Going in a couple weeks…looking for any tips on baits, gear, etc. Planning on bringing the same baits I would use in the Galveston/Freeport area…Heddons, Mirrolures, Saltwater Assasins, Gulp Shrimp/popping corks, but it’s been awhile since I fished for trout/reds, so I’m sure some new stuff has come out that I haven’t heard of. Somebody mentioned 6th Sense lures, but the ones I saw look more like bass baits, unless I swap the hooks.

Any other advice appreciated, as we’ll be “out of contact” range for a few days.

Never been but want too. Your arsenal sounds good. Please post a report when you get back

Don’t forget your weedless spoons. If you wade the reefs and sand islands a silver spoon is really good too.

Plastic colors tend to darker. Plum or black.

Softdine XL. The Coastal Customs Lemon Drop is legit. It will catch some big ones. 1/4oz jig head with Bass Assassin Chicken on the Chain is our go to. I wouldn’t go without at least a half dozen bags of them. Generally I like throwing a single hook bait when filling a limit. You want a monster limit throw the Softdine. If mullet are a rafting throw it on the edges then right through them. Top water is good too. There are going to be bite windows usually around the major and minor and the tide. When it’s on you can catch them on every cast. We have sat in one spot and caught 18” + trout on just about every cast for a hour and a half. It can also be real slow in between bite windows. If you are going to fish a treble hook bait make sure you know how to do the string trick to remove a hook if needed. After getting a Softdine out of my hand twice I always get the fish with a plastic boga and unhook with pliers. Fishing the Softdine is just more work. No way you can catch as many when you are in them as a guy throwing a jig head. Yours probably will be bigger.

Be ready for sharks. They are everywhere especially in the summer. Not just some ankle biting Black Tips but some serious customers like Bullsharks. They might drive you back into ankle deep water. Watch when you have a fish in the water. They will take it right in front of you. A boga grip type is a good thing to have especially when fishing treble hooks. Everyone we are fishing with has left the floating stringer for the Everlast Fish Bag. They work super. So far no shark has attached a bag. Knock on wood. Also a good net with mesh that hangs up treble hooks less.

Lots of sun protection especially if you burn. Several days on the water will burn you to a crisp. I use 100 spf spray sunscreen.

Get the Barts Bay Armor boots. They are nice if you get in an area with stingrays. Good 6’6” wading rod. 30# braid. Usually start the day with a 3 ft mono leader and end tying directly to the braid. I can’t see that it really makes any difference. If you can tie the FG knot on the boat tie it. I can’t see good enough to tie it. I just tie a double uni which is a decent knot.

It’s a great trip. Everyone who likes fishing needs to go at least once. Great to be on the islands at sun rise just wearing them out.

Not the biggest ever but only stringer shot I have usually just take a photo with them in a cooler after dumping them out of bag.That was 45 minutes of action a few years back when we used stringers. Average trout on stringer is 16”. 3 man 75 fish limit in 45 minutes once we found them. Done on the last morning by 8:30 which was ok after a few days we were worn down….lol.

Great stuff so far. Thanks! Funny, I had the “chicken in a chain” bags in my hand yesterday at Academy, and decided to come home and do some more research before buying. I have plenty of too water baits, but not too many soft. We’ll be going out to the islands on the charter’s mothership, and they provide small boats to everyone, but my buddy is actually bringing his big boat as well, so not sure if we’ll be wading or not. Looking forward to a great trip.

Chandeleur Island is on my "bucket list". I want "memories" by taking my 3 adult sons. I appreciate any recommendations for A) prefer time of year for speckle trout & B) guides. We live in Houston Metroplex.

Trip Update:

The results weren’t what we had hoped for. 3 days of fishing HARD, and very little to show for it. A few small trout, a bunch of skipjacks and smacks (all small), and other odds and ends. Wasn’t for lack of trying. We typically fished from 7a-1p, and then 3p til dark. The charter provides skiffs, but we brought a couple of our own boats.

Accommodations were nice, and the captain and crew did a great job of taking care of us. Good meals and great times for the 6 of us….the fish just didn’t cooperate. The other charters in the area had similar results, so it was just one of those trips. I’d go again in a heartbeat, and I hope to do it again in another year or two. Despite the poor results, I recommend this trip to anyone.