Capt. Wayne Vinton on Post-Rain and Cold Front Galveston-Area Hotspots
My old friend Capt. Wayne Vinton, host of the SportsRadio 610 Outdoor Show, called me this afternoon and shared his educated take on what is happening on the Galveston Bay System subsequent to the passage of this week’s rainfall and cold front.
“The guides have been keeping a bit of a lid on it,” Vinton says, “but the fish are out in the middle of Trinity Bay. Look for active flocks of birds, and if you don’t find them, work the wells.”
According to the longtime guide and popular radio personality, the dropping tides are pushing a lot of the shrimp out of the marsh. “The water is muddy on top,” he explains, “but the fish … including a lot of quality-sized reds … are still in the salty water down deep on the shell pads. It’s the same thing on East Bay,” he continues. “Because of the freshwater inflow, the fish have been shoved down to Hannah’s Reef, Richard’s Reef, Bull Shoals and other areas closer to the Galveston Ship Channel.”
Says Vinton, it’s all about getting closer to the saltier water of the ship channel. “With the exception of the area around Chocolate Bayou, which has been a raging torrent that put the brakes on good bird fishing, West Galveston Bay should be largely unaffected,” he advises. “West Bay is always a great wintertime fishery. The edge of the old Intracoastal, North and South Deer Islands and Carancahua Reef are all great bets at this time of year. Just east of the Galveston Causeway,” he adds, “so is Campbell’s Bayou.
“I’m already hearing reports of good fish from Offatt’s Bayou, specifically Long Reef, close to the entrance on the right-hand (west) side,” Vinton continues. “The more cold weather we get, the better fishing in Offatt’s will be.
“One more good norther and it will be flatfish time,” he says. “Pelican Island, the Galveston Channel and, unbeknownst to a lot of fishermen who think it is only a redfish spot, Fleanor Flats near the south jetty are all great bets for fall flounder fishing.”
The North Galveston Jetty is also an excellent option for quality flatfish, Vinton says, although he cautions would-be visitors to anticipate heavy boat traffic and fishing pressure in the area … particularly during weekends. “Anchor up near the rocks about a hundred yards parallel to the rocks,” the veteran coastal angler instructs. “The entire jetty system inside of the boat cut area will come into play around the middle of November.”
It’s no secret that the area near the Bolivar Ferry Landing, and specifically the sunken barges near the landing, are outstanding traditional autumn flounder hangouts. Lesser known are the slough and flats near the Frenchtown Bridge.
“Once you get on Bolivar Peninsula off of the ferry, the first left-hand turn will take you to the Frenchtown bridge,” Vinton directs. A note of particular interest to fishermen who have to “hoof it” … “This spot can hold some great wade fishing for folks who don’t own boats,” Vinton adds. “The canal that runs beneath the bridge is great as well, as are the nearby flats.
“There is a slough that goes into the marsh just past the bridge, and it’s best on an outgoing tide, although either moving tide phase will work,” Vinton says. “The falling tide, again, brings the bait out of the marsh, and the flatfish concentrate in the eddies at the base of the bridge.
“I have caught literally hundreds of flounder in there,” he reminisces. “I started fishing and guiding in there back in the mid-60s, long before it became known to area fishermen. I hooked the one bona fide double-digit flounder of my life in there. Bruce Baugh (a noted Galveston-area veteran and consistent tournament winner) was with me. My legs turned to jelly after I lost that fish; it was one I had been wanting to catch my whole life. Unfortunately, the leader gave way.”
Vinton is one guy who, if he says it was a big one, you can honestly believe. I recall my first Black Salty baitfish field-testing expedition with him in November of 2003, a crisp fall day during which the celebrated flounder-fishing guru took eight keeper flatfish in less than an hour.
Today, when he’s not fishing, Vinton stays busy hosting the ever-popular SportsRadio 610 Outdoor Show on Houston radio station KILT 610AM. It can also be heard via the Internet at www.sportsradio610.com.
The program airs Thursday and Friday mornings from 4:00 – 6:00 a.m. and on weekends (when Vinton is joined by co-host Capt. Benny Hatton) from 4:00 – 7:00 a.m.
Listeners who would like to call in to the program take note of the call-in line: 713-572-4610.
You can learn as much listening to the program for a few hours as you can from spending days on the water. As one who hosted that show for a couple of years, I know how much work goes into doing it well, and Vinton and Hatton do a first-rate job.
Howdy. I am 
