Best Time to Fish in Houston

Texas · Friday, September 11

🌅

7:05 AM

Sunrise

🌇

7:33 PM

Sunset

🌙

0%

Moon

The next 7 days in Houston

DayDawn windowDusk windowMoon
Today6:35 AM8:05 AM6:03 PM8:03 PM🌑 New Moon · 0%
Sat, Sep 126:35 AM8:05 AM6:02 PM8:02 PM🌑 New Moon · 1%
Sun, Sep 136:36 AM8:06 AM6:01 PM8:01 PM🌒 Waxing Crescent · 5%
Mon, Sep 146:36 AM8:06 AM6:00 PM8:00 PM🌒 Waxing Crescent · 10%
Tue, Sep 156:37 AM8:07 AM5:58 PM7:58 PM🌒 Waxing Crescent · 17%
Wed, Sep 166:37 AM8:07 AM5:57 PM7:57 PM🌒 Waxing Crescent · 26%
Thu, Sep 176:38 AM8:08 AM5:56 PM7:56 PM🌓 First Quarter · 36%

Dawn and dusk windows are computed from sunrise/sunset for Houston; times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.

Today's best windows in Houston

🌅 Dawn — 6:35 AM to 8:05 AM

The first light window is the most reliable bite of the day for most species — fish move shallow to feed before the sun gets high.

🌇 Dusk — 6:03 PM to 8:03 PM

The last couple hours of light are the second prime window, especially as water cools and bait moves.

🌙 Moon — New Moon (0% lit)

Solunar feeding activity peaks around the new and full moons. Overlap a solunar period with dawn or dusk and you have the best window of the day.

Sunrise, sunset, and moon phase are computed for Houston (Texas); times shown in local time. Best-window ranges are guidance, not guarantees — weather and tides matter too.

Today's tides in Houston

TideTimeHeight
Low3:44 AM0.4 ft
High10:01 AM1.6 ft
Low4:20 PM1.0 ft
High9:45 PM1.6 ft

Predictions from NOAA station 8770542 (Buffalo Bayou, Houston Ship Channel), about 2 mi from Houston. Times in local time, heights relative to MLLW.

Get the precise solunar + tide forecast for your spot

Dawn and dusk are the reliable daily answer, but the exact solunar major/minor periods and the tides for the specific water you're fishing shift day to day. The MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner pulls live NOAA, USGS, and solunar data to score the best times for your exact Houston spot.

See the AI Trip Planner →

Best season to fish Houston

Galveston fishes all twelve months. Spring (March through May) brings big trout to the flats and the first strong redfish action. Summer is prime for trout under the birds (working slicks and gulls over feeding schools) and offshore trips when the Gulf lays down. The fall flounder run in October and November is the marquee event — flounder stage in the passes and cuts as they move to the Gulf, and it is the most predictable pattern of the year. Winter pushes redfish and trout into the deeper bayous and the Galveston ship channel, where they stay catchable on warmer afternoons.

RedfishSpeckled TroutFlounderBlack DrumSheepsheadRed Snapper (offshore)

Best time to fish in Houston — FAQ

What is the best time of day to fish in Houston?

The most reliable windows are the low-light hours around sunrise and sunset. Today in Houston, sunrise is about 7:05 AM and sunset about 7:33 PM, so the dawn and dusk windows either side of those are your best bets — especially on an overcast day or a moving tide.

Does the moon affect fishing in Houston?

Yes. The strongest solunar feeding periods and biggest tides come around the new and full moons. The moon is currently a New Moon (0% illuminated). For the precise solunar major/minor times and tides for your exact spot, use the MyFishingBuds AI Trip Planner.

What is the best season to fish in Houston?

Galveston fishes all twelve months. Spring (March through May) brings big trout to the flats and the first strong redfish action. Summer is prime for trout under the birds (working slicks and gulls over feeding schools) and offshore trips when the Gulf lays down. The fall flounder run in October and November is the marquee event — flounder stage in the passes and cuts as they move to the Gulf, and it is the most predictable pattern of the year. Winter pushes redfish and trout into the deeper bayous and the Galveston ship channel, where they stay catchable on warmer afternoons.

Do I need a fishing license to fish in Houston?

Yes — most adult anglers need a Texas fishing license. See the Texas fishing license guide for 2026 resident and non-resident prices, who's exempt, and where to buy.

What tide is best for fishing in Houston?

Moving water usually beats slack tide — fish the hour or so around a tide change, when current is strongest and sweeps bait past structure. See today's tide times for Houston above to plan around the next high or low.

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