Texas Gulf Coast Fishing Report: Snapper Limits, Bull Reds, and More

Artificial Lure here with your local Gulf of Mexico, Texas fishing report for November 4, 2025. Sunrise hit at 6:53 AM, with sunset coming up at 5:22 PM—plenty of daylight left for a good bite. We’ve got a classic fall setup in the Gulf. Skies started out partly cloudy and a slight north breeze kept things cool early, settling down into the mid-60s by noon. Water temps are running around 69-72°F depending on your spot—a sweet window for speckled trout and reds to stay active. Tide action is strong this week; today’s tidal coefficient for Freeport is 84, ticking up to 91 midday and finishing at 97. These big swings mean major movement in bait, setting up great conditions for both surf and bay anglers. Look for higher currents near cuts and channels—fish are hungry and moving. Let’s cover the action. It’s been a banner stretch for Gulf coast anglers. According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the 2025 federal red snapper season is still open through November 21, and folks are absolutely taking advantage. Limits of snapper are coming in from rigs and deeper wrecks from Port Aransas to Freeport. Most boats are landing solid fish in the 8-12 pound range, with the occasional kicker above 15. After November 21, the bite continues inside 9 nautical miles—four snapper per angler, minimum length 15 inches. Inshore, bull reds have stayed hot. Reports from Galveston and Matagorda beaches say anglers tossing fresh mullet and cut crab are hooking up with bruisers. Nearly every tide shift brings a shot at one over 40 inches. DeAnna famously caught her 40-inch bull out at Biloxi, and similar catches are coming in all over the Texas Gulf right now. On the lighter side, good numbers of slot reds are mixed in, especially upriver and in minor bays. Speckled trout are stacked in deeper holes and along drop-offs in West Bay and Texas City Turning Basin. The trick is slow presentations near the bottom as those cool fronts roll in. Folks tossing soft plastic paddletails in shrimp and chartreuse are filling stringers, with several 20-inch fish reported over the weekend. MirrOlure’s MirrOdine and Rapala X-Rap jerkbaits are working wonders early when the water’s calm. Whiting and drum are coming in steadily for surf rods, especially around Port Bolivar and Freeport beaches. Lighter tackle with pieces of shrimp or Fishbites are producing steady action. Nighttime bites have picked up with a rising moon, and the bigger fish move shallower when the tides are pumping. Hot spots today: - Galveston Seawall for bull reds and speckled trout on outgoing tides. - San Luis Pass for both slot reds and flounder—live finger mullet or Gulp swimming mullets on a jighead. - Freeport’s Surfside Beach for whiting, black drum, and a shot at redfish—try fresh dead shrimp or cut bait. Best lures this week: - Soft plastics: Down South Lures in chicken-on-a-chain or plum pink. - Hard baits: MirrOlure MirrOdine, Rapala X-Rap, and classic gold spoons for reds. - Top bait: Live shr This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.