Before I receive the "all water is not clean here", "Harvey runoff etc.", there are indeed some spots a lot cleaner than others. Which spots in your opinion are cleanest for regular fish consumption in the Houston area?

Bay fish are notorious nomads. They can and will move many miles in a very short amount of time.
It would be foolish to think just because you caught a trout in "clean" water he was there yesterday.

When it comes to eating saltwater fish, I believe the two big things people worry about are dioxin/pcbs and mercury. Mercury is sort a worldwide phenomenon and some fish species accumulate more than others. PCBs and dioxins(by products really of electrrical transformers, etc) are both banned for decades now and steps have been taken to minimize the materials getting into sediments, but these substances persist for decades in sediment. Slowly, the levels in bay and other estuaries have fallen and various consumption bans have been altered or rescinded.

Gaff top were the worst about accumulating the dioxin/PCB, then I think it was Speckled trout.

On mercury, the worst are things like king mackerel and tuna.

Best thing if you are worried is to eat younger fish and lower on the food chain fish.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdo...-and-advisories

https://www.fda.gov/food/foodborneillnesscontaminants/metals/ucm115644.htm

Great info guys!, I have to admit I miss spi laguna madre. fishing and bathing. Here I even get quizzy just to go in the waters!

Stuff that comes out of the arroyo isn't much better than trinity bay. Just because it's clear doesn't mean it's harmless.

It's all way way better than it was thirty years ago.

Are you going to make bay fish your main diet? If its just an occasional meal, it really doesn't matter. What karstopo said about gafftop and mackerel is consistent with what I've heard so if you're really concerned, just don't eat those.

I've always wondered how much of the Mercury is a natural occurrence and how much is man caused. I don't know if I've ever heard of someone getting sick or dying from too much tuna or mackerel.