Brawner Report

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report

Captain Bryan BrawnerBy Captain Bryan Brawner
During the colder months, fishing can be good between fronts on Galveston East Bay. This year the salinity level is good and on higher tides, there is a good population of reds and speckled trout in the marsh canal and marsh drain areas all along the south shoreline area of East Bay. Little Pasture Bayou, Yates Bayou, back of

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, August 2023

Captain Bryan BrawnerBy Captain Bryan Brawner
With no end in sight for the summer conditions, fishing has remained somewhat challenging for Galveston East Bay. The surf has shined as the bright spot for fishing with lots of good trout and reds being caught while surf fishing from Galveston west beachfront to the Bolivar Flats. Early and late have been good with gold spoons and mirror lures

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, May-June 2023

Captain Bryan BrawnerBy Captain Bryan Brawner
Challenging conditions have returned to East Bay as a result of the recent flooding leading to an extremely low salinity level in a significant portion of the bay. Consequently, the trout population, which was slowly recovering, will be forced out of East Bay once again, seeking refuge in areas like the surf, jetties, and

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, March-April 2023

Captain Bryan BrawnerBy Captain Bryan Brawner
The speckled trout bite in Galveston East Bay should be starting to kick off as it warms up during the month of March. Anglers have had success fishing around the marshy areas on the east side of the bay, especially in areas with drop-offs and submerged structure. Live shrimp, croakers, and mullet have been effective baits, as well

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, Jan-Feb 2023

Captain Bryan BrawnerBy Captain Bryan Brawner
Warmer days are ahead now and the water levels and higher bull tides will return soon in between weekly fronts. With southerly to southeast winds, incoming tides will offer some of the best wade fishing of the year starting now. Shorelines around Marsh Point to Big Pasture will be good locations which always hold quality fish this time

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 12-6-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
We are wrapping up what has been a better than normal year for Galveston East Bay. As most of the state experienced drought, the bay was able to recover some after years of constant inundation of fresh water from storms. Although the speckled trout remained on the smaller side, there is a slow recovery happening for the

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 10-11-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
This time of year can offer some of the best fishing of the year with the fish in schools chasing pods of bait that are plentiful in the bay. Keying on slicks and active diving gulls can make locating the feeding schools of fish easier. Even when the birds leave, just stay put and watch for shrimp skipping out of the water to get away from hungry

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 9-27-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
For most of the summer, specks have been on the small side in East Bay with lots of anglers having difficulty putting together a box of keepers there. That will probably hold true until there is a major cool off at some point. However, reds have taken up the slack with lots of schools of oversized and slot reds from the Intracostal, marsh lakes,

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 9-13-22


By Captain Bryan Brawner
Update: There are not many changes as far as bay fishing. This can be a tough time with the extended heat and fresh water runoff . However, the surf is the place to be right now for all the action! Reds, trout, and sharks are all active as long as the water clarity stays acceptable.

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 8-16-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
Right now the late summer pattern has set in for East Bay. Most of the action in the bay will be under the birds with lots of sand trout and smaller specks in the mix. Some of the reefs like Frenchy’s and Deep reef can have some larger fish for an early morning bite. The gas wells in East and Trinity bay will hold fish as usual when

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 8-2-22


By Captain Bryan Brawner
There are no big changes in East Bay now except that lots of good fish are starting to be caught under the birds in East Bay Best conditions in years! Enjoy! I will put a more updated report in a couple weeks when conditions change.

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 7-12-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
There is not a lot new going on in East Bay except the heat and westerly winds. Surf fishing time! Surf fishing early with gold spoons or spooks is usually a sure bet. You mainly need cleaner water when the wind is down for productive surf fishing. Watch for bait activity. Most of the time, anglers walk right past where the fish are,

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 6-21-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
East Bay remains good with some of the best conditions in years. Fish can be caught on most mid bay reefs with tide movement keying on slicks and bait activity. The Bolivar beach front is excellent along with the beach front in Galveston west end. The only drawback now could be the excessive heat which will push the fish to

