If you're heading out to fish in the Gulf of Mexico along the Texas coast today, here's what you need to know:

First off, the weather is looking pretty good, with clear skies and moderate temperatures. The water temperatures are still in the upper 70s to low 80s, which is ideal for a variety of species.

Let's start with the tides. Today, in Port Aransas, the low tide was at 9:08 AM with a tidal coefficient of 89, indicating high tides and strong currents. The high tide will be at 6:54 PM. Sunrise was at 6:51 AM, and sunset will be at 5:35 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to get out there[3].

Fish activity has been robust across several areas. In Redfish Bay, anglers are catching limits of redfish and some trout using piggy perch. The surf is producing lots of redfish and black drum, along with some gafftop, small stingrays, and bigger sharks, especially around Gilchrist and High Island[1].

In West Galveston Bay, look towards the back lakes and coves for better-sized speckled trout. Birds are working over smaller specs and sand trout, and you can catch decent numbers of speckled trout and redfish over shell using live shrimp under a popping cork or Gulp Shrimp with a 1/16 ounce jig head[1].

In Texas City, the old river has been good for trout, redfish, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper using live or dead shrimp. Chocolate Bay and Bastrop Bay are also hot spots, especially in the mornings and evenings with live shrimp under a popping cork[1].

For bait, live shrimp is the clear winner across most areas. It's working well for speckled trout, redfish, black drum, and even sheepshead. Cut mullet and piggy perch are also producing good results, especially for redfish and black drum[1][5].

Some of the best lures include imitation shrimp under popping corks, Gulp Shrimp, and 1/8 ounce jig heads with Wac Attack and Deadly Dudley tails in lighter colors. Swimbait hooks with tails are also effective when fishing flooded grass[1].

Hot spots to consider include the jetty areas where you can catch a mix of redfish, black drum, sand trout, and even some crabs. The back lakes and coves in West Galveston Bay are also worth a visit for speckled trout. If you're near Port Aransas, the surf and areas around Gilchrist and High Island are seeing a lot of activity[1].

Remember to stay safe and enjoy the great fishing conditions the Texas Gulf Coast has to offer.