texas fishing information Late Summer on the Lower Laguna

Late Summer on the Lower Laguna

For anglers in the Laguna Madre area, July signals the beginning of an incredible couple months of fishing opportunities. From now through September, inshore and nearshore anglers can realistically expect to hookup with everything from speckled trout to tarpon to kingfish. Granted, some years see this potpourri of saltwater game fish show up sooner than others. And, this year we had a pretty early jump on kingfish and Spanish mackerel. However, year after year, July marks the point at which all of these species will be consistently found in catchable numbers in and around the Laguna Madre.

Summer traffic is, without question, higher than other times of the year. There are infinitely more boats on the water in July and August than in, say, November or December. But, given the variety of action to be had, there is more than enough room for intrepid fishermen who are flexible and don't mind looking for fish where other boats aren't.

Speckled trout and redfish, the mainstays of the bay fishing scene, are readily available during the summer months. Fishermen working the bay this time of year, however, need to be aware that the fish will be transitioning throughout the day. Shallow flats that are filled with fish at daybreak may be devoid of life come the heat of the afternoon. But, by being flexible and willing to change locales as the fish dictate will ensure success.

Over the next few months, bay fishermen can expect to have pretty consistent shallow water surface activity. Both reds and specks will be prowling the skinny flats during periods of low light - in other words, early and late. This is particularly true during periods of high water which coincide with dawn or dusk. When an incoming current floods over the shallows during the cooler early morning or late afternoon hours, fish are encouraged to get up on the flats to feed. Under these conditions, the topwater action can be superb. And, the typically light summer winds are ideal for fly rodders as well.

As the day wears on - and heats up - the majority of the trout will begin backing off into deeper water. Given this predictable behavior, summer specks will most often be found on flats that offer quick access to deeper water. After the trout move off the shallow flats, they can usually be easily plucked from this deeper water with live shrimp or a variety of soft-plastics.

Redfish, on the other hand, are a bit hardier and will often remain on the flats throughout the majority of the day. With that in mind, some of the best sight-casting opportunities for spot tails will occur a bit later in the morning, after the sun is high enough to allow anglers to better see the fish. Once again, this is a scenario that is tailor made for fishermen with fly rod skills, although sight fishing for reds with light jigs and spoons will also produce plenty of results.

Although fishing for our standard bay fare will be par excellent over the next few months, area anglers would remiss if they don't take advantage of some of the seasonal action that occurs in July and August. Kingfish, for starters, are well within reach of everyone at this time of year.

Practically any size or type of boat is capable of reaching schools of kings during the mid- to late-summer. Additionally, fishermen walking the rocks very often find schools of kings passing within easy casting distance of the jetties. When the kings are active, most anything will tempt them.

Boating anglers will often drift or troll with ribbonfish or cigar minnows. Artificial offerings such as large (5-inch) soft plastics, 1 oz. Rattletraps, Rapalas, and spoons will account for their share of kings as well, as will a variety of baitfish imitating flies.

While the kings are thick, their smaller cousins, Spanish mackerel, will also be along the beach and nearshore waters in good numbers. It is common to find Spanish in the surf, just offshore, around the jetties, in the pass, and even in the bay near the old causeway and over Mexiquite Flats. Spoons, smaller jigs and Rattletraps, and a variety of flies will consistently tempt Spanish mackerel.

One of the more prized inshore big game species - tarpon - will also be accessible to anglers for the next few months. Plenty of tarpon have already been jumped on both the north and south jetty and in the pass. Reliable reports of tarpon have also been heard from the Mansfield bunch in the past few weeks. As summer wears on, tarpon will also be cruising the beachfront and can be targeted by surf fishermen.

The majority of serious tarpon chasers in our area are fly fishermen. Fly rodders hoping to hook large tarpon best tote a serious stick - something in the 10 to 12 wt. range. But, fishermen who simply want to hook smaller fish to do something different can get by with 8 or 9 wt. rods. A variety of baitfish patterns will tempt tarpon, although it seems they are most frequently attracted to patterns that incorporate bunny strips in some form or fashion.

Tarpon fishing is consistently good during low light periods, with evening usually being a bit more productive than morning. However, tarpon are easily turned on by current and can become active at any point during the day if we experience a good tidal flow.

As you can see, there is no shortage of options for summer fishing in the Laguna Madre area. And, that is without even mentioning other species such as snook, ladyfish, jack crevalle, and bonito that will be consistently available until early fall. So, if you've ever wanted to “try something different” while on the water, now is the time.