Gulf of Mexico Early Morning Bite: Reds, Specks, and Flounder on the Rise

Hey y'all, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to Gulf of Mexico angling guru right here in New Orleans. Comin' atcha live on April 13, 2026, at 3 AM – perfect time to gear up before the sun cracks. Weather's lookin' mild this mornin', expectin' partly cloudy skies with light winds around 5-10 knots from the southeast, temps climbin' from 68°F to a comfy 78°F by afternoon. Sunrise at 6:45 AM, sunset 'round 7:30 PM – plenty of daylight for chasin' bites. Tides in the Gulf near NOLA show a low at 1:26 AM hittin' 3.2 ft, high at 7:45 AM around 0.7 ft low tide feel, then peakin' 2:20 PM at 3.2 ft, and evenin' low 8:27 PM at 1.4 ft. Solunar charts from tides4fishing peg today as low activity overall, but major bites ramp up 3-5 AM and 3:30-5:30 PM – hit those windows hard. Fish are stirrin' post-winter; recent reports from St. Pete and Port St. Joe spots mirror our waters with solid speckled trout, redfish, and flounder pushin' inshore. Anglers pulled limits of reds up to 8 lbs and specks to 4 lbs last week on live shrimp and mullet. Offshore, expect yellowtail jacks and occasional cobia showin', with some 20-lb class fish boated near rigs. Best baits? Live shrimp or mullet under a popping cork for reds and specks – can't beat 'em. Cut mullet or menhaden for flounder on the bottom. Lures-wise, go with **gold spoons** or **soft plastic paddletails** in chartreuse for trout, and **jerkbaits** like MirrOlure for reds in the shallows. Hot spots: Hit the **MR-GO marshes** at first light for reds on the flood tide, or **Chandeleur Islands** rigs for specks and flounder – anchor up and drift live bait. Stay safe out there, check your limits. Thanks for tunin' in, folks – subscribe for daily updates! This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.