Any tips for bait, rigs, tackle, to use, or time/ weather to surf Fishing on the beach in Galveston?

What are you fishing for?

Best bet is to go for redfish and speck trout in the bay. My experience it is hard to beat shrimp or small drum as bait.

If you are night fishing, use a spotlight to attract bugs to the water, that will bring some fish in as well.

What about fishing from the beach in Galveston?
Just want to catch fish. Will eat anything I catch

I'm no expert on beach fishing in Galveston but we go there once a year and I usually surf fish at least a couple times.

You can buy shrimp for bait almost anywhere. Use heavy tackle and casting sinkers. Cast as far as you can, take up the slack, prop up your rod in the sand and open a cold beverage.

I usually catch a lot of those nasty cats and a few rays but occasionally a snapper or something delicious.

I don't think you'll want to eat all the Ray's you're going to catch

 

Wade to the second or third sand bar. Throw either Live Shrimp or plastics. Try to time it when the water is calm and green damn near to the beach. Also get a long ass stringer and keep the fish away from you, and don't tie the stringer to your body. Make it easy to get rid of but also secure. Sharks like to potlick a stringer of trout.

For plastics I like Gulp New Penny 4" shrimp or the chartreuse grubs. Hell pretty much any Gulp will do. They can also be used under a popping cork like a live shrimp

Depends on time of year.
Right now is time for Black Drum. Locally referred to as Big Uglies. Can go 50lbs+.
Crab pieces is the best bait. Shrimp will work but little bait stealing fish will snarf the bait too quickly.
Red Drum(aka Redfish) are usually around. Cut up pieces of mullet for redfish.
You'll need heavy tackle for these guys. 20lb test or better line. Large 4oz or heavier weights.
Fish on bottom.

In the surf this time of year trout are few. Mostly trash fish like whiting. Shrimp for them and light tackle.
Sheepshead are around piers, docks, etc. These eat pretty good but are a bitch to clean. Use TINY hooks and shrimp bits to catch them. They have small mouths and are expert bait nibblers!

When surf fishing in Galveston or most of the Gulf, I tend to go with - big hooks, big bait = big fish.  If you have access using a kayak and hauling several lines out past the shallow sandbars helps a lot.  If you are interested in sharks there are some great blogs about fishing for them from the shore.  

If the bait you are using isnt working, switch it up.  Sometimes a small change makes a big different.

The trout are in the surf in June and July.  Reds have their run in September to November.  Flounder are grouping for their run at the mouths of the bay's and inter coastal October and November.  Have fun but don't trail a stringer on your belt!  Bull sharks have a habit of taking the catch and a bite of the fisherman too!  And don't forget to shuffle so you don't step on a ray!