# Galveston Ship Channel -- February Report



## oceankayaker84 (Dec 16, 2007)

The big flounder are starting to migrate back through the channel. This recent warming trend has raised water temps to the upper 50's / low 60's and it will not be long until the spring flounder run goes into full swing. The best bite and quality fish are being caught during the stronger incoming tides, along structure in close proximity to the main channel drop- offs.

I made 4 flounder trips this February and caught and released 25 keeper-sized fish, including a few nice ones from 19" to 24". The biggest one had an estimated weight around 7.5 lbs. That fish was ridiculously thick and full of eggs.

The two lure setups which caught a majority of the fish were:
* H&H red/white curly tails on 1/4 oz jighead; tipped with Gulp pogy
* Gulp mantis shrimp in white/chartreuse on 1/4 oz jighead



















































A majority of the flounder I caught this month were between 16" and 18", just some good average-sized flounder. I expect to see the size of fish increase through March and early April.

Sheepshead are also showing up in the channel. Small live shrimp tipped on a plain 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz jighead is my go-to setup for vertical fishing around pilings. Most of the fish in the harbor are actively feeding along structure in 6-12 feet of water, mostly on or near the bottom.


















When the sheepshead and flounder bite is slow, I'm catching the "Big Uglies" on half crab along the toe of the channel, in about 35 feet of water.


















The fishing is only going to get better!


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