Texas Redfish Fall Run 2026: Timing & Tactics

September is when Texas redfish fishing turns the corner. Bay water starts to cool, mullet begin to move, and the state's signature saltwater fish stack up in schools ahead of the fall spawn. By late September and October, the annual bull redfish run puts oversized reds on Gulf beaches and in the passes, while slot-size reds feed hard on shallow grass flats. If you have ever wanted to catch the Texas fall redfish run, the next six to eight weeks are the window.

Why the Fall Redfish Run Happens

Red drum spawn from mid-August through mid-October in Gulf waters near the mouths of passes, according to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologists. As that window approaches, big adult fish — the "bull reds" — leave the bays and stage along gulf beaches and jetties, often in dramatic numbers during stormy, choppy weather. TPWD notes this movement is what anglers call the bull redfish run.

Inside the bays, the same cooling water and the first big mullet pushes trigger a different kind of feeding spree. Schools of 20- to 28-inch reds roam grass flats, oyster reefs, and shorelines, gorging before winter. September fishing is often a mix of both: tailing slot reds on the flats in the morning and heavy bull reds working the surf and passes when the water moves.

Where to Find Them in September

Start with the structure that holds migrating and feeding reds. Passes and guts between the bays and the Gulf are the classic bull red funnels — Aransas Pass, Packery Channel, the jetties at Galveston, and similar cuts along the middle and lower coast all see heavy fall traffic. Surf anglers and pier fishermen cash in on the run by fishing cut bait and whole mullet in the troughs just beyond the breakers.

Inside the bays, wade fishermen do best on sand and grass flats in 1 to 4 feet of water, especially flats adjacent to deeper gutters, oyster shell, and drop-offs. Redfish are bottom feeders that push through skinny water with their backs exposed, and a slow, quiet wade along a potholed flat will usually produce tailing fish by mid-morning.

Texas Red Drum Limits for 2026-27

TPWD's saltwater rules for the license year running September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027 set the red drum bag at three fish per day with a 20-inch minimum and a 28-inch maximum total length. The possession limit is double the daily bag. Anglers are allowed to keep one oversized red drum per license year with a properly completed Red Drum Tag and one more with a Bonus Red Drum Tag; digital tags are reported through the Texas Hunt & Fish app or TPWD's online app.

Recreational anglers must hold a Texas fishing license with a saltwater endorsement to land fish in state or federal waters. Before you head out, confirm the current rules on TPWD's website, since bag and length limits can change between license years.

Baits and Tactics That Catch Fall Reds

Live shrimp fished under a popping cork is the go-to bay presentation all September, and it is hard to beat when reds are pushing pods of shrimp out of the grass. Finger mullet and Atlantic croaker fished on a slip-sinker rig work when the fish want a bigger meal, and small live blue crabs fished on the bottom are the classic bull red bait around jetties and in the surf.

Artificial anglers do well with weedless gold spoons in the 1/4- to 1/2-ounce range worked slowly over grass, plus shallow-running plugs and shrimp-imitating soft plastics bounced along the bottom. On calm early-fall mornings, a topwater plug walked over a flat can draw explosive strikes from feeding schools. For wading, a 7-foot medium-heavy spinning rod spooled with 15- to 20-pound braid and a fluorocarbon leader handles both slot reds and the occasional bull.

Time Your Trip to the Fall Redfish Run

The run builds through September and peaks in October, when the biggest concentrations of bull reds show on the beaches. The best days often follow the first strong cold front of fall, when falling water temperatures and roughened surf push fish into predictable spots. Inside the bays, plan around moving tide — reds feed hardest the two hours around a tide change — and hit the flats early before boat traffic and bright sun scatter the schools.

Whether you wade a flat, drift a gut, or soak bait in the surf, the Texas fall redfish run offers some of the most exciting inshore fishing of the year. For more on the seasons and timing of the state's saltwater and freshwater fishing, browse the fishing seasons coverage at Fish and Game Report.