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Fishing Reports for Local Area - Location |
    
Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 26
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 30, 2005 - 9:26 am: | |
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
May 26-28
King and Snapper fishing were sensational to say the least. Fish were found in 50 feet of water along the rocks. Quick limits of Snapper to 7 pounds and several above average size Kings filled both days. Snapper hit cut bait while the Kings aggressively hit lures attached to light tackle. Action was literally non-stop for three solid days. Seas cooperated at 1-3 feet.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com |
Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 25
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 07, 2005 - 4:53 pm: | |
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
MAY 5-6, 2005
This trip was the fourth annual Nielsen & Golder couples fishing tournament. Going in to this trip the women were up 3-0. After this trip they were up 4-0. This is significant since Linda Nielsen is the customer that isn’t shy about the consequences the guide will suffer if she doesn’t catch fish. Report follows:
Continual wind shifts coupled with a strong breeze created challenging conditions. East winds on Thursday forced us into the far south back bays. Fish were found in 3 feet of greenish water. While the trout bite was short lived we were still able to enjoy some fast and furious trout action. A few undersized reds were also caught. Bone and Chartreuse and Pumpkinseed and Chartreuse TRKs worked the best. On Friday the winds remained strong but shifted from the southeast. After much searching we found a small school of reds south of the Port. While the bite was aggressive it was also short lived. Purple and Chartreuse TTKs generated the most action. The afternoon bite really picked up (along with the winds). While it only lasted a couple hours we found numerous solid trout between 20 and 25 inches intermingled with a few reds. Purple and Chartreuse TTKs continued to dominate. The trout were found in about 3 feet of slightly stained water. Look for fishing to improve as the weather patterns become a little more consistent.
Again, congratulations to the women’s team for dominating this year’s event.
Good fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell |
Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 24
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 12:03 pm: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
April 22-23, 2005
Friday, Apr. 22. A short break in the weather opened an opportunity to venture offshore. While federal waters have opened for snapper we opted to stay in state waters. Fishing was so good it only required one stop to fill our limit of red snapper between 3 and 8 pounds. We were also greeted by several undersized lings and numerous king fish to 27 pounds. Fishing shallow rocks in 50 feet of water allowed us to break out the light tackle and chum snapper to the surface. The bite was so aggressive the snapper were hitting 6 inch Rapala countdown lures in orange and green colors. A few kingfish and ling also went for this combination.
Saturday, April 23. The morning was met with a quick burst of strong thunderstorms followed by north winds to 30 mph. We were still able to find decent water south of the Port. Redfish were abundant along the color changes but most were undersized. We were able to catch a few keepers. Red and white TRKs and Purple and Chartreuse TTKs worked best. The redfish were located in 2.5 feet of water on the darker side of the color change. The trout bite was very slow. Look for fishing to only improve as the weather patterns stabilize.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com |
Captain Brandon Shuler (Onthefly)
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Username: Onthefly
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2005
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 6:41 pm: | |
Port Mansfield Wind & Reds
Capt. Frank Vasquez had the opportunity to fish David (SCA FAME) and his wonderful daughter Cheryl. They found good reds on the sand in about 1 to 2 feet of water during the middle of the day. Lures of choice were gold spoons fished slowly over the sand. These reds were south of town and cruising the grass and sand edges. Capt. Frank said Cheryl put on a clinic in red fishing. Upon David’s return to Houston I will get photos posted of their trip. Lynn did land 1 red in excess of 30 inches before losing a larger one.
With our contained outbreak of Brown Tide he had to run a little further south to find clear water. To clarify, yes we have a slight outbreak of Brown Tide but it is not as bad as what was experienced in the early 90’s. Biologists feel we could see it dissipate before summer. If not we will have to deal with it. Having 6 to 8 guides on the water daily will help us scout out the fish and find clear water.
Our water is close to reaching the magic 70-degree mark so look for the large trout to make their move to the sand and gravel pockets on windy shorelines, in preparation to spawn.
Captain Brandon D. Shuler
Think Globally, Act Locally
Keep Five on the Fly
http://www.getawayadventureslodge.com |
Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 23
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, March 06, 2005 - 9:07 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
March 3-5, 2005
North wind, south wind, rain, sunshine, topwater bite, no topwater bite, hours without a blowup interrupted by moments of fast and furious action. It must be March. The past three days proved extremely challenging and tested about every theory of spring fish catching known to man. It’s evident that the trout and reds don’t read the same fishing books we do. Thursday started with a strong north wind and cloudy sky. The early morning bite was non-existent but the action did pick up late afternoon. A few trout and reds were picked up on topwaters. The reds exploded on a black He Dog with a red head and the trout hit chartreuse SkitterWalk. The fish were very concentrated and the action was fast but short lived. Friday started with a pretty good trout bite on red and white TRKs but stopped as fast as it started. Repeated grinding found reds right up against the wind blown banks in the back bays. The reds also hit red and white TRKs. Saturday started slow, was slow in the middle and ended slow. With strong south winds and stained water we had to run 20 south of the Port to find good water. Unfortunately the fish hadn’t found the good water yet. We fished shallow, deep, on top, on the bottom, soft plastics and top waters. It was a tough day. Look for fishing to greatly improve as the south winds stabilize.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 22
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 28, 2005 - 4:11 pm: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
FEB. 26, 2005
Strong north winds (25 mph) coupled with stained water led us to a day of fishing areas around the East Cut. With a strong outgoing tide we were able to find a few trout, reds and flounder along drop offs in 3 to 4 feet of water. Though a slow retrieve generated the most action the bite was actually pretty aggressive. TRKs in Red and White along with the new Laguna Melon color produced best for trout and reds. A 5 pound flounder was landed on a White and Chartreuse TTKII Jr. This bait has worked well for all species but it’s really evident the flounder like it. Topwaters were thrown briefly without success. Spring fishing presents many challenges with passing frontal systems. Sometimes you can’t just sit back and wait for that perfect day.
