South Padre Island is experiencing ideal weather conditions, with temperatures reaching 70 degrees and clear skies, making it perfect for fishing. Recently, anglers have had outstanding success targeting redfish and trophy trout over soft bottom grass beds with mixed potholes, Additionally, cut bait and live bait fishermen have reported steady action on redfish and drum east of Three Islands. The surf fishin is great. Shorelines with soft mud bottoms good, large schools of black drum have been the highlight of the week, with dead shrimp coated in garlic or fish bites proving effective. However, finding them becomes challenging when winds exceed 15 mph, making calm mornings before the cold front the most productive time. Speckled trout near the Intercoastal Waterway have been biting soft plastics, yielding keeper-sized fish. The Intercoastal Waterway is also filled with undersized speckled trout that can provide action with soft plastics or live shrimp on popping corks. Redfish and trout can be found up north along the ICW and into the flats from marker 13 to the mouth of the Arroyo Colorado. Bottom fishing on the gas well flat with cut bait has also yielded redfish when black drum are not present, requiring patience for extended periods. Live shrimp, although scarce, have been occasionally available; it is advisable to procure them a day in advance due to high demand on weekends. The South Bay Channels have also produced catches of black drum, as reported by Captain Cliff Fleming of Crystal Flats Guide Service.