CatchWindow fishing intelligence

South Padre Island CG Station, TX Daily Water Report — October 4, 2026

South Padre Island gets a qualified green light today: excellent for sailors and divers on the scorecard, workable for anglers and boaters, but with enough north wind to make small-craft plans a matter of judgment rather than bravado. The water itself is relatively orderly, with waves running 0.6–0.9 m and their calmest point near 3 PM at 0.58 m. The dominant swell is modest, 0.48 m from the east at 5.2 seconds, while short wind waves add 0.26 m. Marine SST is a notably warm 30.1 C, about 1.3 C above average. That supports the day’s 8.6/10 diving outlook, though the score is not a safety guarantee and the supplied 14 km visibility is atmospheric—not a read on underwater clarity. Wind is the main editor of the day. A representative northerly 17 knots, gusting 21, favors sailing’s strong 8.7/10 rating but asks more of paddlers and open-water boaters. Kayaking rates 6.4/10 and boating 6.6/10: reasonable in protected or well-managed plans, less inviting where the fetch is exposed. Gusts may reach 22 knots around 9 PM, so the evening is not the time to discover that a “quick lap” has become a windward negotiation. For fishing, the 6.7/10 outlook gets its best timing from the morning solunar major period, 7:24–9:24 AM, just after sunrise at 7:23. A second major period arrives 7:24–9:24 PM, after sunset but within dusk-to-dark conditions. Pressure is rising toward 1014 hPa, while the tide falls from a 0.66 m high at 2:54 AM toward a 0.09 m low at 4:28 PM. Shoreline explorers and wildlife watchers have their most useful low-tide access late afternoon, although the 6.1/10 wildlife score reflects wind and timing rather than any wildlife observation. Compared with yesterday, wind has risen from 10.3 knots and boating has slipped from 8.1 to 6.6, while diving remains strong, only slightly below yesterday’s 8.8. Sailing also stays in fine form despite easing from 9.2. The next two days keep waves modest but bring peak winds near 20 knots and rain chances of 59–81%; Wednesday looks somewhat less windy before seas build later in the week. Best bet: sail early with a reef-ready mindset, or dive during the afternoon’s lowest seas—then be off the exposed water before the northerly gets its second wind.