Good Fishing
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 21
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 4:20 am: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS FISHING REPORT
JANUARY 22, 2005
Fished north of the Port…way north to Baffin Bay with Capt. Ernest Cisneros, Tight Line Charters, and friends Ernesceito and Ruben. Ruben had grown up on Baffin and had caught several double digit trout over the years. It was great to have him on board as we navigated the famous Baffin rocks. We started our first wade along a soft bottom shoreline in waist deep water. Everyone started with different bait that varied from topwater, suspending and soft plastic. While the topwater bite was non-existent TTKII Jrs and Corkies really produced. While the fishing was never fast and furious the bite was steady with the first wade yielding three fish over 25 inches that pushed the 6 pound mark. Several other stout trout were intermingled with these larger fish. We ended the day chasing tailing reds along knee deep shorelines. While several reds were seen only a few were hooked. Overall it was a great day on the water. It’s always fun to get away from your home fishing grounds and experience other areas of the Laguna Madre.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 20
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 19, 2004 - 10:41 am: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
DECEMBER 16-18, 2004
Thursday, Dec. 16: North winds at 15-20 didn’t slow the trout bite with limits of trout by noon. Trout were fat and aggressively hit TTK II Jrs and TTKs. Pumpkinseed color was the top producer. Trout were in 4 feet of water holding on the bottom in grass. The bite was settle by the fight was energetic. Two oversized reds were also caught and released.
Friday, Dec. 17: What a difference a day can make. With a stronger north wind the bite all but shut down. After throwing Catch 2000s, Corkies, topwaters and every color of soft plastic imaginable we were able to scratch out a few trout and reds.
Saturday, Dec. 18: What a difference another day can make. This was one of the best days on the water this year with limits of high slot end reds and limits of trout. Of the trout limits 10 were over 22 inches which included 6 trout over 24 inches and two trout over 27 inches. All trout over 22 inches were released to fight another day. Fishing was non stop from 7:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. The bite remained light but the fight was impressive. Trout and reds were holding on soft bottom grass along drops. The trout and reds had been feeding on eels and pin perch. Soft plastics fished super slow produced the familiar tap.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 19
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, December 12, 2004 - 4:16 am: | |
CAPT CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
DECEMBER 10-11, 2004
Fri., Dec. 10: I had the pleasure of fishing with my friend and mentor, Capt. Bob Fuston of Red Bandana Charters. Capt. Bob takes pride in being one the original handful of guides to fish out of Port Mansfield 25 years ago. He’s also is well know as the inventor of the Mansfield Mauler. It’s never dull when Capt. Bob is aboard and this trip was no exception. With light north winds we headed to West Bay for my “lesson”. It didn’t take Capt. Bob long to be singing his famous “It’s Hard to be Humble” song as he caught trout after trout. Capt. Bob’s one of the few people who can sing, tell a joke, set the hook and get the fish half way in before you know what happened. Red and White TTKs fished as slow as possible on 1/8 ounce jigheads worked the best. While most reds were undersized the trout were fat and plentiful. Capt. Bob has bragging rights to catching his biggest trout of the year (which was also biggest of the day) the most fish of the day and the most species of the day. I guess it really is Hard to be Humble when you’re that good. It was a day on the water to be remembered.
Sat., Dec 11: Fished out of Arroyo City as part of the annual Fishers of Men Retreat weekend. The purpose of the retreat was fishing, food and fellowship. All three of these objectives were accomplished. Since the mini tournament was from 7:00 A.M. until noon there wasn’t time to run far. Fishing started slow…real slow. While redfish were plentiful the feed was not on. Topwaters, gold spoons and soft plastics generated limited strikes. With bait active, tailing reds present and good looking water the best thing to do is to keep grinding and wait for the bite to turn on. After boxing a few reds and trout on pumpkinseed TTKs we were close to running out of time so we headed toward the ramp for one last stop. Thirty minutes before weigh in the bite took off. Fast and furious action put a few more in the box but none of any size. We ended the weekend with a great fish fry along the bank of the Arroyo. It really gets no better than that. Thanks to Capt. Ernest Cisneros, Tightlines Charters for heading up the Fishers of Men weekend and tournament.
