Gulf Coast Fishing Report: Trout Limits, Redfish Slots, and Red Snapper Bites

This is Artificial Lure with your Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana fishing report for Sunday, May 18, 2025. We’ve been blessed with another stretch of classic spring weather along the coast. Sunrise this morning rolled in around 6:03 AM and sunset will close the book at about 7:52 PM, giving anglers a full day of light to work with. Winds are light, temps are comfortable, and the barometer’s steady. Tides are running in our favor, with a good morning incoming push that usually fires up the bite, especially around marsh drains and near passes. The speckled trout action continues its hot streak this May. Limits are coming steady from Lake Borgne to the Biloxi Marsh and scattered around the outside bays. Most boats are putting plenty of keepers on ice, with some pushing the three-pound mark. Topwater action has been solid at first light, then switching to soft plastics or live shrimp under a cork as the sun gets higher. Matrix Shads in shrimp creole or avocado, as well as Vudu shrimp, have all been getting plenty of looks from hungry trout. If you prefer live bait, shrimp or cocahoes are still gold right now[4]. Redfish are stacked up in the grass beds and cuts. The slot fish are thick, but there are plenty of bull reds just off the beaches and marsh edges. Gold spoons, spinnerbaits, and live mullet or cut pogies are the ticket if you’re hunting a big one. Weed through the rats and you’ll find some bruisers for the grill or the brag board[4]. A few boats getting further offshore are reporting excellent red snapper numbers. The bite is strong over the reefs and rigs. Cut menhaden, squid, and cigar minnows are pulling some solid fish, and the best action is on the early-morning bite window[1]. Sheepshead numbers are tapering but you’ll still find a few hanging around the bridges and rigs, eager for fiddler crabs or shrimp dropped right on their nose. For hot spots today, I’d point you toward the mouths of Bayou Biloxi and Lake Borgne shoreline for trout and slot reds. Chandeleur Sound is another sure bet for a mix of trout and reds. For those running deep, check the rigs off Grand Isle for snapper. All in all, it’s a prime day to be on the water. The fish are there—just get out and put your bait where it counts. Tight lines, y’all[1][2][4]. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.