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Port guide / South Padre and the Lower Laguna / Texas
Brownsville fishing guide
Brownsville anglers fish salt water by heading east on Highway 48 to the Brownsville Ship Channel, the Port of Brownsville and the south end of the Lower Laguna Madre. The ship channel is the local specialty, with snook along its edges and inlets plus reds, black drum and trout, and Cameron County runs a boat ramp, kayak launch and fishing pier on Highway 48. Port Isabel, the Brazos Santiago jetties and the Gulf are a short run farther east.
10 ft, conditions now
Conditions now
Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.
Today’s bite
A forecast built from live data and the calendar below. Not a catch report.
Working out today from the tides, water and calendar.
Tides
- Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.
On the water now
- Water
- Checking
- Wind
- Checking
Marine forecast
Loading the National Weather Service forecast.
7 day forecast
National Weather Service, for Brownsville. Updates through the day.
- Loading the 7 day forecast.
NOAA tides, San Martin Lake Channel, TX (opens in a new tab) NOAA station Port Isabel, TX (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Laguna Madre From the Port Of Brownsville to the Arroyo Colorado (opens in a new tab)
12 ft, the chart
Chart and depths
The official NOAA chart, centered on Brownsville. Depths, channels, reefs and markers, live from NOAA.
The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.
15 ft, fishing reports
Fishing reports
What people are catching, on what, and where. Every report links to whoever wrote it. We do not write these ourselves.
Latest reports
From local captains, shops and outdoor writers. Newest first, last 14 days.
- We have not found a report source that posts online for this water yet.
Report sources: Captain Experiences Brownsville guide reports (opens in a new tab) Captain Experiences Texas guide reports (opens in a new tab)
Straight from the dock
Reports sent to us by shops and captains on this guide. We check each one before it posts.
Checking for reports.
20 ft, what is biting
What is biting, month by month
When each fish is at its best around Brownsville. This month is marked.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snook | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Good | Slow | Slow |
| Redfish | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good |
| Black drum | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Good | Slow | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| Speckled trout | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good |
| Southern flounder | Slow | Slow | Good | Good | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow |
| Sheepshead | Good | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good |
| Tarpon | Slow | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow |
Snook
Peak: June, July
Guides cast and slow troll artificials along the ship channel edges, small inlets and shoreline structure in the Port of Brownsville for snook.
Redfish
Peak: September, October, November
Reds patrol the deeper water of the ship channel and the nearby Laguna flats, and take live shrimp or soft plastics.
Black drum
Peak: January, February, March, April
Drum hang around docks, piers and the deeper channels of the port and eat cut bait or crab fished on the bottom.
Speckled trout
Peak: March, April, May, September, October, November
Trout work the channel edges and nearby flats early and late in the day on topwaters and soft plastics.
Southern flounder
Peak: September, October
Flounder sit along channel edges in the Lower Laguna Madre; harvest is closed November 1 to December 14.
Sheepshead
Peak: February, March
Sheepshead hold on structure around the port and the jetties and take small shrimp or crabs.
Tarpon
Peak: June, July, August
Tarpon show up now and then in the ship channel and are more common in the surf and passes in summer.
30 ft, seasons and rules
Seasons and rules
Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.
Southern flounder, Texas waters
Flounder harvest is closed November 1 through December 14 (bag limit is zero).
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026 (regulations valid Sept. 1, 2026 to Aug. 31, 2027) Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, Texas state waters
Open year round for private recreational anglers in state waters. Circle hooks are required when using natural bait.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026 to 2027 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federal waters (private anglers landing in Texas)
The 2026 private recreational season in federal waters opened May 22, 2026. TPWD monitors harvest to set the closing date, and as of October 23, 2026 it remained open.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, federal waters (federal for-hire boats)
Federal for-hire season has a fixed closure January 1 to May 31, and the 2026 season closed October 26, 2026.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, federal waters
The 2026 to 2027 recreational season closed October 14, 2026. Fixed closures run August 1 to 31 and November 1 to July 31.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 to 2027 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gag grouper, federal waters
The 2026 recreational season ran September 1 to October 1, 2026, and is now closed.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Gray triggerfish, federal waters
Fixed recreational closures run January 1 to February 28 and June 1 to July 31.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Shallow water grouper (including red grouper), federal waters
Closed February 1 to March 31 seaward of the 20 fathom contour.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
40 ft, where to fish
Where to fish
- Channel
Brownsville Ship Channel
The local snook water, with guides working the channel edges, small inlets and shoreline structure; reds, black drum and trout mix in.
- Channel
Port of Brownsville harbor
Boat ramps, docks and shore access around the working port make it a practical spot for drum, reds and the odd mangrove snapper.
- Pier
Jaime J. Zapata Memorial Boat Ramp fishing pier
The county ramp on Highway 48 also has a fishing pier and a kayak launch.
- Flats
Lower Laguna Madre flats
Shallow flats fished by drifting and sight casting for trout, reds, flounder and snook.