(Mark 1:17)
Happy Holidays,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 18
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 28, 2004 - 2:17 pm: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
NOVEMBER 26 – 27, 2004
Friday, Nov. 26: With a low tide, full moon and winds out of the south at 15-20 fishable water was found south of town. Started in West Bay in 4 foot of water. Topwater bite was slow but soft plastics were the ticket for solid trout to 24 inches. TTK II Jrs. in white and chartreuse fished below a Mansfield Mauler got the most attention. Worked our way to Green Island with stops in the back bays in search for redfish. Unfortunately the water was down and the tide was out which limited back bay fishability. However, trout action really kicked up East of Green Island. We continued to use soft plastics behind a Mansfield Mauler but shortened the leader to about 12 inches to better accommodate fishing the grass in 2 feet of water. The trout bite remained strong until early afternoon when the south winds picked up to 25.
Saturday, Nov. 27: Incoming tide, full moon and winds from the north at 20 had the water pretty stirred up to the south so we headed northeast. The bite started slow but took off around 10:00 A.M. Limits of trout intermingled with a few reds (to include a couple oversized) provided fast and furious action for a few hours before the north wind increased to near 25. Dark colored TRKs worked the best. Most fish were along grass edges near drops from 3 to 5 feet. Slow retrieves through the grass generated the most action.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 17
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 21, 2004 - 3:45 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
NOVEMBER 20, 2004
Light north winds, high water, aggressive reds.
With an abundance of water in the Lower Laguna Madre the redfish continue to hold in the back bays. We started the morning throwing light colored topwaters and received blow up after blow up. Unfortunately the hook up ratio was not impressive. A switch to a TTK in Burnt Oil proved to be the right decision with limits of reds caught within the hour. Though the water temperature has cooled the redfish are still very active. Several trout were also intermingled with the reds. Most fish were caught in less than 3 feet of water along mud and grass edges. Strikes came from fast and slow retrieves. Flounder gigging in the East Cut is in full swing with near limits being caught nightly. Look for a great winter red season followed by trophy trout time.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 16
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 31, 2004 - 3:50 am: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTER’S PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
OCTOBER 29-30, 2004
Full moon, low tides, high wind, above average temperatures and inconsistent patterns.
Friday, Oct. 29: Low tides and higher than advertised winds stirred the bay. Began on the northeast flats with topwaters and soft plastics. We found out real quick the only topwater of interest was a Super Spook Jr. in bone color. Reds, trout and skipjacks kept the action going. The slower retrieved topwater out performed soft plastic about two to one in the morning. As the winds increased we headed to the back bays where several redfish were caught on soft plastics. Best color was Texas Tackle Factory’s new Laguna Melon TRK. With water less than a foot deep we used a 1/16 oz. jighead and a fast retrieve.
Saturday, Oct. 30: Drift fished south of the Port in 3 feet of water. After 30 minutes without a topwater blow up we switched to TTKs in dark colors. Fishing the water color change from kind of dirty to real dirty proved to be the ticket. Reds and trout were aggressively feeding and provided consistent action throughout the morning. When fishing off colored water it is normally best to go with your darker colored baits.
As the water temperature continues to drop look for redfish action to continue, trout action to get better and flounder fishing to take off. Along with cooler water temperatures you should concentrate on slowing your retrieve.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 15
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 3:39 pm: | |
Capt. Charlie Farrell’s
Port Mansfield Fishing Report
October 14-16, 2004
Thurs., Oct. 14: Had to get on the water early in order to get a couple hours fishing in before the first cold front of the season blew into the Port. Did a quick stop along the West shoreline for a few keeper trout and reds on red and white TTks. We then headed south to West Bay to find the birds hard at work. TTKII Jrs. in white and chartreuse worked well for near limits of trout before the strong north wind forced us back to the harbor. We returned late in the afternoon for some great flounder fishing in the East Cut.
Fri., Oct. 15: With the passage of the front the winds had laid and the temperature dropped to the low 50’s. We started southeast of town and found a steady redfish bite on bone Spook Jrs and Pearl Skittlewalks. We worked our way south to the Green Island area and found trout in knee deep water. Light colored topwaters continued to work the best. Several of the trout were over 20 inches.
Sat., Oct. 16: Fished offshore aboard the Gone South. Off shore fishing continues to be excellent with limits of 4 to 9 pound snapper, a few sharks, grouper and kingfish. The trophy for the day was a 62 pound kingfish caught by Randall Morgan from Midland, TX. See photos on the home page link to Gone South Charters.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 14
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 03, 2004 - 9:25 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
SEPT. 30 – OCT. 2, 2004
Low tides, full moon, changing winds and challenging fishing.
Thursday, Sept. 30: Started the morning with an outgoing tide and South winds at 10-15. After working a few areas along the West Shoreline we headed south in search of cleaner water where we found numerous big reds hugging the bottom in the back bays. After throwing gold spoons, topwaters and soft plastics it became readily apparent that soft plastics retrieved very slowing was the only way to entice a bite. Best bait was a white and chartreuse TTK II Jr. on a 1/16 oz. jighead. Most fish were caught in less than knee deep water. Trout action was slow but one 25 incher hit a soft plastic in off colored water.
