Waterlands

UPDATEDAUTO-REFRESH 5 MIN

Spanish mackerelRetention open

Cape · Texas

Cline Point

27.84°N · 97.06°W · Cape · Copano, Aransas, and Redfish Bays

LOADING MAP

Best score today · 2 AM · Spanish mackerel

68/100Great
Now
395 AM CDT
Best window
2-8 PMEbb tide
Tide now
High1.3 ft

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

Notify me when Cline Point scores 75+

Checked every morning against the 14-day forecast. Free by push and email.

Sign in to set an alert

24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 5 AM · now

Time5ANOW
Score39Fair
Tide1.3 ftHigh
CurrentFlood1.9 kn · toward WNW
Wind8 kn ESEgusts 11 · steady
Sea stateModerate2.0 ft · 4 s
Air temp86°Hot
WeatherClear13% cloud
Water88°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

Texas state waters (shore to 9 nautical miles, bays included)

IN EFFECT NOW

Spanish mackerel

Retention open
Daily limit
15 per day
Possession
30 in possession
Size
Minimum 14 in, total length
Season
No closed season on file
Annual quota
Not published
Other
The possession limit is double the daily bag and does not count fish stored at your residence. While fishing, you may not hold more than the daily bag.

From TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual, Mackerel Bag & Length Limits, read Sep 13

Other species here

  • Black drum Retention open (5 per day)
  • Cobia Retention open (1 per day)
  • Gag grouper Retention open (2 per day)
  • Gray triggerfish Retention open (20 per day)
  • Greater amberjack Retention open (1 per day)
  • King mackerel Retention open (3 per day)
  • Red drum Retention open (3 per day)
  • Red snapper Retention open (4 per day)
  • Sailfish Retention open
  • Sheepshead Retention open (5 per day)
  • Snook Retention open (1 per day)
  • Southern flounder Retention open (5 per day)
  • Spotted seatrout Retention open (3 per day)
  • Striped bass Retention open (5 per day)
  • Tarpon Retention open (1 per day)

Source: TPWD · synced yesterday

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Spanish mackerel is best here

Shoulder season for Spanish mackerel · 5 more weeks at shoulder

Spanish mackerel season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Spanish mackerel · 5 more weeks at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • Not here
  • This week

Spanish mackerel in Texas

Spot profile

Cline Point

Depth
5-70 ftDrop-off
Structure
Point · Inner · Semi-exposedPoint · drop-off
Season
Shoulder seasonSpanish mackerel

NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.

About this spot

Fishing Cline Point

Cline Point is a cape in Copano, Aransas, and Redfish Bays, Texas. Depth is 5-70 ft, with a drop-off. Its profile reads point, inner water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 15 species here; the best right now are Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker and gray snapper. It is peak season now for Atlantic tarpon, Atlantic croaker, red drum and crevalle jack, and shoulder season for gray snapper, greater amberjack, king mackerel and red snapper. Atlantic tarpon peak from July through September. Atlantic croaker peak from June through September. Gray snapper peak from June through August.

Tackle & technique

Spanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel school along beaches and around inlets, jetties, piers and bridge-tunnel structures, and along tide rips in 5 to 40 feet of water once the water climbs above about 68 degrees F. Troll small spoons or cast metal jigs and retrieve fast, or look for birds diving on bait and cast into the school. FWC calls for a 30 to 60 pound monofilament leader because their teeth cut light line.
Atlantic tarpon
Tarpon roll along beaches, in passes and channels, and under bridges from late spring through fall, and in South Florida some fish stay through winter in warm canals and backcountry rivers. Live crabs, mullet or pinfish drifted through a pass on the outgoing tide, or a fly or soft plastic cast ahead of a rolling string of fish, are the main approaches. Use a long heavy leader, bow to the jumps, and keep big fish in the water for release.
Atlantic croaker
Croaker feed on mud and sand bottom along channel edges, oyster bars, piers and deeper holes in bays and sounds, mostly in 5 to 30 feet of water. A two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and shrimp, bloodworm or squid catches them from piers, the surf and small boats. Fish the hours around high tide and into the evening.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Lydia Ann Channel

    Channel · 2.1 mi

    69
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 69
    • Atlantic tarpon 60
    • Red drum 52

    8 kt ESEL 9:12 AM · 1.5 ftH 11:35 AM · 1.6 ft

  • Aransas Channel

    Channel · 3.0 mi

    65
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 65
    • Atlantic croaker 62
    • Red drum 56

    8 kt ESEL 8:15 AM · 1.3 ftH 11:42 AM · 1.4 ft

  • Aransas Pass

    Channel · 1.0 mi

    64
    Top: Atlantic tarponPeak season
    • Atlantic tarpon 64
    • Atlantic croaker 61
    • Crevalle jack 56

    8 kt ESEL 9:12 AM · 1.5 ftH 11:35 AM · 1.6 ft

  • Turtle Cove

    Bay · 0.4 mi

    58
    Top: Atlantic croakerPeak season
    • Atlantic croaker 58
    • Atlantic tarpon 56
    • Crevalle jack 54

    8 kt ESEL 8:15 AM · 1.3 ftH 11:42 AM · 1.4 ft

Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with TPWD before you keep a fish.