Mustang Island State Park fishing conditions · Texas

Now until 7 pmSheepshead

The bite peaks at 69. Water is 78°, inside their 60–82° range, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 25 mph out of the east by tomorrow at 10:00 am.

Rip Current Statement until Monday 6 amFlood Watch until Monday 12 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 65 for sheepshead, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Sheepshead, 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. 653 pm
  2. 65
  3. 69
  4. 656 pm
  5. 51
  6. 51
  7. 519 pm
  8. 51
  9. 55
  10. 40Sun
  11. 36
  12. 36
  13. 363 am
  14. 36
  15. 36
  16. 406 am
  17. 33
  18. 33
  19. 339 am
  20. 13
  21. 17
  22. 012 pm
  23. 0
  24. 0
  25. 03 pm
  26. 0
  27. 0
  28. 136 pm
  29. 13
  30. 13
  31. 369 pm
  32. 16
  33. 16
  34. 37Mon
  35. 37
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
78°F

Sheepshead range 60–82°

Wind
16 mph

From the east-northeast

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:41 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

4% chance of rain

Air
80°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

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.

Sheepshead

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

69MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

78°
50°60–82° · ideal 72°92°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Sheepshead prefers slack tide. Inside sheepshead's active range. Holds 5–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 5/person/day.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

61MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

78°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Right in red drum's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. 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

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

78°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. 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

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Black Drum

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

78°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. 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

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–May. More on black drum

Southern Flounder

Southern flounder

Paralichthys lethostigma

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

78°
48°58–82° · ideal 70°92°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Inside southern flounder's active range. Southern flounder prefers outgoing tide. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. 15" minimum, 5/person/day. Closed Nov 1–Dec 14 (bag 0).

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Texas

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on southern flounder

The water

  • Water temperature78°F
  • Barometer30.02 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:41 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:44 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 4:10 pm–5:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:20 pm–12:20 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

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

Five miles of open Gulf beach between Port Aransas and Packery Channel. Bull red drum and black drum run the surf in fall and spring, speckled trout wade the guts in summer, and southern flounder move toward the passes in fall, when Texas closes flounder from Nov 1 to Dec 14.

Nearby

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

Port Aransas Beach13 mi · TexasBest now until 7 pmRip Current StatementFlood Watch
77Worth the trip
Port Aransas (Mustang Island)14 mi · TexasBest now until 4 pmRip Current StatementFlood Watch
69Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Mustang Island State Park?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Mustang Island State Park?

Mustang Island State Park is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Red Drum, Spotted Seatrout, Southern Flounder, Sheepshead, and 1 more. 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 Mustang Island State Park?

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 Mustang Island State Park 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 Mustang Island State Park have?

Mustang Island State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Mustang Island State Park?

state agency regulations apply at Mustang Island State Park. 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 Mustang Island State Park tidal water?

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