Friday, Oct. 1: Located several reds on the northeast flats. These reds were somewhat active early in the morning but the action slowed around mid-morning (full moon). Most of the reds were undersized but a couple low end slot reds were also caught. As in previous days a slow retrieved TTK II Jr. received the most attention. Undersized trout action was plentiful but solid keeper trout were hard to come by.
Saturday, Oct. 2: This was the first annual “Babes on the Bay” fishing outing. For those of you hearing numerous screams across the Lower Laguna Madre it was Jennifer Slusher and her crew hammering the reds while wading the northeast flats. Unfortunately, most of the reds were undersized but you would never know it from the cheers. Soft plastics generated the most hook ups. Red and white, white and chartreuse and limetruse were the top colors. After the bite slowed around noon we spent the rest of the day dolphin and turtle watching and collecting sea shells to take home to the kids. It was a great day on the Lower Laguna Madre.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 13
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 1:26 pm: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
SEPTEMBER 24-25, 2004
High tides, active trout, redfish and flounder.
The higher fall tides have filled the Lower Laguna Madre with water in the lower eighties. There are a lot of benefits to this increased water level and start of falling water temperatures. Fish are a little more active and the bite is more aggressive. The topwater bite is no longer just a morning thing. Small topwaters fished around and along grasslines have been effective most of the day. Light colored Super Spook Jrs. continues to work best. The flounder and reds are showing around the East Cut. Fish the flats north and south of the Cut for reds and fish the guts along the Cut for flounder. Use caution wading around the East Cut as tidal current is a little stronger this time of year. Also watch out for the oyster beds on the north side of the cut. Higher water has hidden most of the beds just below the surface. Trout are holding in waist deep water along grasslines. Topwaters and soft plastics continue to work well. Best soft plastic was a bone and chartreuse TTK. If you want a change of pace there are also huge schools of Skip Jack and Jack Fish to keep you occupied. Look for fall fishing to continue to improve.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Trey Stearns (Ctbaycharters)
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Username: Ctbaycharters
Post Number: 6
Registered: 4-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 10:29 am: | |
Port Mansfield Fishing Report
Date Report
Sep 15, 2004 Trout are good on live shrimp under a popping cork in the Intracoastal and the Ship Channel. Redfish and trout are good in West Bay on live shrimp under a popping cork. Kingfish and ling are good offshore.
Sep 8, 2004 Trout are fair to good on live shrimp under a popping cork and bone Trout Killers and Bass Assassins on the grass beds near the Intracoastal. Redfish are good on the flats on topwaters and live shrimp. Bull redfish are good at the jetty on porgies and shrimp.
Sep 1, 2004 Trout are fair on live shrimp under a popping cork in the Intracoastal. Trout are fair in chest-deep water over grass on bone and roach Trout Killers and Red Killers. Redfish are fair to good on shrimp and She Dogs near the Saucer.
Aug 25, 2004 Trout are fair to good over grass beds on chrome and bone She Dogs and Super Spook Jr's. Redfish are good while drifting the flats on live shrimp, Hogies and topwaters. Trout and redfish are fair to good on topwaters in West Bay.
Aug 18, 2004 Redfish are good for drifters on the flats throwing topwaters and live shrimp under a popping cork. Trout are fair to good on the grass beds on bone or black/chartreuse Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Norton Sand Eel Jrs.
Aug 11, 2004 Trout are good in the surf on She Dogs and soft plastics. Redfish are good for drifters on the flats throwing topwaters and live shrimp under a popping cork. Kingfish and red snapper are good offshore.
C&T Bay Charters Home Page
Texas Saltwater Fishing Guides|Baffin Bay Fishing Guides|Rockport Fishing Guides
Port Aransas Fishing Guides|Laguna Madre Fishing Guides|Corpus Christi Fishing Guides |
Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 12
Registered: 4-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 4:58 am: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
AUGUST 26-27, 2004
Strong winds, strong tides and an excellent early morning topwater bite.
Thurs., Aug. 26: Started the morning with a high/outgoing tide in knee deep water. Not much bait activity but the trout and redfish were aggressively hitting slow retrieved light colored Super Spook Jrs. Topwater action was excellent until 10:30 A.M. Increasing winds and warming water temperatures slowed shallow water bite. We ended the morning with numerous trout in the 17-25 inch range along with several slot reds. All fish were released. Moved northeast to deeper water and threw soft plastics. A few keeper trout and reds were intermingled with several throw backs. As wind gusts approached 30 mph. good water was hard to find. The best colored soft plastics were TTKs new Plumtruse, Laguna Melon and Texas Spoon.
