Twelve Months of Serious Sand Action

WITH 367 MILES OF COASTLINE, Texas offers incredible opportunities for shore access to the Gulf of Mexico.

Although the standard image of surf fishing involves families fishing during summer vacation, the reality is much different. Texas surf fishing is good year-round for a wide variety of species.

From speckled trout to sharks, there are exciting opportunities every month from the Louisiana line down to the Rio Grande. Here are our choices for top surf opportunities for each month on the Texas Coast.

WINTER MEANS the pursuit of whiting for many anglers. These small but super tasty fish are abundant and willing to bite, especially when surf conditions run from sandy-green to clear.

A seven-foot medium light St. Croix Seage Surf rod with a good quality spinning reel baited with dead shrimp or small chunks of cut bait on a Carolina rig is deadly for whiting.

If you do research on whiting and have a hard time finding them, it’s because they are also called “Gulf kingfish.” No matter the name, they are a great fish to catch. When the bite is on, they are a great way to introduce kids to surf fishing.

SANDBAR SHARKS are present in the South Texas surf, particularly along South Padre Island in the winter with February being a strong month.

They tend to wrap up a lot of their mating activity that brings them to the area by March. February is a transition month so you will start seeing other shark species move in as waters begin to warm.

A whole whiting or cut jack crevalle rigged on a wire leader and fished from a 12-foot St. Croix Seage heavy action rod should do the trick for sharks this month. Sandbar sharks are a catch-and-release only affair in Texas waters  and must not be taken out of the water. For a full list of sharks that must be released click here.

MUTANT-SIZED black drum are a great surf catch as these huge fish hang around jetties, fish passes, and even move into bay systems for spawning. The Upper and Middle Coasts tend to have the best super-sized drum fishing.

During the colder months, drums of all sizes frequent deeper waters and channels, as well as the Gulf surf according to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials.

Fresh dead shrimp, crab, and sea lice are the best baits.

TPWD also noted drums will often “mouth” the bait for some time before swallowing it, so anglers must wait until the fish moves off with the bait, then jerk the rod tip up to set the hook.

BLACKTIP, Atlantic, sharpnose, bull, and bonnethead sharks are in the surf along most of the coast in solid numbers now.

All of the above (except for bulls) primarily feed in clean water so keep that in mind. Also, keep in mind high tides and do most of your fishing around the high tide, especially if that converges with the pre-dawn hours and just after dark. Sharks tend to move closer to shore to feed when it’s dark.

The aforementioned 12-foot St. Croix Seage is a great recommendation for these sharks as well. However, if it’s mainly smaller blacktips and Atlantic sharpnose you expect to catch their 10-foot, 6-inch medium-heavy action rod will do the trick.

If there are lots of bulls in the area, try to get some cut stingray. Big bulls tend to eat rays like they are candy.

SPECKLED TROUT are well-established in the surf by May, but windy days make fishing tough.

Look for emerging slicks on calmer days to find fish and be cognizant of baitfish activity. If the section of surf you are fishing is devoid of bait, it will be devoid of specks.

Soft plastics rigged under a popping cork are hard to beat. Adjust colors to match water clarity. Super clear water begs for natural colors, while more off-colored water requires combos such as black/chartreuse.

THIS IS TEXAS, and speckled trout is king, so we have no problem profiling them two months running. By June topwater action has improved and surf conditions tend to be more stable.

Early morning topwater action can be fantastic. Savvy anglers hit the surf at least an hour before the first crack of daylight. Mullet-imitating, walking-style topwaters are your best choice.

SPANISH MACKEREL are growing in popularity as surf fishing grows its fanbase in Texas. These fish can be common in the surf during summer months, and they fight hard.

Few fish their size gives such a quick, determined first run. Nothing is better for catching them than a flashy silver spoon. A medium-action St Croix Seage seven-foot surf rod is great for mackerel. It’s got just the right combo of backbone and flexibility to allow you to make a good hookset and work the spoon.

AUGUST is a transition month on the Texas Coast.

Shark action is still strong in some areas, particularly on the Middle and Lower Coasts. Bull redfish are starting to show in strong numbers and will build through September.

Look for big tides and full moon periods for top night fishing for both species.

SEPTEMBER is the prime time to catch bull redfish. As previously noted, they are in the surf at some level year-round, but September is prime time for the bull redfish “run” when the big specimens hit the nearshore area for spawning.

Bull reds can be present anywhere, but in areas within proximity of jetties (also the jetties themselves) and other passes offer primo opportunities. Live mullet or croaker is a great bait choice as the live offering will keep many of the gafftop-sail catfish away, which can keep your focus away from reds.

 

A wide-gapped or circle hook is best so you can ethically release the big breeders. A spinning combo with an 11-foot St. Croix Seage surf rod with medium-heavy action is a great choice.

You will want to get the line as far out as possible. This will allow great castability and also has enough action to allow you to see sensitive bites. Believe it or not, some bull reds don’t just hit and run.

CROAKER are also simple to catch and take to dead shrimp quickly. When they are abundant in the surf, croakers gladly take scented lures and also hit small spoons.

The “croaker run” used to be a big deal at places along the coast, but croaker numbers are not what they used to be thanks to bycatch-related issues. There are still plenty out there to catch. The latter part of October is great at passes and jetties along the beachfront from Sabine down to Corpus Christi.

SAND TROUT (sand seatrout) are silvery with a pinkish color on the upper sides. Gulf trout (silver seatrout) are bright silver all over with no stripes, bars, or other marks.

Both of these fish start biting consistently in November and typically after our first “blue norther.” Dead shrimp is a great bait, but they will also take small shrimp-imitating lures.

POMPANO are present along the southern Texas Coast at some levels year-round but in December if the water temperature is between about 63 to 70 degrees you will find pompanos.

These beautiful fish don’t get big, but they fight hard and they taste great. Look for clear surf and sunny days for the best bites. Throw cut bait, scented lures, or small spoons for the best results.

 

—story by TF&G STAFF

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