CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Port Arthur, TX Daily Water Report — August 28, 2026

Today’s conditions deliver a near-perfect window for flat-water boating and kayaking, with scores of 9.4 and 9.1 respectively reflecting the rare combination of almost glassy seas, light and variable wind, and stable high pressure. This is about as good as it gets for getting out on the water in late August, a clear upgrade from yesterday’s already solid 8.6 for boating. The vibe this morning will be exceptional: a representative northwesterly breeze of just 1 knot, gusting to only 5, keeps the surface smooth while the early outgoing tide offers a gentle drift. By midday, the tide bottoms out at 0.28 meters, but with swell a negligible 0.08 meters and wind waves effectively zero, you’ll hardly notice the exchange. Fishing also scores well at 8 out of 10, boosted by a full moon and solunar activity peaking around the main periods between sunrise and early afternoon. The very high chlorophyll reading suggests a rich food web, though remember that doesn’t guarantee fish locations. Dive visibility is a modest 6.8, typical for nearshore Gulf waters, and the 31.3-degree surface temperature is two-thirds of a degree warmer than normal—comfortable but not crystal. Tradeoffs are minimal today, but a couple of notes: that full moon drives a bigger tidal swing than the numbers suggest, so shallow channels could be tricky at dead low. Surfers will want to skip it—wave heights barely break ankle-high all day, same 4.5 score as the past week. Late afternoon brings a wind shift that could kick up a brief ripple, with a gust to 20 knots showing up around 8 PM, well after the best boating window. Compared to the past week, today stands out for its calm. Yesterday’s north breeze averaged 7 knots; today’s is a ghost. The 0.06-meter calmest wave height near sunset is absurdly flat. The coming days look similar, with Saturday through Monday offering the same sub-1-foot seas and building afternoon heat. Rain chances stay low through the weekend, ticking up early next week. If you’ve got a boat or a kayak, launch by mid-morning and don’t overthink it—this is one of those rare summer days where the Gulf acts like a lake.