North and South Padre may only be separated by just a narrow canal right in the middle of the huge barrier island but their differences are worlds apart. While the southern end is a fully developed resort town that’s a popular spring break destination for college students, North Padre remains to be mostly untouched. This makes this part of the island a favorite spot for outdoor enthusiasts.
North Padre features a long stretch of sandy seashores, grassy terrains, and dune areas, home to a number of migratory birds, sea turtles, and other wildlife. Given its unadulterated natural beauty, North Padre may very well be the Lonestar State’s best destination for nature lovers. Aside from the beautiful sceneries, there are a lot of activities an adventurer would certainly love including camping, hiking, horseback riding, off-roading, kayaking, and sportfishing just to name a few.
What makes North Padre such a great vacation spot is that it’s not as far from civilization as someone staying on the island would think. Yes, if, say, you’re camping on its shore, you might feel a bit isolated here. But in reality, the city of Corpus Christi is just a few minutes away. So if you have the urge to wine, dine, and shop, or if you’ve grown tired of the rugged terrain, you can easily go back to the comfort and convenience of a metropolitan city.
Given its proximity to some of the most bountiful waters in the state and the country, North Padre is definitely an angler’s spot. It doesn’t even matter if you’re a beginner or a pro, the chances of catching something—from the easiest to the most challenging—here is pretty high. All one has to do is hire a local fishing guide or join a fishing charter to make your fishing trip memorable. How? Well, first of all, a local guide knows all the best fishing spots in and around the island. Secondly, a seasoned guide or a fishing charter would know all the tricks of the trade; meaning, not only will you be able to catch some fish, you will most probably gain a lot of invaluable fishing knowledge from these battle-hardened anglers.
In North Padre, inshore fishing can be done in several ways. One of the most popular and probably the easiest is through the Bob Hall Pier, a wooden structure that extends 1,240-feet to the Gulf of Mexico. This is where a lot of first-timers usually go as it’s relatively easy to catch something here—not to mention that most of the fishing essentials you would need are available (either for sale or for rent) in the bait and tackle shops located at the pier’s entrance. But just because this spot is where beginners usually cast their lines, it doesn’t mean an experienced angler won’t find any challenging quarries here. As a matter of fact, voracious fighters such as sharks and rays can be caught in the waters around the pier, especially if you cast your line at the far end of the structure. Much like the pier, an angler can also find some of the most popular targets like pompano, crevalle jack, tarpon, kingfish, black drum, sheepshead, and redfish while fishing on the surf, jetties, and shallow flats found around the island. Just a word of advice, though—if you’re going to be specifically targeting larger and stronger fish, make sure to bring a heavy gear that can handle these tough fighters.
For the ultimate fishing adventure, we highly recommend deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Here, you get to experience catching some of the most sought-after sportfishing targets such as wahoo, tuna, mahi-mahi, marlin, or maybe even some mako sharks. Of course, you’re going to need all the help you can get to land these fish; and help you will certainly get from the seasoned captain and crew of a fishing charter—from preparing your bait to reeling in these monsters of the sea into your boat.
Now that you already know what to expect when you fish here in North Padre, you’re probably wondering when the best time is to book your trip. Well, the truth of the matter is whenever you can. Fishing in North Padre is an all-year affair and you can pretty much catch something worthwhile here whenever you decide to pay a visit. And this is all possible because, for most of the year, the climate is pretty warm in and around the island.
North Padre is the ultimate destination for outdoor enthusiasts with so many activities available that will bring you closer to Mother Nature. Here are some of the most exciting outdoor activities you shouldn’t miss when you visit North Padre:
Yes, you can enjoy the beautiful sceneries Texan style!
Paddle your way around the island’s most scenic kayaking trails and experience Mother Nature full on!
Explore the beautiful beach as well as the grassy and dune terrains of the island while driving a 4x4—truly an adventure!
It doesn’t matter if you prefer windsurfing, kitesurfing, or on a traditional surfboard, once you’ve tried riding the waves of the Gulf, you will surely go back for more!