# Christmas Bay



## Graham_DTX

Waded christmas for the duration of the incoming both today and yesterday, and the last 2 incoming/first 2 outgoing on the flat behind SLP. Both flats loaded w/ bait and finger mullet everywhere. Fishing was completely dead tho. Me and my buddy managed just one under slot red and speck.

Any idea why this may be? I fished plastics and he fished live mullet and we couldn't buy a bite. Water was moving nice, wasn't too hot in the AM, and the amount of bait was insane. Wind was blowing at like 20 from the S/SE. Any thoughts?


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## karstopo

Somebody will probably chime to tell me I'm wrong, but I don't like Christmas bay this time of year because the water gets too hot. It seems to be just the right depth to absorb the Sun's fury but not get a chance to dissipate the heat fully overnight. 

Most fishermen work off hunches and theories and experience and this is too hot of water idea is the idea I cling to. I hope someone will tell me I'm wrong, but until they do, I put Christmas bay way down the list of potentials during summer sizzles. 

I don't think the mullet mind the hot water so much, but I understand trout aren't big hot water lovers and even redfish can be turned off in water much above 90. Not sure how hot Christmas bay gets mid afternoon, but it sure feels crazy hot the few times I get out there in the summer. Even the surf gets too hot mid day and there is a vast pool of deeper water nearby. Not much deep water out at Christmas Bay.


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## Sgrem

Christmas Bay is excellent right around a certain holiday.....hhhmmmm can't quite put my finger on it.


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## Fishtexx

^^ : )


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## Mr. Saltwater

Sorry to hear your trip was a bust. That's a long drive from Dallas.

I think most folks had a hard time getting on fish with those high winds the past few days. Plenty of deep water around the Pass, so I would have thought you would do better there. You should give it another try after a few days of light SE wind when the water is clear and green.

BTW, you will likely get more responses to your questions if you post them in the General Fishing Discussion.


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## POCsaltdog

Starting in September through the fall is a very good time to fish Christmas Bay. You can catch trout in the middle, but too deep to wade.


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## karstopo

Yea, I like Christmas Bay October through into May. There may be folks that slay them there in the summer, but if there are, they have kept it pretty quiet over all these years. Maybe it turns on during the summer at night or during certain weather or tide events. I don't fish at night for the most part so I'm not going to care if someplace is good at night. 

I like Christmas bay during higher water levels and the summer tends to be pretty low on tide levels. Tropical systems are an exception. If I had unlimited time, I would like to see if I could find good fish during summer there, but the places mid bay and on the north shore I'm thinking of wouldn't be good in a big wind like we have been having.


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## Graham_DTX

Cool, thanks everyone for the replies. Mr. Salt, it wasn't a complete bust, got to explore new water and it was beautiful out there alone on the flat. However, seeing fish everywhere, but not catching them, was kind of a bummer haha.

Also, as I will probably go back at some point this summer, is the move to fish standing on the flat and casting into the grass line? or vice versa? the 2 fish we did catch were out on the flat about 50 yards from the shoreline. I wasn't sure how far we could wade out so we stuck pretty close to the grass. My guess was that on low tide they would be further out into the bay and waiting to come into the marsh when the water got high enough, but wasn't sure. thanks yall!


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## Mr. Saltwater

Graham_DTX said:


> Cool, thanks everyone for the replies. Mr. Salt, it wasn't a complete bust, got to explore new water and it was beautiful out there alone on the flat. However, seeing fish everywhere, but not catching them, was kind of a bummer haha.
> 
> Also, as I will probably go back at some point this summer, is the move to fish standing on the flat and casting into the grass line? or vice versa? the 2 fish we did catch were out on the flat about 50 yards from the shoreline. I wasn't sure how far we could wade out so we stuck pretty close to the grass. My guess was that on low tide they would be further out into the bay and waiting to come into the marsh when the water got high enough, but wasn't sure. thanks yall!


An ideal situation is to find a shallow lake or flat of water in the marsh that has a channel or cut where it drains into the open bay. At night when the shallow water cools off or the tide moves in, the fish will move into the lake or flat to feed. When the tide starts to drop, they will move to deeper pockets, holes on the flat, or to the mouth of the marsh drain and be concentrated in a small area. Look for a deeper hole or better yet a hump in deeper water at the mouth of the drain...those can be real HONEY HOLES!! When the tide drops so low that the bait must leave the cover of the grass, ESPECIALLY right at dawn when the shallows are cool, is when you can find the fish with their backs exposed feeding along the grass line. Once the sun heats up the shallows they will move off the grass line to where you caught your fish. 
It just takes some time in the water to learn where the best spots are. Wade the shore line within casting range of the grass AND any deeper holes just off the shoreline until you find the fish. Generally, they will move into the grass when the tide is rising and out of it when the tide is falling. If they are there and the current is moving you should be able to catch them.
Another important tip....the fish in the shallows are usually VERY skittish. Wade slowly and quietly, and when you hook one let him run for a while so he doesn't cause a bunch of splashing and commotion when you land him. Boats will often spook them off of the flats too.


