Mansfield Report: October 2023

Greetings from Port Mansfield! I’m excited that fall is approaching, and quite frankly, the timeframe from the present through December is hard to beat on the flats of the Lower Laguna Madre.

Tide levels have risen a bit and our topwater bite has been fairly consistent during early morning along ledges and deeper potholes. Most days they just flat out slam a Mansfield Knocker, while a few swirls is their only reaction on others. If this happens more than a few times I will switch quickly to soft plastic. In short order I’ll be able to identify which bait they prefer. Always remember to “feed ‘em what they want!”

I had the pleasure recently to fish with Jaxson Appel and a couple others of CCA’s RGV Chapter. Jaxson’s hope was to upgrade his 25-inch personal best trout, and the pressure was on, literally. The barometer was through the roof, we were coming off a full moon, and the sky was bluebird. Topping it off, we began the day with west wind. We all love challenges…right?

Our first stop was an area known to hold big trout. We started with topwaters and my thoughts were that our best shot would come as the moon was sinking toward the horizon. Bait was present but inactive, only occasional flickers on the flat we were working. Fishing was slow, and with west wind, my wade back to the boat was a long one. We steadily targeted more small areas known for big trout but the bite remained tough. We picked at fish most of the day with only one a little over two pounds for our efforts. Pondering strategies and approaches to targeting big fish, I suggested we revisit our first spot. This is a strategy that often pays off for me but not often practiced by many anglers.

We pulled in and had to set up differently as the wind had shifted east. I lined out the wade (especially for Jaxson) and suggested he work a grass line along a slight ridge. The east wind had created a color change along this area and I felt this was about as good as it could get. He worked methodically, and nearing the end of the wade, I noted the deep arc in his rod and signature headshaking and splashing of a large trout. I knew what he had. I could tell he was dialed in and concentrating to remain calm in order to end the contest with a “Boga Grip moment.” Sure enough, just as I arrived at his side, he made the connection and accomplished his mission. What a way to end a day that dealt us a bad hand.

In addition to keeping tabs on big trout, I’ve also been spending a little time targeting snook – my all-time favorite species. This year has been quite challenging, not only in getting them to bite, but to stay on the hook when they do. I’ve not found any small ones, all landed have been over 27 inches, with the biggest being 31 inches and 10 pounds. Now for the caveat, as I slowly wade shallow water with thick grass and deep potholes, I’ve encountered some impressive redfish opportunities (see QR code).

Schools of reds working toward me often challenge my dedication to snook. I could easily spend hours working over schools of tailing reds, or simply let them swim within three feet of me, knowing that if any one of us were to toss into the school we would compromise any shot at a big snook.

This is a win-win for me personally as I can watch the beautiful sight of tailing reds doing their thing, all the while keep my “eye on the ball.” During this outing, just moments later, I tossed my Mansfield Knocker to the edge of a pothole, and as luck would have it, I connected with the fish I was after, (see QR code). In my opinion this is the most challenging fish to target in the LLM. Folks often ask; “What’s it like, targeting snook?” My answer, “Like targeting a 10 pound trout, only harder.”

I’ll be off to Brazil this month for another exciting Amazon adventure, only this time I’ve added the Arapaima to my species list. I look forward to providing a detailed report very soon, so stay tuned.

In closing, I would like to point out that Fishing Tackle Unlimited has the new Classic G2 Spinning Rod in stock. You might consider adding one to your arsenal if you haven’t already done so.