- Jetty
Brazos Santiago jetties
The jetties at the pass hold kingfish, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, sheepshead and grouper.
50 ft, launch and piers
Ramps and piers
Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.
| Name | Type | Fee | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaime J. Zapata Memorial Boat Ramp and Kayak Launch Area (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 44270 State Hwy 48, Brownsville, TX 78521 |
| Pompano Park Public Boat Ramp (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 1 Pompano Ave, Port Isabel, TX |
| Isla Blanca Park (Cameron County) (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 33174 State Park Rd. 100 N, South Padre Island, TX 78597 |
60 ft, bait, tackle and charters
Bait, tackle and charters
Where to get live and fresh bait, tackle and a guide. We are not paid to list anyone here.
Bait and tackle (2)
Showing all 2 shops
- Bait and tackleLive bait
Gordon's Bait & Tackle
Bait: live shrimp, frozen bait
Highway 48 (Padre Island Highway), Brownsville, TX
Family shop since 1972 on the road to Port Isabel, known for live shrimp packed in sawdust, with fuel, groceries and a big tackle wall.
- Store
Academy Sports + Outdoors (Brownsville)
4305 Old Highway 77, Brownsville, TX 78520
Big box store with fishing tackle that sells fishing licenses and spools reel line.
Live bait comes and goes with the weather and the season. Call before you drive.
Charters and guides
| Charter | Fishing |
|---|---|
| Crystal Flats Guide Service (Capt. Cliff Fleming) (opens in a new tab) | Inshore |
| SPI Fish Killer Charters (Capt. Paco Hinojosa) (opens in a new tab) | Inshore and offshore |
70 ft, on the calendar
Tournaments and events
Annual events on this water. Dates move, so confirm with the organiser.
Texas International Fishing Tournament (TIFT) (opens in a new tab)
usually late July into early August, out of Port Isabel and South Padre Island
2027: July 28 to August 1Ladies Kingfish Tournament (opens in a new tab)
usually mid August, South Padre Island, with bay and offshore divisions
2027: August 13 to 15Fishing for Hope Tournament (DHR Health) (opens in a new tab)
usually late August, out of Jim's Pier on South Padre Island
80 ft, asked and answered
Fishing Brownsville, asked and answered
Where do Brownsville anglers launch for the ship channel?
The Cameron County Jaime J. Zapata Memorial Boat Ramp at 44270 State Highway 48 has a ramp, a fishing pier and a kayak launch.
Can you catch snook in Brownsville?
Yes. Guides fish the edges of the Brownsville Ship Channel, small inlets and shoreline structure in the Port of Brownsville for snook, and June and July are the peak months.
Where can I buy live shrimp near Brownsville?
Gordon's Bait and Tackle on Highway 48 is known for live shrimp packed in sawdust. Check that it is open before you go, since our main source on the shop is from 2017.
Where is the closest tide station?
NOAA prediction station 8779911, San Martin Lake Channel, is the closest tide prediction station. It reports no water temperature or wind, so use Port Isabel (8779770) for water temperature and wind.
90 ft, the kit
What we would take to Brownsville
Sources for this guide (18), last checked 2026-10-27
- assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/southpadretx/Anglers_Guide_to_ (opens in a new tab)
- assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/v1/clients/southpadretx/Fishing_Guide_wit (opens in a new tab)
- captainexperiences.com/locations/regions/port-brownsville (opens in a new tab)
- captainexperiences.com/trip/11713/7hrs-snook-fishing (opens in a new tab)
- spichamber.com/ladies-kingfish-tournament/ (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/snook/ (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/flou (opens in a new tab)
- tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/saltwater-fishing/bag-length-limits/snap (opens in a new tab)
- valleybusinessreport.com/featured/shrimp-sawdust-family-tradition/ (opens in a new tab)
- academy.com/storelocator/texas/brownsville/store-0030 (opens in a new tab)
- cameroncountytx.gov/parks-coastal-parks__trashed/parks-jaime-zapata-48/ (opens in a new tab)
- cameroncountytx.gov/parks-home/ (opens in a new tab)
- cameroncountytx.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Notice-Regarding-Temporary-Closure-of-the-I (opens in a new tab)
- fisheries.noaa.gov/bulletin/noaa-fisheries-announces-2026-gag-recreational-season-federal- (opens in a new tab)
- fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/recreational-fishing/2025-2026-and-2026-2027-gulf-america-rec (opens in a new tab)
- portisabelsouthpadre.com/2025/02/27/from-the-sandbar-sheepshead-fishing-picks-up/ (opens in a new tab)
- portisabelsouthpadre.com/2026/08/27/fishing-for-hope-raises-524k/ (opens in a new tab)
- tift.org/ (opens in a new tab)
100 ft, the seabed
Gear up for Brownsville
UPF 50+ fishing shirts, hats and gloves for the Gulf Coast. Free shipping over $100. Ships from Texas, usually within 1 to 2 business days.