Winter Fishing

Winter Fishing can be an absolute mystery. In Galveston, our normally off color or downright muddy water clears up once the temperature starts falling off. It can even get gin clear in spots. If you are fortunate and happen into the redfish, either schooling or singles, often your normal standby redfish lures will freak them out because they are either looking for something specific and small or they are already spooky in the clear water. This is the perfect opportunity to tie on a Bugg and apply these Winter Fishing Tips!

Unlike in the Summer when a bulkier, heavier Bugg is often the lure of choice, in the Winter I like a slimmed-down lighter weight version for the quiet entry and smaller presence in the water. It is also more important to consider what the reds are feeding on. Typically, Captain Thomas and I will tie on a Blue Crab Bugg. Blue Crab is a versatile color and seems to work most anywhere but it is by no means the only effective color!

For the first time, I actually had some reds completely uninterested in Blue Crab this Winter. So lately in this cool weather and clear water, I’ve been focusing on matching the color of the bottom more than trying to mimic a critter color. This technique has been working well because the redfish are tending to be suspicious of anything that stands out too much or seems out of season.

I also realized that I hadn’t been seeing any blue crabs but I was still throwing it. When I started experimenting and matching the bottom, I experienced great success utilizing this Winter Fishing Tip! Over lighter color sand or silt, I’ve been throwing varieties of white or light naturals such as tan and pale pink. Over the short fuzzy grass we have on the upper coast, Texas Tea and Chained Beast have been working well. Dawn Patrol, Black Gold, or Texas Tea over darker mud or oysters is a good way to go.