When the weather and personal schedules cooperate, anglers will more often than not find good fishing along the Texas coast during December.

Story and Photography by Danno Wise

The final month of the year brings more inshore angling opportunities than most people realize. Foul weather associated with fronts will undoubtedly limit the number of days fishermen can get on the water. Holidays, hunting and other activities are other factors will also limit the number of days fishermen spend with a rod in hand this month. But, when the weather and personal schedules cooperate, fishermen will more often than not find good fishing along the Texas coast during December.
This is particularly true during a “warm” December, as the early winter of 2015 is shaping up to be. So, fishermen looking for some fast early winter action need to sharpen their hooks and be prepared to face a variety of conditions in what promises to be a memorable end to 2015.
WATER CONDITIONS & LURE CHOICES
Winter presents perhaps the most disparate of water conditions, ranging from rough, roiled and muddy to slick calm and crystal clear. As a result, fishermen need to be able to adapt to a variety of conditions in order to be successful from day to day during the winter season.
Clear Water
Plankton and algae blooms are the biggest obstacles to clear water conditions throughout the year. However, most of the blooms which commonly occur along the Texas coast are temperature sensitive. Once the water cools below 70 degrees, most blooming algae and plankton dies off. The result is clearer water conditions throughout the winter months.

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