Mid-Coast Bays: September 2026
The heat of summer is still here but hopefully we will receive our first cool front between the middle to latter part of this month. As excited as I get at the thought of a cool down, I know the first fronts are typically nothing more than a wind shift. But, with shorter days and longer nights, our temperatures will begin declining soon…fingers crossed.
The redfish bite has been very hit or miss the past month or so. Most anglers, including myself, struggled to find redfish willing to bite while fishing from the boat. The most productive method has definitely been while wade fishing. We all know that redfish are typically the easier of all the major inshore species due to their voracious feeding habits. But, for whatever reason every year, we see our angling success declining from late July through the first part of September. The redfish seem to become more cooperative towards the end of September, or after the first cool fronts have blown through. This also happens to coincide with the Redfish Spawning Run that occurs every year during September through October.
In case you aren’t familiar with what is popularly called the Redfish Run, here’s what happens. Every year a migration of mature redfish moves through the passes to the Gulf to spawn. These migrations are triggered by reduced hours of daylight (shorter photo period) and cooler water temperatures. A bull red is any redfish greater than 28 inches length. These fish are typically anywhere from 3- to 5-years of age, or older. Reaching this size and maturity in such a short span has always amazed me. Maybe this is why redfish have become such a popular and easy species to be raised and sold by private fish farms.
Once redfish have spawned and the eggs fertilized there is a 24-hour incubation period. Larvae are then carried into our shallow bays and estuaries by tidal movement and wind. This is where redfish will grow and thrive for the next few years before the cycle repeats itself.
I personally do not target bull redfish while this migration is taking place. It just has never been my cup of tea to harass these big brutes during such an important event. I know for many the thrill is real and it should be. These big fish can weigh upwards of 15 pounds to as much as 50 pounds. This is definitely a fight that leaves lasting memories for many, but I would much rather hunt the smaller and younger of the species along a quiet shallow shoreline away from the hustle and bustle of boats vying for easy targets.
Now that you are more familiar with the bull redfish run, let’s talk about some of the areas to target the smaller juvenile reds that make for much better table fare than the larger bulls.
While we are best known for protected shorelines and backwater lakes, an area that doesn’t get much attention is the Intracoastal Waterway. Due to the almost non-stop tugboat/barge traffic, the underwater structure of the ICW comprises many humps and washouts along its shorelines, carved by tugboat wheel wash and wakes, especially on the north side. The waters stretching from Port O’Connor south towards Charlie’s Bait Camp includes predominantly sandy bottoms with intermittent grass beds. Heading south from Charlie’s to San Antonio Bay you will find mostly oyster beds on the north side of the ICW that can vary from a few inches to about 6 feet in depth. Naturally, the washouts and edges of grass beds provide excellent ambush points for feeding game fish.
Because these areas have steep drop-offs and also because of the strong tugboat wakes, I do not recommend wade fishing in the ICW. Your best bet is to use your trolling motor to navigate while making casts into the troughs and trenches. Some of these may be hard to visualize until the sun reaches a height that makes them more visible.
My go-to bait is Bass Assassin’s 4-inch Sea Shad in Purple Chicken or Mama’s Chicken with chartreuse tail on a 1/16th ounce jighead. I have also enjoyed good results with the Gulp Jerk Shad under a popping cork.
Now that you’ve read this article and have a little better understanding of what the ICW has to offer, give it a try on your next outing. Without a doubt, some of my best and heaviest catches have come from this busy waterway. If you ever have any questions about fishing the ICW feel free to reach out to me. [email protected] or mobile 361-649-8729.