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## andy409

I used to fish X-Mas bay exclusively before I moved onto POC and Galveston, so here is what I learned during my time out there. X-Mas by during summer is a hard place to fish, however, fall is a different story. During September and October months, I used to limit out on slot reds and flatties on every trip.

You are on track fishing during incoming tides, since the bay is pretty shallow throughout, an incoming tide has a greater effect for X-mas compared to larger bay areas. Since you mentioned you are wade fishing, I am assuming you might not be keen on making the journey to Titlum-Tatlum. If so, below is what were my favorite area to hit. Just don't tell anyone 

For the lower area marked, drift/wade during tide movement from the channel side and work the shorelines, drains, and points. Use a slow retrieve with Gulp for flounder. During high tide, you can even throw a popping cork with live shrimp for reds. If you time it right, you'll run into a school patrolling the shoreline leading from the middle of this area out into the main bay. This is where I caught my PB red for X-mas. During low tide, some of the areas are less then 2" so be careful if you have a boat.

For the area marked above, anchor up next to the old abandoned house and throw a bottom rig with shrimp into the middle of the channel, you can pick up reds, croaker, and black drum here. During tide movement throw a popping cork and drift it along the northern shoreline for reds. Night fishing in this area is also great.

Best of luck and let us know if you catch something!


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## Graham_DTX

@Andy409 thanks man! to be honest after just wading in xmas for about half a mile or so, I was a little spooked by the rays. I saw SO many in the shallow waters that it kind of bugged me out. maybe I will invest in a kayak and try to explore a bit more next trip.

thanks again for the tips


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## mertz09

Invest in some ray guards and look where you are wading and shuffle your feet. You do that and you should be ok.


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## Mr. Saltwater

Those rays can get thick in the shallows this time of year. I've waded shorelines where it seemed like I kicked one up every few feet...scary for sure.

A kayak would definitely give you access to many places you could not get to just wading, and cross some VERY skinny water quietly. A little Pelican pontoon boat with a trolling motor works good too and lets you pack a lot of gear.


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## reeffinder

I think timing is everything in Christmas when it is hot. We like our chances during moderate tidal flows just after a slack. The other day we were wading 3.5 ft and actually felt a very cool current knee deep that lasted for maybe 30 minutes. Trout bite was very good for about an hour. 
But gafftops, hardheads and rays will always keep you busy, so have plenty of bait and tackle on hand and watch out for the barbs.


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## karstopo

The rays seem to be always there and abundant. When the water gets winter clear I see plenty from the seat of my kayak.


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## Graham_DTX

just out of curiosity, what is a marsh drain? is it where a pool or little lake in the back of the marsh empties into the main bay?


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## Mr. Saltwater

Graham_DTX said:


> just out of curiosity, what is a marsh drain? is it where a pool or little lake in the back of the marsh empties into the main bay?


Correct. Water moving in and out of the marsh with the tide will cut deeper channels. Fish and bait will use them as a travel route from the marsh to the open bay.


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## andy409

Graham_DTX said:


> just out of curiosity, what is a marsh drain? is it where a pool or little lake in the back of the marsh empties into the main bay?


I always found visual aid along with words help the most. So lets use a photo from X-Mas as a reference.










In short, the answer to your question is yes. On an outgoing tide, bait fish and subsequent predatory fish gets swept out and is concentrated at the drains mouth (blue arrow). On an incoming tide, predatory fish moves in with the rising tide to feed on bait fish that were taking shelter in shallower water. If you can combine drains with any other points of interest, in this case literally a point (red arrow), you up your chance of finding a fish. Additionally, if you are targeting flounder, they orient themselves at the mouth based on the direction of the tide. If its going out, they are facing into the drain waiting for bait to come to them. On a incoming tide, they are facing out into deeper water picking off bait and other small fish moving in.

Here is a simple advice that I give to anyone staring out. If it looks interesting to you, then its also interesting to the fish. Look for signs of life and movement. This could be birds, bait, current, or all of the above. When you reach your target destination, take a moment and look around you. Is there anything that stands out? Shells, elevation changes, duck blinds, even a branch throwing a shadow over water will attract fish. Instead of looking for the big fish, look for a reason why they might be there (i.e. to eat or to hide).


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## Graham_DTX

Awesome, makes perfect sense. I just wasn't sure of some of the lingo used. My home waters are Tampa/St. Pete is Florida - so it is similar, but also very different.

thanks again guys, I look forward to making the trip down to Galveston when the temps. cool down a bit.


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