• Originally published May 21, 2011 at 2:27 p.m., updated May 21, 2011 at 10:35 p.m.

By Bink Grimes

Find a piece of shell, any piece of reef along the Texas coast, and chances are there are fish lingering nearby. Bloated tides around the full moon coupled with ardent southeast winds have raised water levels nearly a foot above normal.

When prime aquatic real estate like reefs become submerged with fresh saltwater tides, species like speckled trout, redfish, black drum, sheepshead, flounder, gafftop and hardheads gravitate to the structure. Such has been the case this week.

"We have caught limits from multiple boats for several days," said guide Harold Dworaczyk of Bay Flats Lodge in Seadrift. "Live shrimp under a popping cork has been good on the reefs in San Antonio Bay, but we had to work the reefs in the back lakes with the tides got so high."

The same scenario has been playing in Matagorda as well. Captains have worked large pieces of shell like Oyster Lake, Crab Lake, Shell Island, Twin Islands and smaller reefs along the south shoreline of West Bay.

"The trout have been solid," said guide Lee Warmke of Half-Breed Guide Service. "We have been getting them pretty quick on live shrimp. The key is finding good bait."

Galveston Bay anglers have scored similar resorts on the west shoreline reefs from Texas City to San Leon to Sylvan Beach. Deeper reefs in the middle of the bay are holding good concentrations of fish, but winds have hampered efforts. Moses Lake has also held steady numbers of redfish.

Higher tides have hindered waders a bit. I can speak from experience this week as trout seemed to be scattered on the flats with the overabundance of water. When water levels are normal, there are hotspots on flats and shorelines where fish appear first on the incoming or outgoing tide. That's not necessarily the case on flood tides like we experienced this week, and catches suffered because of it. Waders who did enjoy good catches concentrated tight to the shorelines or relocated to shorelines in the back lakes.

"Fish were scattered with all of the water, but when (water) falls out again in the next few days the trout will show up where they always do," said guide Charlie Paradoski.

Southwest Louisiana anglers on Calcasieu Lake saw bird action early in the week. Light winds also gave up good catches of deep reefs on Hackberry Hustlers and topwaters. Fish slicks popped up everywhere, according to a report, and drifters worked upwind with Corkies and Super Spooks.

Another bright spots this week was the surf. Light winds early in the week allowed the surf to green to the beach with the morning incoming tide. Those who were off Tuesday or called in sick from work found solid trout on topwaters, plastics and live bait in the first gut.

Good catches were reported in Matagorda, Surfside and around San Luis Pass. It only lasted a day; however, the solid stringers are a preview of what is to come when winds subside and the Gulf becomes tranquil again.

Bink Grimes is a freelance writer, photographer, author and licensed fishing guide (binkgrimes@sbcglobal.net or www.matagordasunriselodge.com).

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