Seadrift TX Fishing Report: Weather Shift Sparks Better Fishing

Castaway Lodge Fishing Report
Seadrift, Texas | April 20 – April 27, 2026

We kicked off the week with a change in the weather—and honestly, we needed it. Steven Riley rolled into town and brought some much-needed rain along with him, along with a solid crew of 11 guys from Texas and California ready to fish. The timing worked out just right. Our captains—James Cunningham, Chris Cady, Braden Proctor, and Doug Russell—spread the group out between bay boats and airboats and stayed on fish. They got their limits handled and had everyone back at the dock just ahead of the midday downpour. As Captain James put it, “When you get a little weather like this and the water starts moving, those fish don’t disappear—they just settle in where they’re supposed to be. You stay patient and fish smart, you’re gonna find them.” That’s about as good as you can draw it up this time of year.

Captain Devin Spencer spent a couple of days on the water with Russell Dorazio and Blake Walsh, along with their boys. Hard to beat a two-day father-and-son trip. Plenty of action, a lot of laughs, and more importantly, some young fishermen getting after it the right way. That’s what keeps this whole thing going.

A group of five settled in for a three-day run, mixing it up between the bay with Captain James and chasing fish shallow in the airboat with Captain Chris. The bite stayed consistent. Good black drum, solid reds, and plenty of opportunities if you stayed with it and adjusted to the water.

We wrapped up the weekend with Douglass Bissett and his group fishing with Captain Braden, while Kris Givens and his group hit the water with Captains Casey Jones and Braden. Both groups closed things out strong, finding cooperative fish and making the most of improving conditions as the weather stabilized.

Overall, that shot of rain gave the system a good reset, and you can see things starting to line out. Water clarity is improving, bait is showing up more consistently, and the bite is trending in the right direction. As we get a little more stable weather, it’s only going to keep building.

If you’ve been thinking about getting down here, now’s the time.

— Capt. Kris Kelley
Castaway Lodge, Seadrift Texas

1-888-618-4868