Best Times & Seasons to Catch Seatrout in Texas
Seatrout (both speckled and spotted seatrout) are some of the most popular fish to target in Texas. Knowing the best times and seasons to catch seatrout in Texas helps anglers maximize the success of their fishing trips.
The best times to catch seatrout in Texas are early morning and late afternoon in spring, early morning or late evening in summer, and midday during winter. These fish are especially active in areas where freshwater streams or creeks meet saltwater bodies like bays.
Texas offers world-class seatrout fishing throughout the year. Seatrout can be found in Texas’s shallow bays, estuaries, and near the mouths of rivers and creeks. Gain insights into the best times to go fishing in Texas with this guide.
Best Times to Catch Seatrout in Texas
In Texas, you can catch seatrout in different seasons, but each season has its best times. Spring is awesome for early morning and late afternoon fishing. Summer is hot, so try to fish early in the morning or late in the evening.
Midday can be a good time in winter, especially if the sun is out to warm the water a little. No matter the season, fishing where a stream or creek joins a larger area like a bay is a good strategy because fish go there to find food. Live bait like shrimp works well for most seasons.
Check out this helpful guide to the best times to catch grouper in Texas. You may also be interested in this article on the fishing for flounder in the best times.
Spotted Seatrout
The best time to catch spotted seatrout in Texas is late spring and early summer. You’ll find them where deep water gets shallower, like near oyster reefs or grassy areas. Fall is another good season, especially in September and October.
Speckled Seatrout
The best time to catch speckled seatrout in Texas is in late spring and early summer, especially May and June. These fish like to hang out in shallow and deep water areas, like near grass beds or oyster reefs. You’ll often find them close to the shoreline but in slightly deeper areas.
Seasonal Breakdown: Texas Seatrout
Winter
In Texas, winter is a good time to catch seatrout. The fish like cooler water so midday fishing can be good during winter. It’s also a good idea to fish when the sun is out because it slightly warms the water, making the fish more active.
Try fishing where a creek or stream flows into a bigger place like a bay; fish like to gather there to search for food. Live bait like shrimp or mullet can effectively attract seatrout during this season.
Spring
In Texas, spring is a great season to catch seatrout. The best times are usually early morning and late afternoon when the water is cooler. You should aim for fishing around the new or full moon because the tides are stronger, which means more fish movement.
One good spot to fish is where a river or stream flows into a larger body of water like a bay. This is because fish like to gather there to find food.
Summer
In Texas, summer can be hot, but you can still catch seatrout. The best time to fish is early morning or late evening when it’s cooler. During these times, seatrout are more active and looking for food. Fishing near the mouth of a river where it joins a larger area like a bay is a smart idea. This is because fish often hang out there to find something to eat.
Fall
In Texas, fall is a great time to catch seatrout, especially in September and October. The fish hang out in areas where deep water becomes shallow, like near sandbars or underwater grass beds. They are also more active in the early morning and late afternoon.
Using live bait like shrimp can increase your chances of catching them. Cooler water temperatures in the fall make the fish more active and easier to catch.
Recommended Fishing Guides in Texas
These Texas-based charters are some of the best at putting you on great fishing action. The captains are knowledgeable and professional and will put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Grace Fishing Charters | Galveston, TX |
| Drift Water Charters | South Padre Island, TX |
| The Bay Bandits | Port O’Connor, TX |
| Galveston Offshore | Galveston, TX |
| Lil Joe’s Guide Service | Port Aransas, TX |
| Bravo Zulu Fishing Charters | Galveston, TX |
| Team Liberty Guide Service | Corpus Christi, TX |
| SeaPlay Sportfishing | Galveston, TX |
| Bodes Bay Fishing | Port Isabel, TX |
Best & Worst Time/Tides of Day
The best times to catch seatrout in Texas are early morning and late afternoon. These fish are most active when the sun isn’t too strong. Now, let’s talk about tides. High tide is a good time because it brings in more water and gives the fish more room to move around. Low tide can be tough for fishing because the water is shallow, and the fish might go to deeper areas.
The worst times to fish for seatrout are in the middle of the day when it’s super hot and during really windy or stormy weather. The fish don’t like a lot of noise and movement, so choppy water makes it hard to catch them.
Fish in the early morning or late afternoon and try to go during high tide. And remember, look for places where the water changes from deep to shallow, like near sandbars or underwater grass beds.
Night Fishing for Texas Seatrout
Aim for darker or cloudy nights to catch seatrout at night in Texas. These conditions make it harder for the fish to see your hook, so you have a better chance of catching them. The best times are just after the sun sets or a couple of hours before it rises.
Try fishing where the water gets deeper, like near sandbars or underwater plants. Avoid going on full moon nights because the sky is too bright and the seatrout can easily spot your fishing lines.
Top Texas Seatrout Locations
Galveston Bay: In the spring and summer, you’ll find lots of seatrout here, especially around underwater grass beds. In the winter, they move to deeper waters, so go near deeper channels.
Port Aransas: Fall is great here because the seatrout come closer to shore. They also like to hang out near underwater structures like old shipwrecks.
Corpus Christi Bay: Spring is awesome for seatrout. Look for places where the water is deeper, like sandbars or places with many underwater plants.
Matagorda Bay: Summer is the best season here. The seatrout like to stay close to the shoreline but in slightly deeper spots.
Laguna Madre: Go here in the spring and summer. Fish around areas where the ground rises underwater, like sanbars beneath the surface.
Aransas Bay: In the winter, this is a good spot. Fish near deeper channels where the water is warmer, and you’ll find more seatrout.
San Antonio Bay: Fall is a great time here, especially in areas that mix deep and shallow waters.
East Matagorda Bay: Springtime is excellent for seatrout. Fish near places where underwater grass grows, as the fish love to hide there.
Sabine Lake: Winter is okay here if you fish near deeper water channels. The seatrout move to these spots when it gets cold.
Baffin Bay: Summer is amazing here for seatrout. Look for areas with lots of underwater plants, because the fish like to hang out there.
Texas Seatrout & Weather
Weather can change how good the seatrout fishing is in Texas. When it’s sunny and clear, seatrout are usually in deeper waters to stay cool. You’ll want to fish in deeper spots near sandbars or underwater grass beds. On cloudy or overcast days, the seatrout come closer to the surface. That’s a great time to fish in shallower waters.
Rain can be tricky. Light rain can help you because it stirs up the water and makes it harder for the fish to see you. But heavy rain can make rivers and streams muddy, and seatrout don’t like that.
Cold fronts can make seatrout less active, so it’s harder to catch them. If it gets really cold, they might go to deeper, warmer water, so you’ll have to fish deeper.
Wind direction matters too. A south wind brings warmer water, making the seatrout more active. But a strong north wind can make it hard to fish because it greatly stirs the water.
Seatrout Spawning Season in Texas
Seatrout in Texas usually spawn from late spring to early fall, with peak spawning happening in May, June, and July. During this time, seatrout like to be in slightly deeper water close to the shore. They often gather in areas where the bottom of the water has features like grass beds or oyster reefs. These spots are usually not too far from the open ocean but also not in tiny creeks.
