Mid-Coast Bays: April 2025

March fishing has been consistently good as of this writing. We had a couple of freezing nights over the past few weeks but luckily no fish kills. This was probably due to the fact that the tides had been very low for some time and already fairly cold water temps, so the fish wouldn’t be unexpectedly trapped in shallow back lakes.

Most fishing in March took place in the back lakes of Matagorda Island such as Contee, Pringle, and Fifth; and also in the Shoalwater Bay area. All of these are predominantly shallow with muddy bottoms, which means the water is usually warmer on average than the surrounding bays and attracts lots of bait, and likewise plenty of game fish. For these same reasons much of the game fish we will be targeting in coming weeks will remain in this back lake pattern until the main bay waters reach the magical 70° mark – likely sometime around mid-April or a bit later.

Last Monday when I launched my Shallow Sport X3, the water temperature in the ICW was a chilly 44°. I was heading out to do some scouting for my upcoming trips, Tuesday through Friday. We had just had two nights of temperatures in the upper-30s. In Shoalwater Bay the water was 47° and there were a few redfish hanging around, the mullet I saw were all extremely shallow. I decided then that I would need a deeper backwater area to produce any number of fish. By the time I ran to Matagorda Island to check a deeper back lake the sun had started to work its magic and warm the shallows.

In Contee Lake the water was 49° and climbing as the sun heated the surface. 50° was as warm as it got that day. I got quite a few strikes from redfish but none stayed hooked as they were barely tapping the baits. Fast forward to Tuesday, I told my guys to meet me at 9:00, later than usual, to give the water a chance to warm up a bit.

At 9:00 Tuesday morning I was glad to see the surface temp of the water was 50° in the ICW. When we got to Matagorda Island the back lakes were running 55-57° and the mullet were becoming active, making it a little easier to target the redfish. As the morning progressed the temps rose steadily and the bite got better. By Friday the back lakes had climbed to the mid-70s and the fish were making up for meals missed during the cold front.

The reason I bring this up is because if you are going to be the complete angler and want to fish the POC and Seadrift areas in springtime you had better have a temperature gauge on your boat. Temperature gauges are as necessary as any other tool you use when fishing.

Moving on into April; we will still be fishing in the back lakes much of the time, not only due to water temperatures but also because of the traditional springtime winds. The wind will keep you in the back lake areas more for protection and water clarity more than any other reason this month. Once we get to a sustained 70° bay water water temperature the fish will begin transitioning to the main bay shorelines.

All this talk of chilly water temperatures reminds me that I will likely still be wearing my Southerly waders right into the first week or so of May. That’s right, I said Southerly waders. Our friends Lance and Christy Abel, now full-time residents of POC, approached Shellie and I last fall about becoming ambassadors for their new fishing product line – Southerly Fishing Gear.

Southerly is a high-performance apparel line designed specifically for the demands of the toughest saltwater conditions. I have been wearing their shirts, pants, waders, and wading boots all through the recent winter season. Believe me when I say they are top-notch in every category, more comfortable and better thought-out than all the brands we have used in the past.

Look for Southerly products to be available soon at Jeco’s, Fishing Tackle Unlimited, Rockport Tackle Town, Roy’s Bait and Tackle Outfitters, and also online. I have to say their wading boots feel very comfortable with a nice “cush feel” when wading hard sand or walking on concrete when you get back to the dock.

Go to www.southerlyfishing.com and check them out, remember they are a local company with high-quality products designed by anglers that use them here on the Texas Coast.

Fish hard, fish smart!