Christmas Bay, TX

This is the best day of the stretch and it is not close - 93 clarity off two full days of S/SE rebuild, wind a flat 4-9 kt out of the S, tide a perfect 100, solunar 94. High at 6:56 AM and again 8:15 AM at 1.02 ft with the major running 6:16 - 8:16 AM through a 7:00 AM sunrise, then a long uninterrupted fall all day to -0.02 ft at 7:21 PM. Lure score of 97 says it plainly: this is a lure day, work it as one.

Topwater from before daylight - bone Super Spook Jr or a MirrOlure She Dog worked slow over shell in 2-4 ft, and do not rush the retrieve in clear water. Clean water means natural and translucent: Down South Super Model in Texas Roach or a Bass Assassin Sea Shad in a clear/glitter pattern on a 1/8 oz head. Fluorocarbon leader matters today - they will look at it.

Free-lined live shrimp on the shell during the 6:16 - 8:16 AM major, no weight, let the outgoing carry it. By mid-morning with water above 85F, live croaker on a light jighead worked on the deep side of the drop is what gets the heavy fish.

Two straight days of S and SE at under 10 kt has pushed clean water through and let everything settle. Expect to see the bottom in 3 ft over sand and real trout-green color over the deeper shell.

Redfish will be sighted in the clear shallow grass early - throw a weedless gold spoon or a Down South rigged weightless. The all-day fall to -0.02 ft concentrates flounder tight in the drains through the afternoon.

Clarity peaks at 95 after three days of S and SE rebuild, and wind is a dead-flat 4 kt out of the SE through the whole morning - the cleanest, calmest conditions of the week. The tide is a single strong swing, high 9:12 AM at 1.06 ft into a long uninterrupted fall to -0.02 ft at 8:30 PM, with the major running 7:19 - 9:19 AM right on top of it. Lures rule the day at a 97; the only knock is that the high sits later so first light is slower water.

Slick calm and clear means a long cast and a quiet approach. Bone Super Spook Jr walked slow at first light, then a Down South Super Model in Texas Roach or morning glory on a 1/8 oz head as the tide starts to pull after the 9:12 AM high. Keep colors natural and translucent, and go to a 1/16 oz head over shallow grass so you are not spooking them with the splash.

Free-lined live shrimp through the 7:19 - 9:19 AM major over the shell, then move to live croaker on a light jighead worked deep once the water gets past 85F and the sun is up. Croaker over the drop-offs is the big-trout play on a hot clear day.

Three days of SE at 4-9 kt has settled everything out. This is the cleanest water of the forecast - sand flats will be near gin-clear and even the back reaches carry good color.

Sight-casting weather for redfish - clear water and no wind means you will see them before they see you. Flounder pile into the drains on the long afternoon fall toward 8:30 PM.

Wind is nothing - 4 kt swinging W to N to E through the morning, not enough to move water in any direction, so Saturday's clarity carries straight through. Tide is a strong single swing, high 9:50 AM at 1.06 ft then a long fall to -0.02 ft at 9:41 PM, and the major runs 8:21 - 10:21 AM right over the top of it. Solunar is the weakest piece at 73 because nothing lines up with first light. Lures at 90 to bait's 85 - work it as a lure day and be patient.

Slow start with the tide not moving hard until after 9 AM. Throw a bone Super Spook Jr at daylight anyway, then work a Lil John in morning glory or a Down South Super Model in Texas Roach on a 1/8 oz head over the shell as the water begins to pull. Once the sun is high and the water is over 87F, drop to a 3/8 oz head and fish the deeper drops slow.

Live shrimp under a cork over the shell while the tide is building to the 9:50 AM high. Switch to live croaker on a 1/4 oz jighead on the deeper drop-offs from mid-morning on - the water is going to hit 88F and the good trout will be down and sulky.

The brief N and NE swing is too light at 4 kt to hurt anything - the water Saturday built stays put. Only the far back reaches show any stain and even that is minor.

Redfish will be up on the flooding shallows before 10 AM - a weedless gold spoon on the grass edges. The long evening fall past 6 PM is the flounder window at the drains.

Light W and WNW at 3-5 kt in the morning is technically the wrong direction, but at that speed it does nothing to this system - clarity holds at 84. The high at 9:15 AM at 1.03 ft rolls into a long all-day fall to -0.01 ft at 10:45 PM, which is a tide score of 93. Solunar is the weak link at 63 with the major sitting 9:21 - 11:21 AM well after sunrise. Lures at 88 over bait at 82, but note the afternoon forecast hits 95F air - get it done in the morning.

Topwater at first light before the heat builds - bone Super Spook Jr over shell in 2-4 ft. Then work the major with a Down South Super Model in Chicken on a Chain or a Bass Assassin Sea Shad on a 1/8 oz head along the deeper edges as the tide starts its long fall. By noon with air at 94F, go to a 3/8 oz head and fish the deepest shell you can find.

Live shrimp under a cork on the shell early while the tide is still building. Once the sun and heat set in, live croaker fished deep on a 1/4 oz jighead along the drop-offs is the only thing that will pull a good trout - water this hot pushes them down hard by mid-morning.

The light W and WNW is only 3-5 kt so it barely registers, but it does put a slight edge off the back reaches. The main body and deeper shell hold sandy green color from the weekend.

Redfish on the flood before 9:15 AM in the shallow grass, then follow them out as the water drops all afternoon. Flounder set up in the drains through the long evening fall.