Rio Grande Report: Morning Topwater Bite and Incoming Tide Action at Boca Chica

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Rio Grande fishing report for the Brownsville / Port Isabel / Boca Chica stretch. We’ve got a light to moderate southeast breeze this morning, building a bit in the afternoon, with temps running from the low 70s at first light into the upper 80s by mid‑day. Humidity’s high, but that keeps a little haze on the water early and helps the topwater bite. Skies are partly cloudy with a low chance of rain, so expect good visibility and a bit of chop along exposed shorelines. Sunrise comes right around 6:30 a.m., with sunset near 8:20 p.m., giving you a long window to work that early and late bite. The cooler hours around dawn and dusk are your best bet; mid‑day fish are sliding deeper or tight to cover. Tides along the lower Laguna Madre and Rio Grande mouth are running a modest morning incoming, flattening late morning, then a weaker afternoon fall. That morning push is key: bait is riding the current up onto the flats and into the lower river, and predators are shadowing those edges. On the evening drop, look for fish pulling off the skinny stuff into adjacent guts and drains. Recent talk around the docks and local shops has been solid. Anglers have been seeing **slot redfish** in the 18–26 inch range with a few bigger bull reds just outside the jetties. Speckled **trout** have been decent in numbers, mostly schoolies with the occasional 22–24 inch fish on deeper grass edges. The river itself has been giving up **blue catfish**, **channel cats**, and a mix of **gaspergou (freshwater drum)** and **largemouth bass** up around quieter bends and structure. Best artificial lures right now in the bay and jetties: - **Topwaters** at first light: bone, chrome/black, or pink. Walk‑the‑dog over knee‑to‑thigh‑deep grass and sand pockets. - **Paddle‑tail plastics** on 1/8–1/4 oz jigheads: new penny, pumpkinseed/chartreuse, and glow with a chartreuse tail have been hot. - **Soft‑plastic jerkbaits** in pearl or baitfish patterns for sight‑casting reds on the flats. - Around the rocks, heavy **silver spoons** and **shrimp‑imitating jigs** are producing trout, reds, and the occasional snook. For bait fishermen: - In the bay, **live shrimp** under a popping cork remains king, especially along channel edges and over scattered grass. - **Mullet** and **pinfish** chunks on the bottom are taking reds and drum. - Up the river, **cut shad**, **stink bait**, and **nightcrawlers** are solid choices for catfish and drum, while **live minnows** and soft plastics work for bass. Couple of local hot spots to key on: - **Boca Chica jetties and surf**: Work the channel side at first light with topwaters and spoons for trout and reds, then switch to heavier jigs and bait on the bottom as the sun climbs. On a cleaner green tide, the surf side can light up with ladyfish, jacks, and slot reds running the bars. - **South Bay and surrounding flats near Port Isabel**: Shallow grass and sand potholes are holding redfish and some quality trout. Drift quietly with the wind, fan‑casting paddle tails and soft jerkbaits. On the incoming tide, focus on drains and small cuts pushing water off the flats. If you’re limited on time, fish that first two hours of the morning incoming or the last couple of hours before dark. Move until you see bait flipping, slicks, or bird activity, then slow down and pick the area apart. That’s your Rio Grande fishing rundown from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn