What can be caught in the surf this time of year chunking lures around Port Aransas/Padre Island? Last October I caught quite a few Spanish Mackeral, Blue Fish, and Lady Fish on my bass lures (stick baits, rattle traps, etc.). All catch and release. Are those fish in the surf this time of year?

I plan to be there this summer too. I've not fished much in the summer but would like to also know what fish to expect in the surf. I fished the port A surf, and the packery channel area and surf last October through November and caught a few trout and reds.

I fished the surf near Mustang Island state park jetties, beach access rd 2, last weekend (mother's day), and caught hardheads, and small ladyfish. We used cut mullet and live shrimp. I couldn't get out and wade the surf and fish with a lure like I normally do. The winds were blowing so hard the jelly fish were comming in. I was stung a couple of times and decided to stay out of the water.

I've caught a few 20" + specs, and a few slot reds in the past, in the port A surf useing 3" "electric chicken" plastics on a 1/0 or 2/0 jig head. The "3" new penny shrimp" plastics also worked well for me.

Good luck to you. I'll be watching with intrest on what you find out and/or how you do. I'll be back there in Mid June.

You can expect to catch Spanish macs, bluefish, and ladyfish in the surf right now. You will probably get into some nice specks or reds and maybe some black drum, whiting, jack crevalle, gafftop, hardheads, sharks and pompano as well. The thing about summertime in the surf is that you don't know what you'll catch. That's what spoils me about saltwater fishing. The types and numbers of fish will be up due to the warming of the water and the annual migration of the shrimp from the estuaries to the surf areas. I've caught all these fish in the surf before on lures, live bait, and dead bait.

Have at it. The water's getting right. I'm getting ready to make some trips myself now that I'll be getting some vacation time. Now if only the winds would lay down for awhile and help the water green up.

Good luck to all!!

The surf was dead on Sunday morning....at least in front of the condo where I was staying. No bait jumping, no birds diving. Never had a bite. I thought I had a bite once, but looked up and saw a seagull pulling my jerkbait off the surface. Thankfully he dropped it. There were several around fishing, but no one caught anything around there. Maybe I should have tried the bays.