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 6-7-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
Right now you will find some of the best fishing of the year in Galveston East Bay. Water conditions are excellent and there are more windows of opportunity with lighter winds. Good catches of speckled trout are coming from most of the mid bay reef areas over shell. Hanna’s and Pepper reefs have had good reports this week. Keying on

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 5-24-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
As usual this time of year, the wind has been impacting where you can fish most days. One of the weather sites said that it has been one of the windiest springs on record. No rain though has left the salinity levels good throughout the system. As long as the salinity stays good, this is shaping up to finally be a decent year for Galveston

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 4-26-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
There are 2 major stories impacting the Galveston East Bay System this spring: wind and good salinity levels. The howling South winds are a given for spring, especially in East Bay. This makes a definite advantage for those that wade fish protected shorelines on high and incoming tides. As a lot of the area is experiencing drought, I think back

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 3-15-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
Fishing should really turn on good beginning this week with the spring breaks starting. Warmer weather patterns forecasted and higher tides will really improve East Bay conditions. As always, wading will be the best way to pick up quality speckled trout in early Spring. The shoreline and marsh areas east of Stingaree will start off

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 2-15-22

By Captain Bryan Brawner
We finally had the cold weather and fronts which have flushed out the bay with extremely low tides several times. As we approach the end of February, fishing action on speckled trout and reds should pick up with the warm up and higher tide levels. I prefer later in the day with incoming or higher tides this time of year for fishing out

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 12-28-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
As we wrap up another good year, albeit a lot different, I would again like to thank all my clients, customers, and good friends which have contributed to making this a fun successful year. 2021 was a lot of the same with all of the wet weather but we still had some good trips and made some good friends.

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 12-14-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
There are really no changes in my report now as the weather pattern has remained stable. So the fishing conditions will revolve around the days between windy cold fronts. Reds are good on the beachfront and in marsh areas and canals on then east end of the bay. Wading is producing specks and reds on incoming tides around marsh

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 11-23-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
The fishing pattern will remain the same now through December unless we just have some unseasonably cold weather for several days. Fish will be under the birds working on the eastern end of the bay and along some of the north shoreline areas close to scattered shell. The main thing will be to key on active bait. Wading should

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 11-9-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
We are now in the pattern of getting at least one cold front a week which will last for a couple months. For the good days between fronts, not many changes to add for now. With cooler water temps and lower tides, fish will concentrate in deeper channels of marsh drain areas and around active bait and birds in the

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 10-26-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
Lots better catches are being reported from East Bay with jetties still producing big reds. Flounder are also being caught along south shoreline marsh areas, along the intracostal, and back in canals. Action under the birds will continue in the eastern end of the bay but there are still a lot of smaller trout and some gafftops. There are some

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 10-12-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
The bay’s salinity and clarity are looking real good now. The fall pattern is setting in and birds are starting to work throughout Galveston East Bay. We have our first real front arriving sometime this weekend so that should kick off some good fall fishing behind the front after the tide levels return to normal. Mostly small trout and catfish

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 9-28-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
With the first cold from of the season behind us, fishing is slowly returning to a normal fall pattern for East Bay. The low tides produced by the strong north winds flushed out the bay and marshes where good water was able to return bringing the bait and fish activity with it. Bird activity is now throughout the bay with some keeper specks

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 9-21-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
We really were fortunate with limited flooding and damage from the hurricane. We did get a lot of water directly in the bay and north of the marshes which drain into the bay. Water is very fresh still but will recover for fall fishing! The mid week cold front will clear out the storm waters and hopefully bring in fall patterns! Reds are in the surf!

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 9-14-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
Galveston East Bay waters were returning to good conditions with nearly normal salinity levels and game fish slowly trickling back in along with some pods of bait. However, now we will just have to see what this storm brings us in the way of flood waters. At the time of writing, lots of water is forecasted. Keeper specks still are

Captain Bryan’s Fishing Report, 8-24-21

By Captain Bryan Brawner
Galveston East Bay is now looking good and we are looking forward to a good fall season. The salinity has finally returned to reasonable levels in the majority of East Bay. There are some birds working around active bait and more keeper specks are showing up on some of the mid bay reefs. Even though the water is looking pretty good, the

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