South Padre: March 2024

The year was 1986. I owned a small scooter boat with a six-foot tower. The tower was too tall and unsafe for that boat. I actually tipped it over once but that's another story. I mainly sight-casted from the tower in those days. That boat was a blast to fish from and I learned a lot about bottom structure. More importantly I learned a lot about the behavior of fish.

Fishing was much easier in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s; fish were plentiful everywhere. I would play with them, tossing a lure and jerking it away when they were about to grab it. Things are very different nowadays; fish are not as plentiful and much spookier.

I mention these experiences as I find myself doing more sight-fishing lately than I have in twenty years. What I'm seeing today is that fish will spook and bolt at the slightest unfamiliar noise, even from afar. It gets even more challenging to approach fish in calm conditions. It seems you can only get close when they are actively feeding, possibly thinking more with their stomachs than their brains. Back in the day it was common to observe fish sleeping in a pothole, especially from atop that rickety tower. Nowadays, it is more common to see them fleeing the roar of outboard motors.

In general, fish behavior differs greatly from what it was twenty years ago. In the past, it seemed fish were always willing to bite a good presentation. But not nearly so today.

By now you might be wondering; "What can I do to be more successful?" You can begin by fishing weekdays, or earlier and later on weekends. Study the solunar feeding periods. Keeping a logbook is a great tool for future reference. Read and study articles like this throughout this magazine. Fish with better fishermen than yourself, learn from them, and ask questions. Attend fishing seminars and consider hiring a local fishing guide. And, every time you get out, fish an area you have never fished. Doing these things will broaden your skills and help you become more successful.

Currently, targeting redfish has been easier than trout, but still far from what it was before the big cold snap in January. We are beginning to see more reds on the flats, but they are in pockets and less widespread. The majority of our catches are coming in two to three feet of water with sandy bottom. The Eastside Flats have been holding the best numbers and I expect this will continue until tides rise to more normal levels and they begin using the coves and backwaters of the west shoreline again.

ZMan’s Eye Strike weedless jigs, like the Texas Eye Finesse continue to enable my clients to work lures through grass when the fish are staged near bottom, whether it’s one foot deep or four. The best redfish baits have been ZMan PaddlerZ and StreakZ in Pearl, Sexy Penny, and Space Guppy.

I covered many miles of water immediately following January’s freezing weather and did not see a single dead trout. But, man, did it change their patterns!

I checked all the usual cold-weather holes and none were holding fish. I was perplexed to say the least. It was not until water temps reached 62° that trout returned to the flats and we began catching some solid ones.

So, what's ahead in March? Well, for one, the tides will rise considerably. The trout that were concentrated in the winter months will spread throughout the warming flats. March’s strong winds will muddy a lot of prime water. Areas to focus on will be along protected shorelines and adjacent flats with heavily-grassed bottom. Grass helps keep bottom sediments in place and generally helps improve water clarity. Another area worth considering when targeting big trout is the Eastside Flats, which can remain clear even with 30-mph winds.

Cooler water temps means baitfish will stay lower in the water column. When this happens, watch the gulls, pelicans and ospreys. They will show you where the bait is hiding. Schools of mullet along shorelines is a good sign that big trout might also be there. The best time to target trophy trout is during two tide days. Patience is required because they’re tough to trick.

March and April are the two windiest months of the year. If you do not have a drift sock in your boat, get one. Two is even better. This is also the time of year when trout attain their heaviest weights. You deserve a photo with a lifetime trout. Get out there and make it happen.

Best fishing!