Mansfield Report: February 2024

Greetings from Port Mansfield! We are now into the heart of trophy trout season and things have shaped up nicely. I suspected and made mention this was likely to be an excellent season based on the last few years of stricter regulations enacted by TPWD since the February ’21 freeze, and other observations while on the water. We’ve had some nice fish recently with a solid 8-plus, along with multiple fish in the 6 to 7-pound range that same day.

I’d like to point out that the days following a strong cold front that drops water temperatures 10 or more degrees might be the perfect time to consider a fishing trip, if you can get away during that period. Generally speaking, long about the second or third day after the front pushes through, the water begins to warm up and big trout will be staging within easy reach.

What happens is that the northers that create such drastic drops in water temperature also cause significant reductions in the water level, and the fish will stage in the deepest troughs, potholes, and along edges of channels in the areas they were inhabiting prior to the storm coming to the coast. So, if you know your bay system well enough, you can dial in on these areas and hopefully find and catch a few nice fish as the waters warm and the fish resume normal feeding activity.

Now that we have a post-front trip planned, it’s time to begin thinking about lures. My first inclination would be to start with a soft plastic, probably the one you have the most confidence using. I would lean toward one with a large profile that I can present in a slow, lazy fashion; rigged on a light jighead because I’m probably in water less than two feet deep.

The KWigglers Wig-A-Lo or Willow Tail Shad would both be good choices. If that doesn’t work, I may try downsizing for a few casts, if I’m confident fish are in the area. This would be either a junior-size Wig-A-Lo or maybe a Ball Tail Shad. If this isn’t getting it done, I’ll reach for a floating Corky, to which I will dedicate some time. If this doesn’t get the love it deserves, I’ll likely opt for a suspending/slow-sinking twitchbait such as a Double D.

I’ve also been experimenting with a lure Mansfield Knockers is tinkering with called the Darter, which is smaller than the Double D but doesn’t rise on the pause. This bait has produced the biggest fish of the season for us so far, so I’ve gained confidence in it.

One other option is reaching for a topwater, which can be an excellent choice in winter, but we need a few things in our favor. These would be rising water temperatures, little to no floating grass, and declining barometric pressure. I like to see water temperatures around 63° before I have much confidence in tossing topwaters. However, you can certainly get them to strike with cooler temps, but that’s just my personal starting point.

Now, it may take a full day to work through all these options, but at some point, the fish will tell you what they want and there is no particular order for what you choose to throw. Just throw what you think the fish want first.

So far this season high barometric pressure has really got me trying to figure out how to overcome it and catch fish. This has been and always will be a challenge for any angler. Lately, the Darter I mentioned earlier seems to be helping solve the puzzle. That said, keeping whatever bait you choose close to the fish is key. Your bait needs to be in front of the fish as long as possible. They aren’t going to chase it down, and angler confidence and concentration are key elements to success in this situation. So, downsizing and keeping the bait in the zone of greatest opportunity is where your lure needs to be to overcome the high-pressure blues.

The Houston Fishing Show will be held February 14 - 18 at the George R. Brown Convention Center. I will be there most of the show with my friends at Fishing Tackle Unlimited, KWigglers, and now Mansfield Knockers. I’ve heard rumor that FTU will have a few show discounts including their excellent G2 Green Rod. So, if you’ve been looking for a G2 Green Rod, you may consider coming by the booth. Hope to see you there!

Until next time, remember fresh is better than frozen.