Port Aransas (Mustang Island) fishing conditions · Texas

Now until 10 pmRed drum

The bite peaks at 55. Water is 77°, close to the 75° red drum like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Coastal Flood Advisory until Tuesday 12 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 55 for red drum, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Red drum, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 552 am
  2. 55
  3. 55
  4. 555 am
  5. 55
  6. 55
  7. 558 am
  8. 55
  9. 55
  10. 5511 am
  11. 55
  12. 55
  13. 552 pm
  14. 55
  15. 55
  16. 555 pm
  17. 55
  18. 55
  19. 558 pm
  20. 55
  21. 10
  22. 1011 pm
  23. 10Tue
  24. 10
  25. 102 am
  26. 10
  27. 10
  28. 105 am
  29. 10
  30. 10
  31. 108 am
  32. 10
  33. 10
  34. 1011 am
  35. 10
  36. 10
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
77°F

Red drum range 65–85°

Wind
7 mph

From the east

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:35 am

Sky
Partly Cloudy

7% chance of rain

Air
77°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Texas regulations for these waters.

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

55MarginalNow until 10 pm

Water

77°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Right in red drum's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Red drum prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 28" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 20–28" slot, 3/person/day. One oversized red drum over 28" per license year with a Red Drum Tag.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Mar–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on red drum

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

77°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 20" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15–20" slot, 3/person/day. One trout over 28" per year with a Spotted Seatrout Tag.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Mar–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on spotted seatrout

Black Drum

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

43Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

77°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside black drum's active range. Black drum prefers incoming tide. Holds 2–40 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 30" maximum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Texas: 14–30" slot, 5 a person a day; 1 over 52" may be kept and counts toward the bag.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Texas

Season here: Sep–May. More on black drum

The water

  • Water temperature77°F
  • Barometer30.20 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:35 am
  • Sunset today6:49 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 am–2:10 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:30 pm–2:30 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Texas Parks & Wildlife publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The heart of the Texas Coastal Bend — redfish, spotted seatrout, and black drum across the Mustang Island flats and the Lydia Ann Channel, with bull reds and tarpon at the Aransas Pass jetties in late summer. Waded, drifted, and surf-fished. Live tide and water temperature from Port Aransas.

Texas: redfish 20–28" slot, 3/day; seatrout 15–20" slot, 3/day. The jetties and the flats both produce year-round.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Port Aransas Beach1 mi · TexasBest now until 10 pmCoastal Flood Advisory
63Marginal
Mustang Island State Park14 mi · TexasBest today 10 am–10 pmCoastal Flood Advisory
63Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Port Aransas (Mustang Island)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Port Aransas (Mustang Island) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Port Aransas (Mustang Island)?

Port Aransas (Mustang Island) is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Black Drum. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Port Aransas (Mustang Island)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Port Aransas (Mustang Island) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Port Aransas (Mustang Island) have?

Port Aransas (Mustang Island) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Texas: redfish 20–28" slot, 3/day; seatrout 15–20" slot, 3/day. The jetties and the flats both produce year-round.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Port Aransas (Mustang Island)?

state agency regulations apply at Port Aransas (Mustang Island). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Port Aransas (Mustang Island) tidal water?

Yes. Port Aransas (Mustang Island) sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.