Fish of the Texas coast

What's biting in October, best first. Each guide covers the season month by month, where to find them, how to catch them, the TPWD rules and what 38 years of state survey nets say, with a button to the best spots on the map right now.

• Peak in October

  Speckled trout

  Spotted seatrout, specks, yellowmouths; big ones are sows or gator trout

  This month: Prime fall: drains and bayou mouths on outgoing tides, mud-and-shell flats, working birds.

• Peak in October

  Redfish

  Red drum, reds, slot reds; a tail-spot fish on the flats is a tailer

  This month: Peak month everywhere: back lakes draining on fronts, shorelines, reefs; topwaters all day.

• Peak in October

  Bull redfish

  Bull reds, breeders, big uglies

  This month: Peak. Schools of 100+ fish at the jetties and in the surf; birds and slicks give them away.

• Peak in October

  Flounder

  Southern flounder, flatfish, doormats for the big ones

  This month: The run. Every drain, bayou and pass on outgoing tides after each front; the ICW at the passes.

• Good in October

  Black drum

  Puppy drum (small ones), big uglies (the oversize), drum

  This month: Slot drum mixed with reds along shorelines and in the back lakes.

• Fair in October

  Sheepshead

  Convict fish, bait stealers, sheepies

  This month: Pier and jetty fishing improves with every front.