Fri., Aug. 27: Winds had calmed from the previous day but the topwater bite had slowed. After catching several small trout on topwaters we headed south to waist deep water on the north side of the Saucer. Trout were found in the green water holding tight along grass lines. Slow retrieved TTKII Jrs, in white and chartreuse stood out as the favored bait. A slow/bouncing retrieve with a 1/16 oz. jighead produced the most action. A few flounder were also hooked using this technique. Moving further south while working the spoils with soft plastics continued to produce solid trout and reds. Most trout were between 16-24 inches. Winds picked up around 1:00 which slowed the bite. We finished the day picking up a few more reds along the color change. As winds pick up and the water darkens you may want to consider going to darker colored bait.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
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Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 11
Registered: 4-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 22, 2004 - 5:56 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
AUGUST 22, 2004
Throwing topwaters in the early morning followed by working soft plastics late morning/early afternoon remains the best producing combination. Most blowups have been from solid trout on a Pearl Skittlewalk. Vary your retrieve to increase bites. Dark soft plastics in black and red rigged on a 1/8 oz. jighead generated the best afternoon action. Fish are in the grass so be prepared for a really light bite. Shaking the soft plastic while in the thickest grass produced the most fish. Look for herds of reds in the back bays during the early morning hours.
Please see our link to Gone South Charters on our website. Capt. Charlie Farrell of Sweet Spot Charters has partnered with Capt. Scott Nelson of Gone South Charters to offer you the full fishing experience that Port Mansfield has to offer. Capt. Scott runs an immaculate 43 foot Bertram that’s custom rigged for comfort and fishability. Spend a day with Sweet Spot Charters in the bay stalking trout, redfish and flounder and a day off shore with Gone South Charters fishing for marlin, wahoo, dorado, snapper and king. Gone South is also accepting reservations for fishing Cancun, Mexico during April and May of 2005. All bookings for Cancun, with deposits, must be received no later than April 1, 2005.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
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Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 10
Registered: 4-2004
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Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 15, 2004 - 10:50 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
AUGUST 12-14, 2004
North wind, cool front and confused fish.
Thurs., Aug. 12: Started the day with a cool north wind which dropped the water temperature on the flats by close to 10 degrees. Began shallow on the southeast flats and continued to cover water while working to deeper structure. While fish were present they had shut down due to the rapid change in water temperature. After the water warmed the bite slowly came back. Topwaters were thrown unsuccessfully but dark soft plastics produced well. A super slow retrieve in deep channels resulted in a hardly detectable, light bite. Most of the keeper trout were caught later in the afternoon in thick grass in 4 foot of water.
Fri., Aug. 13: Wind continued out of the north and temperatures remained cool. Tailing redfish were abundant on the northeast flats but refused topwaters, soft plastics and spoons. Warming water kick started the bite. Several undersized trout were caught with about every fifth fish being a keeper. The redfish bite picked up in the afternoon along the inside of the grass lines. The best color soft plastic was Limetruse. Fish were holding on the bottom and the bite was very light. Remember when fishing these conditions to set the hook if you’re in doubt.
Sat., Aug 14: North wind had died and the day began with dead calm water on the east flats. As in previous days the redfish were tailing. During the first hour of the morning the topwater bite had picked up from previous days. A few keeper reds intermingled with some undersized provided exciting top water action. The late morning trout bite took off pretty good with dark soft plastics working the best. Several keepers were found on the bottom in 5 feet of water in heavy grass. Most bites came as the jig head was very slowly shaken through the grass. Finished the day by picking up a few reds along the west shoreline.
Look for the pattern of an early topwater bite in the shallows followed by working soft plastics deeper later in the morning to return as the weather pattern stabilizes.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 9
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 08, 2004 - 8:57 am: | |
CAPTAIN CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
AUGUST 4-7, 2004
Hot weather, no wind, big trout and tailing reds in shallow water.
Wed., August 4: Fished the back bays in foot deep water for tailing reds. Fish were abundant but slow to bite. Most action came from Bone Skittlewalks aggressively retrieved. Caution was needed to prevent spooking the fish. Times like this require patience coupled with a little luck. Though the water was shallow the deep mud prevented rapids movement to get to the school of tailing reds.
Thurs., Aug 5: Started the day drifting the deep grass where a large school of reds had been pretty active. The key word is “had”. On the third cast a big red was hooked and quick released. The remainder of the drifts resulted in numerous small trout being hooked. TTKs in red and white worked best. We continued our search for reds by heading back to the skinny, crystal clear water, of the back bays. As in the previous day the reds were still tailing. Unfortunately they would not hit a spoon, soft plastic or topwater with any consistency. The reds caught were mostly undersized. Heading further south we encountered a huge school of really big reds. The water rose when they surfaced as we entered the cove. No wind, pristine water, no boat traffic, huge school of reds and absolutely no action. We followed the heard for close to two hours throwing spoons, soft plastics and topwaters. It happens (sorry Jennifer).
Fri., Aug 6th: Started with topwaters on the flats northeast of the Port in search of large trout (quality over quantity). A bone Skittlewalk produced a solid 25 inch trout and a really, really big trout hit a black and chrome Top Dog Jr. Unfortunately the fish was lost within a couple cranks of being landed. On the bright side we were all able to get a look at this beautiful fish. We finished the day on the northeast flats catching numerous reds and trout on salt and pepper and pumpkin seed TTKs.
Sat., Aug 7: Returned to the northeast flats (now better known as Pancake Flats) where we had non stop action on avocado, black and red TTks. While some of the trout were undersized we were able to catch and release several keepers that were 20 plus inches. The bite was light but the action was consistent. Fish slow in the heat of the day.
