South Padre: June 2025

Before beginning this article I contacted our local meteorologist for insight into June’s weather. They responded that windy conditions would likely continue through mid-June. By contrast, I remember spring football practices during May, back in my high school years. In my memory those were some of the hottest and calmest days of the year. Fast forward to the present; for about the past fifteen years now May and much of June have been very windy.

Finding redfish has been easy the past few months, especially on windy afternoons as schools of reds have been hustling migrating shrimp in shallow water. Flocks of gulls and terns have been pointing the way to pods of redfish along with a few trout. As reliable as this action has been I expect it will fade sometime around mid-June as the wind patterns become generally calmer and the brown shrimp migration winds down.

So, where should we target redfish when this happens? For one, the tide levels will be higher than normal during June, meaning the eastside sand will light up. Usually, fish are concentrated in one of three areas on the eastside, depending what the water level might be.

If the tide is higher than normal the fish will favor the edges of the mangrove thickets. If the water level is lower than normal they like the sand/grass transition line. Sometimes, you can find them right smack in the middle of the sand flats. Be aware, though, the reds can be very wary in the middle of all that clean, clear water.

Over west of the ICW we find many back-bays and generally softer bottoms. Here again, the level of the tide will dictate where these fish are located. Of course, the higher the water level the further these redfish will travel into tucked-away areas where they can feed without being disturbed.

For four months I have been fishing a vast flat where high tide is barely calf-deep. On low tide it barely covers the tops of my wading boots. Amazingly, the reds have been there every time I visited, and there have actually been a few times when their backs were exposed. After four months I wonder if they’ll ever leave. The bottom line of this whole experience: Never underestimate how shallow redfish will roam.

Must-haves in your wade box right now for redfish are the 1/4-ounce gold weedless spoon and ZMan Big Ballerz in Plum-Chart, Gold Fire, and Sexy Penny. The Eye Strike Texas Eye jigheads have proven to provide good hooksets and high landing ratio.

Slicks on the water's surface have been our best indicator of trout presence and feeding activity. Contrate your efforts on areas with smaller slicks popping frequently. Evenings are prime time to target trout, when boat traffic is generally lighter and the water is beginning to cool.

It's rather uncommon to find heavyweight trout during June as they have now been spawning for two full months. The mature females are still out there but they’re beginning to look long and thin. However, there will be plenty of slot-size trout holding in scattered waist-deep potholes and along the edges of the ICW. The Big Ballerz and Paddlerz in Sexy Penny and Bleeding Banana by ZMan have worked well for us.

Snook began showing on the flats in late-April, which is a good sign as we enter the best months to target them. Snook like lots of water movement, so two tide days are best, on average. Along with two tide days, I also prefer the new and full moon phases for targeting snook.

Flounder landings have been on the rise. Anglers seeking flounder should focus on the edges of the ICW, old oilfield channels, and any channels or sloughs with significant depth changes that lead to grassy flats. They like muddy and sandy bottoms where they can lie on bottom, waiting to ambush their next meal.

Tournament season is now hitting full stride, meaning that weekend boat traffic will be much heavier than normal. Also, schools are out for summer, which adds even more traffic. Heightened caution and courtesy toward your fellow anglers is highly encouraged, especially at the launch ramp.

If you’re looking for a fun and family-friendly fishing event, check out the 5^th Annual Ron Hoover Fishing Tournament coming on July 12^th. It is held at South Padre Island with prizes and awards galore. Early registration is already underway. Learn more on their social media pages or by calling their Donna, TX store. This event benefits Make-A-Wish Foundation and sure to be a fun time on and off the water.