Summer in Full Swing: Tournament Time on the Texas Coast

Summer has arrived on the Lower Laguna Madre, and with it comes the familiar rhythm of hot days, shifting winds, and the buzz of tournament season. The cool, breezy mornings of spring have given way to warmer temperatures, with morning highs reaching into the mid-80s and lows in the mid-70s. While the weather has been mostly sunny, we've also seen a few pop-up storms and increased humidity. This time of year also means one thing for me – tournament season. And with that, it’s time to make some adjustments. The bay gets busy fast. Every boat ramp is packed and there’s folks everywhere. I’m all for people getting out and enjoying the water but it definitely changes the way I fish. Areas that held solid fish a few weeks ago might be getting too much pressure now, and spots I had to myself in spring are getting crowded. The fish feel it, and that just means you have to adapt.

As the tournaments start rolling in, preparation becomes everything. Success doesn’t just happen by luck. It takes long days on the water, putting in the miles, and covering every inch of the bay looking for a pattern. We’ll spend days running from one end of the system to the other, checking water clarity, bait movement, current, and structure all trying to piece together what the fish are doing and where they want to be. It’s not just about finding fish, but finding tournament-quality fish, and that’s a whole different game.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned from tournament scouting is the value of patience and strategy. When I find an area holding good fish, I don’t stick around and beat them up. Instead, I mark them and move on. That’s one of the keys, letting those fish settle and stay unpressured leading up to tournament day. The more pressure they feel, the less likely they are to eat when it counts. So I’ll go looking elsewhere, trying new zones I haven’t fished in a while, or exploring a shoreline I’ve been curious about but haven’t checked lately. Sometimes that leads to discovering a new pocket of fish I didn’t expect. Other times, I strike out. But either way, I’m learning more about the bay and adding tools to the toolbox for the future.

Even when the outcome isn’t what I hoped for on the scoreboard, tournaments give me a competitive edge. They force me to push harder, think more critically, and really dig into how fish are behaving under pressure. That pressure doesn’t just come from other anglers – it comes from the environment too. Water temps spike, baitfish scatter, tides shift. Every variable counts, and being able to anticipate those changes is what separates the good days from the great ones.

Fishing tournaments isn't just about chasing a check. It’s about sharpening my skills and staying tuned in to what’s happening across the whole bay system. I get better at reading the water, spotting subtle changes, and adapting quickly. Those lessons carry over into my guide days, where I can use that extra edge to help clients get on fish more consistently.

Summer fishing demands more from the fish, from the environment, and from the angler. It’s a different grind than the rest of the year, but it’s one I look forward to every year. Whether I’m dodging storms, navigating boat wakes, or studying the next tide shift, it’s all part of the game. And, win or lose, every hour I spend on the water this time of year makes me a better guide, a better fisherman, and a better steward of the bays I call home.