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 8
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, August 01, 2004 - 11:14 am: | |
CAPT CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
JULY 29-31, 2004
Lots of small trout, nice flounder, a few reds and the 30th Annual Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament (PMFT).
Thurs., July 29: Pre-fished in preparation for the 2004 PMFT with Capt. Bob Fuston, Red Bandana Charters. Worked the south shorelines and spoils with soft plastics and top waters. Due to extremely low tides several favorite redfish holes were dry. Trout were concentrated in deeper pockets in guts along the spoils. Most fish were caught on TTK II Jr/ in white and chartreuse.
Fri., July 30: Headed south again for the first day of the PMFT (with tough customers…my wife and daughter). Trout were still holding in the guts along the spoils. Best bites came on a Bone Skittle Walk. After the early morning topwater bite we focused on flounder in the pot holes off the spoils along the intercoastal. Best soft plastic remained the TTK II Jr. in white and chartreuse. While we didn’t catch the money fish our efforts were rewarded by weighing in a 4 pound trout and 3 pound flounder.
Sat. July 31: With calm winds we started north along the west shoreline. The dead calm conditions put an early morning halt to the bite. After the wind picked up a little we had non stop action. Fished several areas along the west shoreline all the way up to Gladys’s Hole then east to Wagner’s and then to Butcher’s. Trout were plentiful in all areas. For every dozen trout caught one was a keeper. Several undersized reds added a little extra action to another great day on the water. Best soft plastic was the TTK in black, avocado and red.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 7
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 9:56 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S
SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
JULY 14-18, 2004
Trout and redfish action remains strong north and south of the Port. Reds have remained schooled along the flats next to the intercoastal and in 3 feet of water along the west shoreline. White and Chartruse TTK II Jrs. continue to generate the most action. Fast retrieves achieved aggressive trout bites and slower retrieves worked best for reds. Flounder were spotty with a few taken from drop offs along the intercoastal. Numerous school trout can be found in the deeper grass flats to the East.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 6
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 11:14 am: | |
CAPT. CHARLIE FARRELL’S SWEET SPOT CHARTERS
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
JULY 8-10, 2004
Lots of trout, some big flounder, a few reds and another successful Fishers of Men Couples Fishing Tournament.
Thursday, July 8th: Guts along the intercoastal south of town produced steady flounder action. For best results fish the grass drops with a 1/8 oz jighead and bone and chartreuse TRKs or the new TTK II Jr. in white and chartreuse. Fish slow and be patient. Some bites were aggressive but for the most part a slight peck was the only indication. To increase your odds of landing flat fish make sure you carry a net. Trout action was also steady along grass ridges. This time of year look to catch several undersized trout before you string a fish. Best bet for quality trout is a top water thrown early in the shallows.
Friday, July 9th: Continued to fish for flounder in the East Cut. Fortunately the bite continued. TRK in bone and chartreuse were clearly the best bait. Extreme patience was needed since the hook up to land ratio was about 3 to one. Fish the guts and joining small flat areas surrounding the guts for the best action. The trout bite took off late in the afternoon as the tide started to move. Again, most trout were undersized with a few keepers intermingled. TTKII Jrs. In Liquid Shrimp worked the best for trout.
Saturday, July 10th: This was the Third Annual Fishers of Men Couples Tournament held at Arroyo City. All of teams fished the Arroyo area and all weighed in fish. More importantly this tournament served as a time for fellowship, testimonials, great food, door prizes and reflection. A special thanks to Capt. Ernest Cisneros, Tight Line Charters for serving as tournament director. For more information see Mark 1:17 and Matthew 4:19.
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 5
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 28, 2004 - 5:22 pm: | |
CAPT CHARLIE FARRELL’S
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
JUNE 23-27, 2004
The summer pattern is here with an early morning shallow top water bite followed later by soft plastic in deeper water. Quality trout are shallow early in the morning. For numbers (with a lot of undersized) fish the deeper grass beds. The new TTK II Jr. in Liquid Shrimp color has become one of my high confidence baits.
Wed. June 23: Limits of reds and trout were found east of the Port. Reds were holding on shallow bars surrounded by deeper grass beds. Numerous trout, with most being undersized, were located along the drops and in deeper water. When fishing this pattern expect to catch up to 10 trout in order to find one keeper. TTK Jr. Liquid Shrimp rigged with a 1/8 oz. jig head produced the most action for both reds and trout.
Thursday, June 24th: Large herds of redfish remain south of the port in shallow water but bite was slow and frustrating. A few large trout produced massive blowups on topwaters but somehow avoided the hooks. Soft plastics during late morning and early afternoon worked well and achieved the best hook ups for both trout and reds. Red and white TTKs and TTK Jrs. in red and white and liquid shrimp worked best.
Friday, June 25th: Topwater action for trout and reds in shallow water along the bank provided non stop action the entire morning. Soft plastics (red and white TTks) thrown in deeper water also worked well. For quality trout this time of year throw a top water shallow. Yellow and white He Dogs and Mullet colored Skittle Walk Jrs. were aggressively hit. If the first blow up is missed stop the lure for a couple seconds. This usually resulted in another strike. Several high end slot reds and solid trout were caught throughout the day.
