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Mansfield Report: February 2009
Fish are more concentrated this time of year; work the area thoroughly before moving on.
Aside from a few baffling slow periods the fishing has remained inspiring here. Good conditions between fronts have almost spoiled us. Quality fish are holding in several types of areas and it's just up to us as anglers to deal with them according to conditions. The promise of a "weighty" February is looming closer to reality each day.
Trout fishing has been fun for numbers of fat twenty-inchers. Soft plastics have accounted for the most consistent action over deeper grass beds. Hopping a tail just above the grass will usually get you bit if you stay with it. Remembering that fish tend to be more concentrated this time of year is the key. Stop walking when you start getting bit and work the area thoroughly. A Brown Lure Devil Eye on a 1/8 screw lock head is all that's required aside from loving to fish. During slow periods the pickup can be quite delicate, so it's usually the most learned fishermen who fare best. When it's on it's really on, so both the learned and the novice have a realistic chance at those bigger fish we all hope for.
While we haven't seen consistent trout over eight pounds yet, those in the five to heavy-seven class have been fairly patternable. Most have been shallow on all but the coldest of days. When mullet invade the shallows, you can bet bigger trout are quietly in the shadows. One approach has been right after northers, running topwaters over bait-ridden potholes. Good bets are areas near deeper water, but let the bait be more suggestive than the textbook. Probing each little deviation has paid off with our biggest catches of the season. And yes, we are still relying on Gamakatsu's single hooks for a safer and more versatile plugging experience.
Now is a high potential time to go for a personal best. Tides will be at their lowest helping concentrate fish in predictable areas and they often feed voraciously either side of the northers. As far as big fish, where we concentrate efforts on any given day will depend on weather, but traditional patterns haven't changed.
As southerly winds build ahead of fronts, look near color changes on the flats showing strong signs of life. Presentations can be more aggressive here and topwaters can excel when the bait is high and active. A significant temperature drop will move us toward waist deep heavily grassed areas or silty depressions. Tails and low-walked Corky Fat Boys can get thumped consistently once the right depth and speed is determined. In the days following a front, follow the sun and work your way from deep to shallow again. Those bigger fish will soon be back in potholes near bait masses or in any other warming area near the deeper water they were driven to. In all casestry to stay near the baitfish for the highest potential. Above all, be confident and exert your all during that precious time on the water. This year especially, just know they are there and go for it.
Fishing for above average size usually requires above average effort. However, even effort and technical expertise are useless if we don't learn to fish where fish are. One intrigue about this shallow Lagoon is that if we watch closely, nature will usually tell us where to start. Watching nature, by the way, does not include watching other boats. There is plenty of opportunity available, and as mentioned, we can be spoiled for choices so please always respect others in the hunt.
February has traditionally been sacred time for big trout enthusiasts. Why folks skip other prime months is interesting, but myths do originate for a reason. Those myths are swimming as we speak, but in the meantime, never discount the excitement that shallow-water wintertime redfish can provide. It's the addiction of the chase, and regardless of the feverish emphasis placed on thirty inches of speckled glory, sometimes the quarry is secondary to the pull.
I look forward to seeing everybody in the Fishing Tackle Unlimited booth during the Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center March 4-8, 2009. Until then, may your expectations be fulfilled by your efforts.
Trout fishing has been fun for numbers of fat twenty-inchers. Soft plastics have accounted for the most consistent action over deeper grass beds. Hopping a tail just above the grass will usually get you bit if you stay with it. Remembering that fish tend to be more concentrated this time of year is the key. Stop walking when you start getting bit and work the area thoroughly. A Brown Lure Devil Eye on a 1/8 screw lock head is all that's required aside from loving to fish. During slow periods the pickup can be quite delicate, so it's usually the most learned fishermen who fare best. When it's on it's really on, so both the learned and the novice have a realistic chance at those bigger fish we all hope for.
While we haven't seen consistent trout over eight pounds yet, those in the five to heavy-seven class have been fairly patternable. Most have been shallow on all but the coldest of days. When mullet invade the shallows, you can bet bigger trout are quietly in the shadows. One approach has been right after northers, running topwaters over bait-ridden potholes. Good bets are areas near deeper water, but let the bait be more suggestive than the textbook. Probing each little deviation has paid off with our biggest catches of the season. And yes, we are still relying on Gamakatsu's single hooks for a safer and more versatile plugging experience.
Now is a high potential time to go for a personal best. Tides will be at their lowest helping concentrate fish in predictable areas and they often feed voraciously either side of the northers. As far as big fish, where we concentrate efforts on any given day will depend on weather, but traditional patterns haven't changed.
As southerly winds build ahead of fronts, look near color changes on the flats showing strong signs of life. Presentations can be more aggressive here and topwaters can excel when the bait is high and active. A significant temperature drop will move us toward waist deep heavily grassed areas or silty depressions. Tails and low-walked Corky Fat Boys can get thumped consistently once the right depth and speed is determined. In the days following a front, follow the sun and work your way from deep to shallow again. Those bigger fish will soon be back in potholes near bait masses or in any other warming area near the deeper water they were driven to. In all casestry to stay near the baitfish for the highest potential. Above all, be confident and exert your all during that precious time on the water. This year especially, just know they are there and go for it.
Fishing for above average size usually requires above average effort. However, even effort and technical expertise are useless if we don't learn to fish where fish are. One intrigue about this shallow Lagoon is that if we watch closely, nature will usually tell us where to start. Watching nature, by the way, does not include watching other boats. There is plenty of opportunity available, and as mentioned, we can be spoiled for choices so please always respect others in the hunt.
February has traditionally been sacred time for big trout enthusiasts. Why folks skip other prime months is interesting, but myths do originate for a reason. Those myths are swimming as we speak, but in the meantime, never discount the excitement that shallow-water wintertime redfish can provide. It's the addiction of the chase, and regardless of the feverish emphasis placed on thirty inches of speckled glory, sometimes the quarry is secondary to the pull.
I look forward to seeing everybody in the Fishing Tackle Unlimited booth during the Houston Fishing Show at the George R. Brown Convention Center March 4-8, 2009. Until then, may your expectations be fulfilled by your efforts.