South Texas Slam
Up and down the Texas Coast, talk of the “Big Three” often dominate the discussion whenever and wherever bay fishermen gather. However, at the extreme southern tip of the state, the “three” consuming most anglers' thoughts are different than those referred to by fishermen north of the Lower Laguna Madre.
 By and large, when speaking with anglers plying the waters around historic Port Isabel, snook replace flounder, joining redfish and trout to produce a formidable trio known locally as a South Texas Slam. Different accounting practices will include either a flounder or a black drum in this “slam,” and, as everyone agrees, adding a tarpon makes the “slam” grand. But, the foundation of any slam taken near latitude 26 in the western Gulf consists of snook, speckled trout and redfish.
Luckily for light-tackle aficionados, these three species are available on a year around basis in South Texas. However, like all fishing, some times of the year are better than others. For anglers chasing a South Texas Slam, no time is better than early fall.
“The reason I like going for a slam in October is all the fish are relatively close together,” said long-time Lower Laguna Madre guide Capt. Eddie Curry. “You can do it at other times of year, but you may have to run 20 minutes between fish. In October, you can find everything (all species) in a stretch of about a mile or so.”
SNOOK
The snook, or robalo as it's referred to in Mexico, which lies a few miles south of Port Isabel's South Bay, has long been considered one of the most elusive game fish to swim in Texas waters. However, the truth is recent years have seen the snook population swell to the point that there is now a very reliable fishery in the Lower Laguna Madre.
“It's definitely to the point now where I feel confident that I can put people on snook just about any day,” said Curry. “I may not be able to put them on a keeper fish (between 24 and 28 inches), but I will get them a snook.”
“That's probably the hardest thing about getting a slam - finding a keeper snook,” said Curry. “That 4-inch slot is hard to hit. Most of the fish we catch are either above or below it. But, we've got so many fish now, we can catch one pretty much any time if someone is willing to go for it. And, it doesn't have to be a slot-size fish to count towards a slam.”
Depending on the time of year, snook can be found at the jetties, around the causeways (old and new), on the flats of both the Lower Laguna and South Bay, or up the Brownsville Ship Channel and other shipping channels. During the fall, they'll be scattered through all of the above. But, the best bet - and the most fun - is to find them on the oyster encrusted, mangrove lined flats of South Bay.
On the shallow flats snook will readily gulp well-place plugs and soft-plastics. Stanley Wedgetail Minnows in red/white, white/chartreuse and black/chartreuse are perhaps the best traditional soft-plastic, while DOA Shrimp and Baitbusters are good examples of other “soft” lures which will get a snook's attention. When fishing the deeper water of the Brownsville Ship Channel, a DOA Terroreyz is considered the `go-to' bait.
As far as hard baits are concerned, snook will generally take all of the traditional topwater and slow-sinking plugs associated with bay fishing on the Texas coast. However, during the fall, when the water is ultra-clear, the Bomber 14A Minnow has proven deadly effective on linesiders. This bait is only 3 ½ inches long and is an effective imitation of water local Laguna Madre anglers refer to as “shore minnows” - a staple of the snook diet.
One often overlooked type of topwater lure that is also extremely effective on snook is the “prop” bait. Lures such as the Heddon Torpedo, Cordell Crazy Shad, Smithwick Devil's Horse and others are all floating plugs fitted with small propellers on one or both ends. Of these, the Devil's Horse seems to be the most consistently consumed by snook, although practically any prop bait will work when properly retrieved.
The most effective retrieve with a prop bait is dictated by the surface condition. The more chop on the surface, the more noise the bait needs to make. Sharp jerks with the rod tip will ensure plenty of sputtering and splashing. However, when the surface is slick calm, the best retrieve is usually a slow, steady one. Keeping the bait constantly moving towards the rod tip at a snail's pace allows the bait to “flutter” on the surface, which usually proves too tempting for nearby snook.
REDFISH
“Of course, redfish are usually our most popular fish,” said Curry. “And, in the fall we spend most of our time chasing them. But, then again, you have a lot of options for catching redfish during October. If you just want a fish for the slam, you can find big schools of them on the Pasture or the spoils out front of town (Port Isabel). Or, you can find some big bull reds around the jetties.”
On the flats, redfish can easily be taken with a variety of natural baits, such as shrimp, mullet, and crab, and artificial lures. In fact, fall is one of the prime times to sight-cast to redfish on the Lower Laguna Madre, a discipline which typically involves light-tackle jigs or flies. When sight-casting to reds in the clear waters that typically accompany fall tides, smaller offerings are generally best.
Reds found patrolling the deeper flats will readily gobble topwater plugs in addition to a wide assortment of flies and jigs. And, of course, gold spoons will tempt spot tails at practically any depth.
Around the jetties, most reds are taken on mullet or crabs soaked on or near the bottom. However, ½-ounce jigs and lipless cranks such as RattleTraps and Cordell Spots will take their share of redfish near the rocks as well.
SPECKLED TROUT
“Trout are by far the easiest portion of the slam,” Curry stated. “I mean, we do catch some big trout in the fall, which is a little more difficult, but you don't need a big trout to complete a slam. And, if you are just looking for a trout to fill out the slam, there are plenty of places we can find them.”
“We can always find keeper fish on the Pasture or Mexiquite Flats or in South Bay,” said Curry, who advises using a DOA Shrimp to ensure fast action on keeper-size fish. “I mean, you can look for bigger fish with a topwater and probably catch some. But, when you're going after a slam, it is usually best to get that trout out of the way and move on to something else.”
“There again, that's the advantage of October,” Curry continued. “We have keeper trout on the Pasture all year long. But, in October, we can also pick up redfish there. Then you're just a short hop down to South Bay or the jetties to pick up a snook. And, of course, you can often times find all three in South Bay during October.”
BONUS FISH -
Flounder - Curry says mid-October generally sees an increase in flounder activity, particularly on the southern end of the bay. Like flounder elsewhere, Lower Laguna flatfish are usually taken by slow-moving jigs or natural baits fished on bottom.
Black drum - Rarely does the lowly black drum get an opportunity to share glory with a snook, but for anglers looking to get a “South Texas Six-Pack,” the drum is the final piece of the puzzle, which also includes redfish, speckled trout, snook, flounder and tarpon. Although fly fishermen and light-tackle pluggers occasionally fool black drum, the odds of tempting them are much better with bait.
Tarpon - Tarpon are the unquestioned crown to any slam. Adding a Silver King to a South Texas Slam makes it grand and gives the angler yet another feather in his or her cap.
Although they are available year around, tarpon are most consistently taken during the fall. Most of these fish are caught in or near the Brazos Santiago Pass, which separates South Padre Island from the mainland to the south.
Tarpon ranging from 20 to 200 pounds can be found in the Lower Laguna Madre area during the fall. But, like the other species mentioned, size really doesn't matter - any tarpon will count towards a grand slam.
Fish up to about 60 or 70 pounds are manageable on typically bay fishing tackle and will typically take artificial lures such as Bomber Mullet and DOA Baitbusters. Larger fish will strike the same baits, but will usually require stouter equipment to tame.
There are a variety of other species that can be tacked on to this list to expand a slam to whatever parameters an angler is willing to accept. But, no matter whether you want the original or the grand, a South Texas Slam - or even the pursuit of one - is an angling memory you'll treasure for a lifetime. And, although a South Texas Slam is not an everyday occurrence, it is a realistic opportunity, especially for anglers willing to make the trip to the Lower Laguna Madre during the month of October.
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