South Padre Island is in its late-spring peak this week. Redfish are tailing on the Lower Laguna Madre flats, the first tarpon of the season have arrived in the Brownsville Ship Channel and along the beaches, and the offshore mahi run is building. Persistent south winds (15-22 knots) shaped trip planning — the leeward flats produced the action.
Lower Laguna Madre — Tailing Reds
The Lower Laguna Madre redfish fishery is at its prime spring window. Tailing schools are working the lower tides on the clear-water flats from the Brownsville Ship Channel north through Port Mansfield. Sight casting from poled skiffs to schools in 12-24 inches of water at first light is the productive technique.
Standard rigs — gold weedless spoons (1/4 oz Johnson Sprite), DOA C.A.L. paddle tails on 1/8 oz weedless jigheads, Z-Man Trout Tricks in glow chartreuse. Live shrimp on light tackle for the bait anglers.
The white-sand-bottom flats with seagrass beds — the most photogenic redfishing in Texas — are the productive zones. The early window from first light through about 9 AM has been consistent before the south wind builds.
Tarpon — First Arrivals
The first tarpon of the season have arrived. Schools of 50-120 lb fish are working the Brownsville Ship Channel on the moving tides and have been spotted along the South Padre beaches. Sight casting from boats running the beach at first light produces shots in the calm windows. Live mullet or crabs on circle hooks anchored at the ship channel mouth produces the bait-fishing action.
The tarpon run will build through June-July to peak August-September.
Speckled Trout — Wade Fishing
The wade-fishing trout bite has been excellent. Big trout (5-8 lb fish) are being caught wading the flats at first light. Topwater walking plugs (She Dog, Spook Jr.) in bone or pearl are the early-morning standard. The deeper trout fishery on the outside structure in 4-6 feet of water is producing limits.
Standard wading kit — wading boots, stingray protection, light tackle, small wade-fishing bag. The early morning calm before the south wind builds is the productive window.
Snook — Forgotten Texas Species
The Brownsville Ship Channel and the lower jetties continue to hold snook — Texas’s forgotten species. The night dock-light bite at the South Padre Convention Center area and the Port Isabel jetty produces slot fish on small white DOA Shrimp, MirrOlure Lil John, and live shrimp on light tackle.
Offshore — Mahi Build, Kingfish
The mahi bite is building on the offshore water. Boats running the deep structure 20-30 miles offshore are finding scattered schools on weed lines. Trolled ballyhoo on light fluoro is the standard.
Kingfish are reliable on the artificial reefs in 50-90 feet of water. Slow-trolled live blue runners are producing fish in the 20-40 lb class.
Federal red snapper opens June 1 in the Gulf (verify NOAA dates). The offshore fleet is preparing.
What’s Ahead
Federal red snapper opens June 1. The tarpon migration will build through June and July. The summer wind pattern is settling in — consistent 15-25 knot south winds will shape trip planning. Water temperatures climbing through the upper 80s.
For this weekend: dawn wade fishing on the leeward flats, dawn tarpon sight casting on the beach, trout on the outside through the day.
Tight lines.