Black drum are the most reliable bite in the Coastal Bend heading into this stretch, and Thursday is the pick of the three days with the bays forecast smooth. Recent guide reports out of the Rockport, Aransas Pass and Port Aransas area have drum holding on reefs, shell and deeper channel edges, eating fresh shrimp fished right on the bottom in moving water.

Bay water at the Rockport NOAA station is running 90.1°F — warm even for September — so the best action is early and around current. South winds hold near 5 knots Thursday with Copano, Aransas and Redfish Bays smooth, then build to 10–15 knots with gusts near 20 Friday afternoon and stay there Saturday. No marine advisories are in effect, though Thursday carries a 40% storm chance before 1 PM and heat index values reach 106°F.

The new moon arrives Thursday night, which makes this the strongest solunar stretch of the month. The best window is Thursday, 12:04–2:04 PM, when the lunar transit lands on the calmest water of the run — watch the radar and the heat. Friday, 6:54–8:24 AM is the strong second look, catching moonrise before the south wind fills in.

Redfish are Fair and scattered across Redfish Bay, Estes Flats and the Copano Bay shorelines as the fall schools begin to form. Speckled trout are Fair and front-loaded to first light on the Aransas Bay grass edges and Copano Bay guts. Flounder are Fair on the sandy drop-offs of the Lydia Ann and Aransas Channels. Also active: black drum are Good on the reefs and sheepshead Fair around pilings and hard structure.

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