South Padre Island Fishing Charters & Guides

South Padre Island Fishing Charters

South Padre Island, Texas is a resort town on a barrier island of the same name, off the southern coast of Texas. It’s located south of Corpus Christi and just east of Brownsville. This beautiful stretch of barrier island is known for its sandy beaches and calm waters. And, oh yes. Fishing in every direction. You can stay in a luxury hotel, a vacation rental or even in one of the island’s campgrounds. When it comes to things to do and places to eat, you’ll not find many destinations as good and as varied as this, especially with great fishing all around. You can also climb the five-story watchtower at the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center to view migrating birds and Mother Nature at her coastal finest here.

South Padre Island Inshore Fishing

Inshore fishing at Padre Island is mainly focused on the large Laguna Madre Bay. It’s a Bay for all seasons. Early in the year, there are plenty of redfish and speckled trout, as well as pompano and some snook up in the Bay. It’s a shallow water bay and almost anywhere around shore offers good fishing. Some anglers even enjoy wade fishing. When late cold spells hit, it actually helps anglers in some ways. The fish like to head to the deepest water and since there are only a few deep holes, you’ll usually find fish stacked there. Before the summer crowd hits, it is also an uncrowded option for angling fun. In the summer, redfish continue to be the top draw, especially along the shallow clear grass flats. Don’t overlook the tarpon fishery here, either. The Brazos Santiago Pass, which connects the Lower Laguna Madre to the Gulf of Mexico is the seasonal home to Silver Kings from April through November. The biggest draw to the bay is that you can catch almost anything here at certain times of the year. Your ice chest can include fresh redfish, speckled trout, snook and tarpon, even flounder. When they are running, you can also catch Spanish mackerel, kingfish, mangrove snapper, barracudas, jack crevalle, black drum, sheepshead and shark. There are also some amazing fishing piers available for you to enjoy some casual fishing in between your serious ventures out in a boat. The one-acre Queen Isabella State Fishing Pier was once part of a causeway over the bay. There is also the Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier in Port Isabel located at the entrance to the Queen Isabella Causeway that leads to South Padre Island. You can’t miss it… just go to the Lighthouse in Port Isabel. It’s the longest pier in Texas and has everything from bait and tackle to food and restrooms. There are also several other piers in the area.

South Padre Island Offshore Fishing

If fishing in the bay isn’t big enough for you, it’s a quick boat ride out to the Gulf of Mexico where a whole world of angling opportunities quickly open up. South Padre Island has a huge selection of seasoned and successful guides that can put you on fish consistently. Out from the island, you will find yellowfin tuna and blackfin tuna, mango snapper, tarpon, jack crevalle, sheepshead, amberjack, wahoo, flounder, red snapper and even the opportunity to catch a blue marlin. Blue Marlin and sailfish run all year, but they are best from April through October. You actually have a chance to catch one of two similar fish here, the Atlantic Blue Marlin and the Atlantic Sailfish. Blue Marlin feed primarily near the surface unless their food source goes deeper. They are a super strong fish and are highly mobile. The Sailfish has a much larger, more dominant dorsal fin and are known for turning an “electric blue” color when hooked. They are perhaps one of the most exciting fish to catch anywhere, especially when they go airborne and “sail” through the air. Most sailfish are now caught and released. When booking a trip, it’s best to check with the Captain and see what the best species are for the time you are on the island. Then just sit back and enjoy your vacation and let the captains take you to your catch.

Book A South Padre Island Fishing Charter

With water on both sides and a view that makes you think you are in a tropical resort, you’ll find plenty to do in South Padre Island. You can fish inside on the bay, outside to the Gulf, and just enjoy a great vacation on the island in between trips. A charter or guided fishing trip will be icing on the cake, whether you go to nearby inshore waters or off the coast for bigger fish. Book a charter with FishAnywhere today so you can make sure you don’t miss any of the action.