South Padre is into its summer pattern, with redfish tailing the Lower Laguna Madre flats, trout on the grass and along the spoils, and the first tarpon and snook showing along the beachfront and the jetties. Early mornings are calm and productive before the wind and heat build. The lower Texas coast is fishing well this week.
What’s Hitting
Redfish are tailing on the Lower Laguna Madre flats and working the spoils and bars. Speckled trout are on the grass flats and around the spoil islands and the deeper guts. Tarpon are showing along the beachfront and around the jetties, and snook are around the jetties and the Brownsville Ship Channel. Black drum and the odd flounder round out the inshore action.
Where to Find Them
Wade or pole the Lower Laguna Madre flats and spoils for tailing reds and trout. The grass flats and guts hold trout, especially early. The South Padre jetties and beachfront hold tarpon, snook, and Spanish. The Brownsville Ship Channel and the jetties are the snook and tarpon spots. The surf produces trout and reds on calm green-water mornings.
Tides & Conditions
Sight-fishing the flats is best in the calm early morning before the prevailing wind builds and clouds the water. Trout and reds bite the moving tides. The beachfront tarpon and snook follow the bait and the tide around the jetties. Water is warm and the heat builds fast by midday. Fish the early window — the wind and sun shut the flats bite down by midmorning. The flats fish best dead-calm at first light before the southeast wind builds and clouds the water, so be on your spot at sunrise.
Tackle & Tactics
Sight-fishing the flats calls for weedless soft plastics, gold spoons, and well-placed live shrimp for tailing reds. Trout want soft plastics, topwaters, and popping corks on the grass. For the jetty and beachfront tarpon and snook, live mullet, big soft plastics, and topwaters. Approach the shallow flats quietly — the Laguna fish spook easily in the clear, calm water.
This Week’s Tip
On the Lower Laguna, the wind is your clock. The flats fish best in the dead-calm early morning before the southeast wind builds and dirties the water. Be on your fishing spot at first light, cover the clear water while you can see the tailing fish, and have a backup plan along the protected spoils and the jetties for when the wind inevitably comes up.