Wintertime Rio Grande Fishing Report: Crappie, Cichlids, and Monster Gar Headline the Action

Howdy, y'all, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to gal for all things fishin' down here on the Rio Grande in Texas. It's Monday, January 12th, 2026, and we're kickin' off the day at 8:35 AM with some prime winter action brewin' in these murky waters.

Tides today around the lower Rio Grande near South Padre are lookin' solid—low around 3-4 AM at about 0.2 feet, high hittin' 2:28 PM at 1.7 feet or so, per Tide-Forecast.com predictions. Sunrise was at 7:17 AM, sunset 'round 5:40 PM, givin' us a good 10-hour window before the chill sets in. Weather's typical January—cool highs in the low 60s, light northerly breeze 5-10 mph, partly cloudy, perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the banks.

Fish are active in the cooler flows, with solunar charts from FishingReminder.com showin' major bites from 9-11 AM and evenin' minor feeds. Recent TPWD records from Espantosa Slough and nearby waters got Rio Grande Cichlids up to 9 inches on jigs, white crappie stretchin' 15 inches same way, and monster alligator gar at 74 inches usin' cut carp. Guadalupe River reports mirror this—flathead cats to 62 pounds on drop lines, channel cats 21 pounds, largemouth bass 12 pounds, and common carp 28 pounds rod and reel. Limits are comin' steady on crappie and cichlids, with gar and cats pilin' up for bowfishers.

Best lures? Stick to **jigs** in natural olive, brown, or black—micro-jigs or 1/16-oz marabou under a float for crappie and cichlids, per TPWD catches. Small inline spinners for bass. Live bait shines: **cut carp** or shad chunks for gar and cats, worms or minnows for everything else. Fish the outgoing tide for best drifts.

Hot spots: Hit the **Espantosa Slough** bends for crappie and cichlids—structure's loaded. Or try **International Bridge pilings** near Brownsville for cats and gar in the deeper holes.

Get out there safe, check regs, and tight lines!

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI