Mansfield Report: April 2026
Marie Tobias with a bonus 12-pound redfish while plugging for trophy trout.
Greetings from Port Mansfield. We made it through another winter and, let me tell you, summer is fast approaching. That being said, we still have time to capitalize on some heavyweight trout action this month. If you recall, we had a double-digit sow landed during April a few years ago. Simply for reference, that impressive catch happened on a topwater lure in shallow water.
In late February we saw the tides begin to rise from what appeared to be historical lows, and that first push of rising water put the fish on lockdown for a couple of days. Once things stabilized, the fish got back to their routine, which allowed us to actually catch them again. I had a three-day span where we worked harder than ever before just to get a bite or two. I cannot recall in recent memory it being so tough for a full three-day stretch. Heck, one day I caught only one rat red all day and that was it.
With water levels getting back to their normal springtime range, I have been venturing into the back bay shallows chasing redfish and those free-roaming lunker trout. With winds blowing, the reds have been grouping together and gorging on shrimp and small pinfish. They are easy to spot from a distance; the giveaway will usually be a small group of seagulls hovering overhead and occasionally diving to pick off a shrimp that lingers too near the surface.
Keep in mind, when working these pods of reds, you want to focus on the outside edges instead of plopping your lure right in the middle of them. By taking this approach, you will often pick off a trout or two along the edges as well.
With summer almost on the horizon, you can bet more people will be hitting the water, along with a near-endless string of fishing tournaments filling every weekend. On that note, I have never witnessed more boats on the water than I have seen this winter, especially tower boats. Just before the Saltwater Legends Fishing Tournament, I recall wondering about the sheer number of tower boats that have been built, because it seemed like every one of them was out on the Lower Laguna Madre gliding across the pristine flats in search of fish.
It looks like we are setting up for a great summer and I am looking forward to working the shallows. As mentioned earlier, the back bays will come alive—not only in Port Mansfield but everywhere up and down the coast. Reds and trout will venture into these areas and concentrate along windblown shorelines and near drains. Any water movement through back bay drains will be key, as this is when gamefish are most active. I personally like water flowing out of the drains, but either direction works—just be there when it’s happening.
On a side note, drains are also excellent spots to fish for flounder, as they too will be shuffling through our back bays this time of year.
As far as bait is concerned, I will soon be reaching for single hooks rather than treble hooks on my topwaters. With high winds also comes more floating grass, which can be a challenge when fishing surface lures. Now, if you are working far back in the bays, floating grass may not be so bad, but in the open waters of the Lower Laguna Madre you can bet that floating grass will be an issue.
The 4-inch KWigglers paddletail will also be tied to my other FTU G2 Green Rod, more than likely mounted on a 1/8-ounce 2/0 short-shank jighead. When wind churns the water into a murky color, the strong vibrations created by the tail of this bait make it easier for fish to sense its presence and react to it.
Our Lower Laguna is in great shape and primed for springtime fishing, which everyone loves to hear. It is important to respect the resource and only keep what you need for a healthy meal or two. So many anglers have already forgotten about the devastating effects of the 2021 freeze—hence my occasional reminders here in this column.
Trust me, freshly harvested fillets expertly prepared for a fish dinner after an enjoyable day on the water will always taste better than a package you forgot about in the freezer a year ago.
So, until next time—fresh is always better than frozen.
