Port Aransas Beach fishing conditions · Texas

Now until 7 pmSheepshead

The bite peaks at 77. Water is 77°, inside their 60–82° range, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 25 mph out of the east-northeast by tomorrow at 2:00 pm.

Rip Current Statement until Monday 6 amFlood Watch until Monday 12 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 73 for sheepshead, worth the trip · 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. 733 pm
  2. 73
  3. 77
  4. 736 pm
  5. 59
  6. 59
  7. 599 pm
  8. 59
  9. 63
  10. 55Sun
  11. 51
  12. 36
  13. 363 am
  14. 36
  15. 36
  16. 406 am
  17. 33
  18. 33
  19. 489 am
  20. 33
  21. 37
  22. 012 pm
  23. 0
  24. 0
  25. 133 pm
  26. 13
  27. 17
  28. 136 pm
  29. 13
  30. 36
  31. 369 pm
  32. 36
  33. 36
  34. 40Mon
  35. 52
  36. 51
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
77°F

Sheepshead range 60–82°

Wind
14 mph

From the east-northeast

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:40 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

3% chance of rain

Air
79°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

77Worth the tripNow until 7 pm

Water

77°
50°60–82° · ideal 72°92°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Sheepshead prefers slack tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

69MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

77°
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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on red drum

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

57MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

77°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on spotted seatrout

Black Drum

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

57MarginalNow until 7 pm

Water

77°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside black drum's active range. 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. Likes an incoming tide. 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

77°
48°58–82° · ideal 70°92°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside southern flounder's active range. 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. Likes an outgoing tide. More on southern flounder

The water

  • Water temperature77°F
  • Barometer30.02 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:40 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

Gulf beach between the Port Aransas jetties and Mustang Island, with the Horace Caldwell Pier. Red and black drum, speckled trout, sheepshead on the jetty rocks, and southern flounder toward the pass in fall (Texas closes flounder Nov 1–Dec 14).

Nearby

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

Port Aransas (Mustang Island)1 mi · TexasBest now until 4 pmRip Current StatementFlood Watch
69Marginal
Mustang Island State Park13 mi · TexasBest now until 7 pmRip Current StatementFlood Watch
69Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Port Aransas Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Port Aransas Beach you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Port Aransas Beach?

Port Aransas Beach 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 Port Aransas Beach?

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 Port Aransas Beach 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 Port Aransas Beach have?

Port Aransas Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Port Aransas Beach?

state agency regulations apply at Port Aransas Beach. 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 Port Aransas Beach tidal water?

Yes. Port Aransas Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.