Alright, listen up, y’all. Gonna tell ya ’bout fishin’ down South Padre way, you hear? Folks been askin’ me, “How’s the fishin’?” Well, I’m here to spill the beans, just like my grandma used to when she talked about catchin’ catfish back in the day.
Fishin’ Season and When to Go
Now, fishin’ ain’t always the same, you know? Sometimes they bitin’, sometimes they ain’t. But down South Padre, seems like fishin’ picks up real good when the weather starts gettin’ warm. Springtime, that’s when things start gettin’ lively. Folks say Amberjack season opens up in May, lasts ’til the end of the month. Then come June, Red snapper season starts, and that goes on ’til the end of July. That’s what I heard, anyways.
But listen, you don’t gotta wait for them fancy seasons. Fishin’ can be good pretty much any time, long as you know when to go. Early mornin’, ‘fore the sun gets too high, that’s a good time. And then again in the evenin’, when the sun starts goin’ down. Them fish, they like to eat when it ain’t too hot.
And somethin’ else I heard, fishin’s supposed to be real good between a new moon and a full moon. Don’t ask me why, that’s just what folks say. Somethin’ about the moon pullin’ the water, makin’ the fish all hungry or somethin’.
Where to Find the Fish
Okay, so you wanna know where to find them fish, huh? Well, lemme tell ya. They got these places called gas well flats. Sounds fancy, but it ain’t. Just shallow water with some gas wells stickin’ out. Speckled trout, they like it there. You can use live shrimp under a poppin’ cork, that’s what I heard works real good.
- Gas Well Flats: Good for speckled trout, use live shrimp.
- North of Unnecessary Island: More speckled trout there, too.
- Old Causeway: Little black drum hang out around there, in schools, like kids on a playground.
- Channels in South Bay: Redfish and black drum mixin’ together down there.
- South Padre Island Jetties: Folks always talkin’ ’bout fishin’ off them jetties, must be somethin’ good out there.
Now, Redfish, they a bit more finicky. Sometimes they on them gas well flats, sometimes they ain’t. You just gotta keep lookin’. And them little black drum, they like to hang out near the old causeway, swimmin’ around in big groups. You can also find redfish mixed in with the black drum in the channels down in South Bay.
What Kinds of Fish You Can Catch
Down South Padre, there’s all sorts of fish you can catch. I already mentioned speckled trout, redfish, and black drum. But there’s more, you betcha. There’s them Amberjack, big fellas, fight like heck. And Red snapper, oh, them Red snapper, they taste so good fried up with some grits. And if you go out to the lake, Corpus Christi Lake, they got them big ol’ blue catfish. I heard folks catchin’ ’em 15, 20, even 30 pounds! You gotta drift for them, though, from the state park over to Permit Point.
Fishing Report for 2024 and Other Tips
Now, I ain’t been down there lately, but I heard tell that the fishin’ report for 2024 is lookin’ pretty good. Folks are catchin’ fish, that’s what matters. And if you wanna stay up-to-date, there’s places you can go to get the latest scoop on what’s bitin’ and where. They got these fancy reports, tellin’ you all the details. But me? I just like to go out and see for myself. That’s the best way to know what’s goin’ on.
Here’s a few more things to keep in mind. Use live bait, that always seems to work best. And don’t be afraid to move around. If the fish ain’t bitin’ in one spot, try another. And most important, be patient. Fishin’ ain’t always easy, but it’s always worth it when you finally reel in that big one.
So there you have it, a little somethin’ ’bout fishin’ down South Padre way. Go on down there and see for yourself. And who knows, maybe you’ll catch a big ‘un and have a fish fry for the whole neighborhood. Just remember what I told ya, and you’ll do just fine.
And don’t forget, keep an eye on that moon, it might just help you catch more fish! Now get out there and wet a line!
Tags: [South Padre Island, Fishing Report, Speckled Trout, Redfish, Black Drum, Amberjack, Red Snapper, Blue Catfish, Gas Well Flats, South Bay, Jetties, Fishing Season, Fishing Forecast, Corpus Christi Lake, Texas Fishing]