Sat., June 26th: Drifted the shorelines and caught scattered trout early in the morning. With virtually no wind the bite came to a standstill until 1:00 P.M. When the trout turned on it was fast and furious. A large number of undersized fish were caught and released. For every keeper there were 10 undersized caught. TTK Jr. in liquid shrimp remained the hot bait. Big trout for the day was 25 inches.
Sunday, June 27th: Drifted about 800 yards off the shoreline in grass pockets for numerous trout. Strong building winds allowed enough of an early morning break to catch several keeper trout. Red fish were found along sandbars surrounded by grass beds. TTK Jrs in red and white and liquid shrimp finished the week off as the top baits.
Good Fishing
Capt. Charlie Farrell
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 3
Registered: 4-2004
Rating:
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2004 - 4:19 am: | |
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
JUNE 10-12, 2004
Redfish continue to take the spotlight while increased catches of good sized trout are starting to appear.
Thursday, June 10: Started in the grass shallows southwest of town throwing Skittle Walk Jrs. Action was consistent with small reds intermingled with keeper trout. Fish were in two feet of water and hit a slow retrieve best. As we headed further south the action continued to pick up. Several keeper and oversized reds were found along the spoils. Gold Spoons thrown in 2 to 3 feet of water worked best. Keep an eye on the water activity to stay with the school of reds once located. Late afternoon brought an excellent trout bite along the back bay shorelines. Red and white TRKs cast to the grass along the bank on 2 feet of water brought the best action.
Friday, June 11: High pressure to deliver as I fished my wife and 6 year old grandson (Tyler). Fortunately the reds were on the feed and action was non-stop. Gold spoons over shallow grass brought excitement throughout the day. Tyler quickly learned the “around the boat redfish shuffle. Trout action was equally good. Red Shad TTKs seemed to produce the most action. See photo page.
Saturday, June 12: Wadefished three dedicated fisherwomen and two fishermen for a day of hard grinding. Strong southeast winds and low tides made fishing a little more difficult than the previous days but the catch at day’s end represented what staying in the water and grinding it out can produce. Several rat reds intermingled with keeper reds kept the action alive throughout the day. Trout action had also slowed but a 25 incher and several keepers rounded out the day’s action. Reds were caught on red and white TRKs and gold spoons. All trout were caught on red and white TRKs with a 1/16 oz. jighead retrieved slowly through the grass. Every bite felt like you were hung on the grass so when in doubt, set the hook. Reds were in three feet of water and trout were in 4 feet of water.
Good Fishing,
Capt. Charlie Farrell
Sweet Spot Charters
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 2
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 07, 2004 - 5:06 pm: | |
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
JUNE 3-5, 2004
Redfish action has been unbelievable and the trout are finally getting hungry.
Thursday, June 3rd: Began the day south along the west shoreline in a foot and a half of water over grass. Found solid trout aggressively hitting Skittle Walk Jrs. Several rat reds were also caught. The fished moved to deeper water later in the morning. Best soft plastic for the noon/afternoon bite was the Texas Trout killer II Jr. in Liquid Shrimp color. The trout were on the bottom which required a super slow retrieve. Ended the day catching several more school size trout in 4 foot of water over grass beds.
Friday, June 4th: Returned south to the west shoreline to find slow topwater action. Continued to move south and found a large school of reds in the upper slot limit in a foot to foot and a half of water feeding in sand pockets. We quickly limited out on redfish throwing gold spoons and Morning Glory TTKs. When looking for redfish in the shallows pay close attention to bait and water movement. This will also allow you to follow the school once located. Trout action was consistent in deeper water throwing red and white TTKs retrieved through the grass on the bottom.
Saturday, June 5th: Returned south for another redfish rodeo. ¼ ounce Johnson Weedless Gold Spoons continued to work the best. A few oversized reds were caught on Skittle Walk Jrs. The fish were first located next to the shoreline and slowly moved to deeper water as the morning progressed. Wade slow to make sure you don’t walk through a herd of reds once located. While trout action was good it had slowed a bit from the previous days. Large trout for the day was 25 inches, large red was 32 inches and large flounder was 22 inches.
As the weather stabilizes the feeding patterns will become more consistent. My recommended plan will remain to start with topwaters shallow early in the morning and moving to deeper water with soft plastics late morning.
Capt. Charlie Farrell
Sweet Spot Charters
www.sweetspotcharters.com
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ctbaycharters (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 7:33 pm: | |
C&T Bay Charters - Fishing Corpus Christi, Baffin Bay and Rockport
Apr 7, 2004 Sheepshead, whiting, flounder and black drum are fair to good at the jetty on shrimp and cut-bait. Trout and redfish are fair to good at the Community Bar on glow or pearl Sand Eels, Trout Killers and Bass Assassins.
Mar 31, 2004 Trout are fair to good on live shrimp while drifting the Saucer. Trout and redfish are fair to good on live shrimp around the Land Cut. Black drum are good on crabs in the channels.
