UTERPompano fishing in South Padre & Corpus Christi
In South Padre & Corpus Christi, pompano peak April–May and October and are around March–November, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. October: The fall run back through the surf.
The fall run back through the surf.
Pompano in South Padre & Corpus Christi, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchArrivingPompano run the South Padre surf; sand fleas in the first gut.
- AprilPeakReds tail on the clearing flats; Spanish and cobia show. Sight-cast reds on the grass; watch the buoys and surf rips for cobia; first tarpon roll off South Padre.
- MayPeak
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberArriving
- OctoberPeakThe fall run back through the surf.
- NovemberAround
- DecemberNot here
Where to fish pompano 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 pompano
- Sand fleas (mole crabs)On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait.
- 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.
- Leader15–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–1/0
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 62–82°F water, best at 66–76°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch pompano in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Peak season is April–May and October. Pompano are in South Padre & Corpus Christi March–November. October: The fall run back through the surf.
Where do pompano hold in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Look on beach / surf, pass / inlet, grass flat, channel edge — around Port O'Connor, Rockport, Port Aransas, Corpus Christi, Baffin Bay, Port Mansfield.
What is the best bait for pompano in South Padre & Corpus Christi?
Live bait: sand fleas (mole crabs), live shrimp, fiddler crabs. Sand fleas (mole crabs): On a small circle hook or a pompano rig, digger-end first — the pompano and whiting bait. Tackle: leader 15–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–1/0, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for pompano 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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