Mansfield Report: September 2006

The Laguna Madre continues to offer everything a lure fisherman looks for, even if we did have to work a little harder during deep summer. Late July and August gave us many no wind mornings followed by blasts from the desert furnace in the afternoons. Couple these weather conditions with low water and lots of floating grass and the challenge was certainly there. It's a worthy challenge however, and fortunately for us, most visitors to Port Mansfield are eager to take whatever the conditions offer and appreciate an environment like no other.

Yes, we had some tough days this last period. Persistence was the key however, and by staying with traditional patterns, most days resulted in limits of fun regardless of the day's total catch. Redfish were most cooperative and early morning runs were often punctuated by large wakes cruising the shallow flats on both the east and west sides. The reds are becoming increasingly weary of summer's shallow boat traffic however, especially when shutting down in the middle of them. When you spot a large concentration of milling fish, it's best to just keep going and then make a wide loop back behind them. Quietly walking back into them with tails and spoons was rewarding. We also enjoyed many days of good topwater bites. Some days a full-sized worked teasingly would do it, but other days a junior-sized lure was the only bait that would draw a response. Later in the afternoons, although the standard approach was to target deeper potholes, we often saw fish pull back up shallow as the wind would increase. Watching closely for the right color changes and bait activity provided the best clues about where to probe.

Trout have been, for the most part, spotty and on the smaller size. There are a lot of undersized fish in the system, and when they decide to feed, it can often be a four to one throwback to keeper ratio. It's important for us to handle these fish with care if we value tomorrow. However, as soon as we think the world is run by juvenile fish, a megalith will show out of nowhere and either explode on a plug or come thrashing out of the water trying to dislodge a foreign piece of soft plastic. High percentage places for better trout have been along the deeper breaks near the Intracoastal. We are starting to see more of these trophy class trout cruising the skinny stuff though, and look forward to them becoming more catchable as September moves us towards fall.

September will be a month of change. Overall water levels will increase and the entire Laguna will take on a whole new personality. Back lake areas will again fill with bait and predators will be right behind them. Larger redfish will travel in schools and compete for food, and if luck will have it, they will also compete for lures. Sightcasting in the sand will be an experience rivaled only by bonefish in the Bahamas. Trout will start feeding more aggressively as the water level rises and temperatures recede. We will see some heavier weights begin to show and more of them will identify with chunky potholes nearer to the shorelines. The topwater bite will increase, but day in and day out, tails will pull out more than their fair share of wary fish.

Some other news I'd like to mention is a new toy I've been enjoying which is really no toy at all. A great client, Richie Hominga, has graced my Shallowsport with a Power Pole complete with a remote control which can reach out to one hundred yards. Being able to keep the boat behind us on long wades has changed the way we fish and has increased both our enjoyment and productivity. I just can't say enough about it.

Another bit of news I can't say enough about concerns the silting in of Port Mansfield's East Cut. Access and water flow to and from the Gulf is at an all time low here and it appears that we are on our own for a remedy. This channel, which is supposed to have a control depth of twenty feet, has shoaled up to two and four feet in some areas and is filling in fast. A good exchange of water is critical for the health of the Laguna all the way up to Baffin. If you enjoy, and would like to continue enjoying what our lower bays have to offer, I would encourage you to mail in the flyer titled "Fishing Emergency" on page 45 of the August issue of GCC. It's important to all of us, and so is the message that recreational use of the water is just as important as commercial applications. Please take the time to raise your hand as a concerned angler, and in the meantime, take some time to go fishing as well. September is a great month to get in there with them.