South Padre: January 2023

Happy New Year to everyone! In this first article of 2023 I want to start with some technical information that has helped me over the years. Every year is different; which I believe makes continuous learning one of the keys to daily success on the water.

Let's begin with tides. I think of tidal currents as pathways for fish to travel to and from certain areas or between bodies of water. I am often asked whether I prefer high tides or low tides. My reply is any moving tide is a good thing, but I also add that some areas fish better on high tides while others are better on low tides. Now, having said that, keep in mind that a low tide tends to draw fish from the farthest reaches of marshes and back lakes and, if you know their primary escape or exit routes (around points, along sandbars and ledges, bayous, and deeper cuts), you can enjoy a great day of catching. This technique also works well in reverse on an incoming tide. In addition to gamefish, remember that tides also move the forage species they depend on. As a result, fish are more likely to feed when food is readily available in moving water, making them easier to catch when you position yourself in the middle of it.

So, what creates tides? The gravitational pull of the sun and the moon play significant roles. Studying the tide charts in this magazine and other sources can be very helpful. If you are curious to learn more about the science behind fishing success, make sure the information you gather is for the area you fish. 

Redfish action has remained steady. Despite the arrival of several cold fronts and water temps dropping to the mid-60s, the majority of our redfish continue to hold in what I call shallow patterns. Potholes on grassy flats have been good areas to target. I expect this will change soon and they will begin to stage in deeper water as fronts continue to arrive. When this happens they will likely be reluctant to feed for a few days as high atmospheric pressure dominates the weather pattern. Tricking them to take a lure will require lots of patience and slow presentations along bottom. Feeding activity will usually resume and the bite will improve the second day following the front, as temperatures rise, atmospheric pressure declines, and tides begin to return to normal.  

Trout are less tolerant of cold weather and water temperatures, so their movements on and off shallow flats tends to be more frequent than redfish. However, the same as redfish, trout can be found lying in potholes on relatively shallow, grassy flats during warm days between fronts. Four-inch soft plastics rigged in weedless fashion, worked along grassy edges of larger potholes and across smaller ones is an excellent method for targeting larger trout. Natural lure colors tend to work better than brighter colors. I'm sure you have heard the old "match the hatch" theory. Well, it works down here in the Lower Laguna, especially in winter, and many trophy fish have been fooled over the years.  

From what I have seen lately, our winter trout season looks promising and I expect to see many anglers scoring their personal best in the months ahead. It's been almost two years since the devastating freeze of February 2021, and the surviving twenty-plus-inchers have had two years to continue growing. This along with many anglers adopting the CPR attitude gives me hope for a notable year. 

Our snook fishery continues to thrive and anglers working the deeper ledges along the Brownsville Ship Channel have been enjoying notable catches. Look for snook to move onto shallow flats adjacent to the channel during prolonged warming periods.

In closing, I would like to return and add to the technical side of this article. A yearly event for me is referencing my calendar and noting moon phases, tide charts, and solunar feeding periods. Years of study has proven that all these factors together influence fish behavior in many ways, with my main concern being when and where to predict reliable feeding activity. Predict is a key word here; we can never achieve 100% accuracy, but you can certainly gain greater knowledge and understanding of patterns that will allow you to become a better and more successful angler, and that’s all that really matters. I hope this year brings you lots of tight lines.