South Padre: January 2025

Even when typing 2025 in the heading of this article it is hard to believe that another year has come and gone. I always heard growing up the saying, "The older you get, the faster time flies." I now believe it to be true.

I will begin by relating several facts about our local fishery; one that was very puzzling and two that are very reassuring. Puzzling to me was that redfish became rather scarce in the lower end of the Lower Laguna for a short period several weeks ago. We searched far and wide and finally discovered them to be quite plentiful north of the Arroyo Colorado. Luckily, the trout took up the slack and kept our lines tight during all that searching. Big trout were, in fact, numerous and willing to eat; which was very reassuring as regards the future of the fishery. And while this may sound like a “fish story” we actually experienced a day when we spotted nearly a hundred trout in the twenty-four to thirty-inch range.

And now, even more reassuring, following the last couple of cold snaps, we are seeing more fish in the southern portion of the Lower Laguna. The redfish are back and will hopefully become even more plentiful as the water temperature continues to cool.

On colder days we have been targeting muddier bottoms, deeper holes near grass flats, and flats directly adjacent the ICW and finding good numbers of both trout and reds. I will also mention that these areas have been producing best during periods with tidal movement – in or out doesn’t matter – just so the water is moving.

Any time the redfish seem to be hugging bottom and not moving much, I have found the ZMan Big Ballerz in Plum/Chartreuse, Gold Fire and Beer Run to be very effective on 1/4-ounce Trout Eye jigs, worked slow near bottom. On windy days when a bit of vibration helps attract bites, I go with the 5-inch Paddlerz on the same jigs, which makes a great weedless setup.

Our trout fishery continues to show improvement. More frequent cold fronts will arrive in January, dropping air and water temperatures even more. This drop in temperature will improve trout fishing and should also dramatically increase the size of the catch.

Remember that after a cold front blows through, let's say a few days and things are beginning to warm up, look for trout to frequent the eastside sand flats. Trout will also begin to stage in potholes on grassy flats. During the colder periods they will shift toward deeper water; edges of the ICW, and flats with quick deep-water access. Flats near the Brazos Santiago Pass or Mansfield’s East Cut are also excellent choices this time of the year.

When targeting trout, Z Man's Paddlerz in Pearl, Beer Run, Sexy Penny, and Sexy Mullet in both the four and five-inch models are suggested baits. I would rig these baits with a Texas Eye or Texas Eye Finesse weedless hook.

Snook is another species worth targeting down here during the winter months. The winter snook bite can be either really good or slow and boring. If you hit it right, a trip of a lifetime is possible. So, when is it right? Usually, two to three days after a good cold front. Snook will be hungry, but you will need to target them in deeper water as they are especially sensitive to colder temperatures. Snook like to school up, so you will likely find more where you find one. But keep in mind when snook fishing, their window of opportunity is small because they can be picky eaters and will tend to feed only on moving tides. But the reward is well worth the wait.

Some of the best fishing is happening right now and will continue throughout the month. Yes, we will be at the mercy of the weather, but if you can brave the winter conditions, it will be well worth it. Be sure to dress warm, and wearing waders is a must if you plan to get in the water.

When it comes to waders I am quite biased and a longtime Simms guy. Check out their new G4Z waders coming out soon. The zipper front is the way to go, and once you wear them for one day, I’m betting you will never return to the conventional non-zipper style.

Happy New Year to all and best fishing. Remember to practice conservation of our fisheries as much as possible. The future is bright for our trout fishery and you can help make it better.