slow retrieve is best with the bigger lures. But if the sun is out and the fish are on a good feed, soft plastics will get the nod.

“The more solid fish are scattered,