Big Winds, Big Rewards – Dialing In!

Seadrift Coastal Fishing Report

The wind has been doing its thing across the bays lately, and it looks like we’re settling into the pattern that typically defines late winter and early spring down here. Gusty days have been the rule more than the exception, and if history repeats itself, those elevated winds are likely to stick around for the next couple of months.

Two weeks ago the challenge wasn’t finding fish—it was convincing them to eat.

As Capt. James Cunningham and Capt. Chris Cady reported while working the shallow flats and back lakes, fish were easy enough to locate but much tougher to trigger. Schools of black drum and redfish were plentiful in the protected water, but getting them to commit required slowing down and presenting fresh dead or cut bait right in the strike zone. When everything lined up, those approaches produced steady action for anglers willing to stay patient.

Capt. Braden Proctor reported encouraging results taking a slightly different approach. Working live shrimp under a popping cork across various pieces of structure throughout both the southern and northern reaches of our waters, his groups managed to stay connected with fish throughout the day. That call produced nicely for guests and remains a dependable option when the fish are spread across mixed structure.

Conditions Shift This Week

Over the last several days, however, fishing has become more of a challenge. Now the difficulty isn’t just getting fish to eat—it’s finding consistent concentrations of fish at all. Strong winds, fluctuating water levels, and continued pressure have scattered schools and forced guides to cover more water than usual to stay on the bite.

That said, there are still encouraging signs when everything lines up.

Just a few hours ago, Capt. Chris Cady came off the water with an outstanding report. Fishing with the Jasper family, his crew was scorching black drum and redfish in protected water and was approaching full limits for their party of three by the end of the trip. That kind of action reminds us the fish are still here—you just have to stay mobile and hit the right stretch of water at the right time.

Wind Dictates the Game Plan

With the winds staying elevated, our strategy moving forward remains pretty clear. We’ll continue to push into the shallow flats and protected back lakes, targeting those dependable schools of black drum and redfish that stack up in the skinny water.

These two species continue to be the most reliable players when the bays are churned up.

Speckled trout remain more dependent on calmer conditions and access to open bay structure. When the wind lays down enough to slide out there, trout can still be found over shell and deeper grass beds, but those opportunities have been limited lately.

Prime Time for Wade Fishermen

For the wade fishermen, we remain firmly in prime-time conditions. As water temperatures slowly begin to climb, fish are transitioning across bottom types. Early efforts around mud and grass bottoms are starting to shift toward sand/grass and mud/shell combinations, and that pattern should only strengthen as we move deeper into the warming trend.

Soft plastics remain the go-to tool for anglers covering water during these transitions.

Looking Ahead

Despite the wind and recent challenges, the seasonal trend is still pointing in the right direction. The fish are adjusting, guides are dialing in new patterns, and as water temperatures continue to rise we expect the action to steadily improve.

As always along this stretch of the Texas coast, the key is staying flexible, reading the conditions, and putting in the work to find the fish.

We’ll keep watching the weather and working the water.

See you on the bay.

Capt. Kris Kelley – President/CEO