Mansfield Report: March 2025

Greetings from Port Mansfield. We’ve had a couple of good cold snaps. As of this writing we had one back in mid-January that came close to being an issue for our trout fishery. I documented 25° air temperature at my house in Port and surface water temperatures dipped to the low-40s and upper-30s around the bay. I was not able to check bottom temperatures as I did in various locations back in 2021 due to intermittent power outages and icy conditions. Our harbor was full of fish seeking refuge from the bitter cold and in short order anglers figured it out and were catching both big reds and trout from the sea wall.

As the weather warmed, those harbor fish started making their way back to the Lower Laguna Madre where they became more active as the water temperatures continued to rise. During this period, we were able to stage up where they were headed, which made for some great fishing (catching). It was also during this period when we had some of our heaviest fish. Redfish were the stars of the show when water temperatures were upper-40s to low-50s but as we hit about 57°-58° the trout also started to play.

Unfortunately, we did not land any really long fish but trout in the 24- to 27-inch class were certainly heavier than normal. I would like to point out that we were getting some surprisingly good topwater trout action in 58° water temperature. Keep in mind we had ample sun and both air temperatures and water temperatures were on the rise. Something worth noting for future reference.

As we move further into the spring fishing season, I am encouraged by the quality of fish I am seeing all across the LLM. If it has not happened yet, I anticipate at least one double-digit trout coming this season and I sure hope it is one of my anglers who comes fishing with me for that very reason. March can produce some of the most exciting action for anglers and I am optimistic about April as well.

Our water levels should start increasing some as the weather patterns shift toward more southerly flows. This will become more consistent later in the month and into April, which also leads to a more “active” fishery. I mention this because I try to mentally balance the present and what might be around the corner.

With the anticipation of windy days approaching, I will be leaning toward plastics that put off lots of vibration, particularly because we will likely be fishing off-colored water and, in some instances, downright dirty water. The Wig-A-Lo and 4-inch paddletail come to mind as those baits have been tried and true for dirty water conditions. Based on the windspeeds I will also be considering a heavier jig head; 3/16 and 1/4-ounce as opposed to my more usual 1/16-ounce. These heavier heads help to keep the lure in the strike zone despite the strong wind-driven currents tugging at the line, causing the lure to rise in the water column. Topwaters will obviously be in play in all water clarity conditions and will produce some exiting blowups, even in high winds.

As of late I have been using the Corky model of Fishing Tackle Unlimited’s G2 Green Rod. This is a fairly stiff rod with great backbone but still with a lot of sensitivity and feel for any subtle bites. I have been using it simply because of my pointing out using heavier jig heads in windy conditions and it is also very good for topwaters and any heavier suspending baits.

March will be an excellent month for a big trout, so if you can get out and want that shot, this might be the time. I would focus on strong solunar periods, weekdays if possible, and concentrating on areas holding bait with deep water access and a semi muddy bottom. Isolated grass beds as well as staying less than thigh deep is another zone to concentrate on. If you keep all this in mind I feel confident you might just land your personal best trout.

Until next time, stay safe and remember that fresh is better than frozen.