UTERBlack drum fishing in South Padre & Corpus Christi
In South Padre & Corpus Christi, black drum peak November–April and are around year-round, spawning in February–March, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Black drum all over the Lower Laguna; crab or shrimp on the bottom in the channels.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Black drum in South Padre & Corpus Christi, month by month
- JanuaryPeakBlack drum all over the Lower Laguna; crab or shrimp on the bottom in the channels.
- FebruarySpawningBig spawning drum at the Port Aransas and Brazos Santiago jetties and in the ship channels.
- MarchSpawningThe big-drum run peaks in the channels and the Packery and Mansfield passes.
- AprilPeak
- MayAround
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberPeakDrum school on the flats; crab on the bottom.
- DecemberPeakWinter sets in: deep guts, big trout on the warm days. Slow plastics in the guts and channels; mud flats on the warm afternoons between fronts.
Where to fish black drum near Port O'Connor, Rockport, Port Aransas
The Laguna Madre — the hypersaline, gin-clear lagoon behind Padre Island — plus Baffin Bay's rock reefs, the Aransas and Corpus Christi bays, the Land Cut, and passes at Port Aransas, Packery, Port Mansfield and Brazos Santiago. Wade-fishing country; the Gulf beaches of Padre run 100 miles.
What to use for black drum
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Fiddler crabsA #1 hook through the back corner of the shell, dropped tight to the piling — the sheepshead bait.
- Leader30–50 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook3/0–6/0
- Braid20–30 lb
Feeds in 48–78°F water, best at 54–70°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch black drum in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Peak season is November–April, with fish spawning in February–March (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Black drum are here year-round. January: Black drum all over the Lower Laguna; crab or shrimp on the bottom in the channels.
Where do black drum hold in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Look on bridge, grass flat, channel edge — around Port O'Connor, Rockport, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi, Baffin Bay, Port Mansfield.
What is the best bait for black drum in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Live bait: blue crabs, live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Blue crabs: Whole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia. Tackle: leader 30–50 lb fluorocarbon, hook 3/0–6/0, braid 20–30 lb.
What are the rules for black drum in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and change — read the current rule at https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/licenses.
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