Hello!
I'm new here but excited to get involved and learn. I just started fishing at Padre last year and am starting to go more and more. (From Austin)

Usually, I park my small camper at Mustang island and then take "day trips" to padre starting at 4am. I surf fish most of the day. I've had some success but not as much as I'd like. Which I am sure is due to my lack of knowledge and experience. Any tips for catching reds in the surf? Or surf fishing in general? I usually use a two hook leader with a spider weight to start. (Don't know proper terminology) Bait varies, prefer live over plastics, but again I am pretty new and ready to learn!

Second thing is; I've been toying with the idea of bringing my small camper to padre and camping on the beach. Rules and regs say no generators after 10pm.... If I go far enough is this still an issue? Just wondering if I'll be able to run my AC all night or would need to cut it. AC isn't a necessity but is always nice. Just looking for anyone who has done it.
Thanks ahead of time for any input.

The camper will be nice to have but expect the environment to be extremely harsh on it. Bring the generator and run it if you want. You may find that you don't need it at night depending on when you come. You may also find that the AC can't keep up in the daytime. If you plan to run down the beach, then a 4x4 is a must pulling the camper. I know they ran it without one back in the day, but I wouldn't even think about going much past the 10 without 4x4. Talcom powder is your friend. Lots of stuff to consider for a few nights on PINS. October can be hot as heck and then cold as heck. Under Armor is also your friend. Precook and freeze your food. This adds to the ice content of your cooler. Bring an ice cooler that you don't open. Bring a food cooler that you rarely do. And bring a day cooler for your drinks. Realize that on PINS, you are, at 15 to 20 mph, a ways from medical care. Also, be very considerate of others on the beach. It promotes like actions. They will not always be that way to you but most will be.

Towards the later part of the year (September & October) the surf has a tendency to make it all the way up to the dunes. I've pulled a 12ft fishing trailer down there a few times and had to pull it up into the dunes to get away from the surf. As Malibu stated, I would not bring it past the 10 mile marker. I spend a week on PINS every October and I have seen a few campers left behind to rot because they got stuck and couldn't make it out.

Funny I've been thinking about taking our camper (not necessarily small at 29 ft) down the beach but I haven't been there before. I have 4x4 but am towing 7k plus. Is it fairly safe to pull before mile marker 10?

Just got back from down there...it's fairly safe for sure. That said, it can change from day to day.

Right now, up to about Mile 12 was very easy driving.

Just out of curiousity, how crowded was it down there?