South Padre: December 2023

Everybody is saying that December arrived quickly, but not soon enough for me. This month marks the beginning of winter and winter is my favorite season for fishing. Why is winter my favorite? First is because fish, especially bigger trout, become more predictable in their staging and feeding patterns. No other season even comes close to the aggressive gorging behavior of trout when a strong front is approaching, and again when the weather settles a few days after the front passes through. The second reason goes back to my twenty-eight years as a school teacher. Watching the kids huddled in tight groups on the courtyard on cold winter mornings always reminded me of trout seeking warmth as they crowd into areas with deeper and warmer water. Now, while there is likely no correlation between those school kids and fish, knowing that trout behave this way certainly aids us in our search for them.

How can I find areas where fish are likely to hold during winter? Get on Google Maps and look for areas of deeper water, like deeper guts on the flats and drop-offs along the ICW. These deeper areas will appear greener than surrounding shallow areas. Another way is to pay attention to the birds – pelicans and gulls. They don't have to be actively feeding, just observe where they tend to congregate. You can bet that baitfish are plentiful nearby, which will also attract gamefish.

Currently, I would say our redfish population is good, but far from what I expect to see in the next couple of months. For the most part, the more significant concentrations of redfish have already been in deeper water, holding on grassbeds and in potholes. My guess is that recently lower tides and boat traffic have pushed them waist-deep or deeper. Finding bait will play an integral part in finding reds as we get further into the winter season. Having a means of measuring water temperature also plays a critical role in finding the water temp they prefer. I always check temperature any place we find fish, and then use that information when searching for places with similar bottom structure and water temperature.

Remember, fish will tend to move slower on colder days, so a slow retrieve will often entice more redfish strikes. On windier days I suggest a bait with a vibrating tail, like Z-Man's PaddlerZ or a DieZel Minnow in five-inch size. On calmer days, Z-Man Streakz in Pearl and Space Guppy, or the scented Jerk ShadZ in Sexy Mullet are all proven baits that have fooled many fish for us.

Recently, I attended a TPWD scoping meeting during which they proposed a return to the three-fish trout limit. Many good points were made and great discussions were shared. The general consensus of the attendees strongly favored the proposed three-fish limit and I left the meeting hopeful that we would see it enacted into regulation soon.

Currently, smaller trout continue to dominate our catches, along with a few nice ones in the mix. I still believe it's going to be a good winter trout year, nothing close to what we had before the freeze, but it has been getting a little better each year. Thankfully, we have many conservation-minded anglers practicing catch and release, and there is no better way to rebuild this fishery.

Look for mature female trout to show on the flats a day or two after a cold snap. Not only will they frequent shallow grass flats to feed, they also go there to warm up as the shallow grass warms faster than deeper water. The edges of land masses or spoil islands are also good attractors because land transfers heat to the surrounding water.

Z Man's Texas Eye Finesse Jighead rigged with PaddlerZ and StreakZ plastic baits are amazingly weedless and can be fished in the heaviest of grassbeds without hanging up or clogging. This setup is what we will use when targeting big trout in the shallow grass beds as they come out to feed and warm up. When targeting trophy trout with topwaters in the shallows, I prefer smaller baits to avoid spooking them.

I will finish my report by stating that we have enjoyed outstanding summer and fall seasons for snook. Barring any significantly cold or freezing weather, I cannot help but believe the snook population will continue to increase in numbers. Winter snook season is now in full swing and already we are seeing a promising future for this species.

Best fishing to you and a Merry Christmas!