Mar 24, 2004 Trout are fair on live shrimp in the channel. Black drum and redfish are fair to good on cut-bait in the Intracoastal. Redfish are fair to good while drifting the Saucer on topwaters.
Mar 17, 2004 Trout are fair on live shrimp and tandem-rigged DOA shrimp around the grass humps near the Intracoastal. Black drum and redfish are fair to good on crabs and mullet in the Intracoastal.
Mar 10, 2004 Trout are fair on live shrimp in the channel. Black drum and redfish are fair to good on cut-bait in the Intracoastal. Redfish are fair to good while drifting the Saucer on topwaters.
Mar 3, 2004 Trout are fair on live shrimp and tandem-rigged DOA shrimp around the grass humps near the Intracoastal. Black drum and redfish are fair to good on crabs and mullet in the Intracoastal.
Feb 25, 2004 Trout are fair to good in the potholes and guts on red/white and bone Red Killer and Hogie's. Trout and redfish are fair for drifters working the flats.
Feb 18, 2004 Trout, redfish and sheepshead are fair in the Intracoastal on live shrimp. Mangrove snapper and sheepshead are good on live bait at the jetty. Trout and redfish are fair to good at the Saucer and on the flats in the afternoon on red/white plastics.
Feb 11, 2004 Whiting and redfish are fair to good in the surf on dead shrimp. Sheepshead, black drum, whiting, and flounder are good on live and dead shrimp at the East Cut. Trout are fair to good at the Saucer on red shad, plum and fire tiger Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Sand Eels.
Feb 4, 2004 Trout and redfish are fair to good in the channels and on the edges of the Intracoastal on live shrimp and red/white and fire tiger Red Killers and Bass Assassins. Black drum and redfish are fair to good around the East Cut on mullet and crabs.
Jan 28, 2004 Trout and redfish are fair to good on shrimp in the channel. Redfish and black drum are fair to good at East Cut on crabs. Redfish are fair on the flats on gold spoons and glow plastics.
Jan 21, 2004 Trout and redfish are fair to good over grass beds and sand holes on bone and fire tiger Trout Killers, Bass Assassins and Sand Eels. Redfish are good on the ledges and drop-offs near East Cut on mullet and soft plastics.
Jan 14, 2004 Trout, redfish, and flounder are fair in on red/white and bone Trout Killers, Sand Eels and Bass Assassins on the drop-off adjacent to the Intracoastal. Black drum and sheepshead are fair on dead shrimp and crabs in the channels and holes.
Jan 7, 2004 Trout, redfish and black drum are fair at East Cut on live shrimp. Trout are fair to good in the Intracoastal on red/white and plum Bass Assassins, Trout Killers and Hogie's. Trout and reds are moving to the flats in the afternoon as the sun warms the shallows.
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Capt Charlie Farrell (Sweetspot)
New member
Username: Sweetspot
Post Number: 1
Registered: 4-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 5:47 am: | |
PORT MANSFIELD FISHING REPORT
March 31-April 4, 2004
Redfish action on topwaters has dominated three of the past five days of fishing.
Wednesday, 3/31/04: Day started with light north breeze and incoming tide. Fished the back bays south of the Arroyo in knee deep water. Huge school of redfish (concentrated) appeared at 7:30 A. M. We stayed with the school for close to three hours. Hookups were non stop on small gold and red Spooks and Red Headed and Chartreuse He Dogs. Most reds were between 25-30 inches. All were released.
Thursday, 4/1/04. Returned to the same location (duh). Wind had shifted out of the south. Tide was low and incoming. Though the school was broken there were still several reds ready to feed. Red and gold junior spook and chartreuse and gold and gold and yellow He Dogs were the best bait. A few trout were intermingled with the reds but no big ones. One customer threw a fly without success. Top water bite remained the ticket. All fish were released.
Friday, 4/2/04. Pressed our luck for a third day. Strong south winds and cloudy conditions. Few reds remained and the topwater action continued. Trout were slow on soft plastics. Moved north to Peyton’s Bay for a few more reds and a couple trout (scattered).
Saturday, 4/3/04. Drifted Peyton’s Bay. Strong southeast wind continued to blow but water clarity was good. Consistent redfish and trout action resulted in a great day of fishing. Top water action slowed but was replaced by an aggressive bite on red and white Texas Red Killers. Fish were found in one to one and a half feet of water.
Sunday, 4/4/04. Strong south wind. Low tide/first stage of incoming. Continued to drift Peyton’s Bay for limits of reds and scattered trout. Topwater action was at a stand still. Purple and chartreuse TTKs worked best for the reds and salt and pepper TTKs worked best for trout (1/8 oz. jig head). Trout were also caught at the north end of the Saucer. No sows yet but several in the18-20 inch range.
Capt. Charlie Farrell
Sweet Spot Charters
www.sweetspotcharters.com
sweetspot@earthlink.net
866-766-4881
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Tom Mayo (Mayo)
New member
Username: Mayo
Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2003
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 2:49 pm: | |
Due to Red Snapper Closure in Federal Waters beginning November 1, 2003, In order to legally catch and keep Red Snapper, "Fish On!" will be fishing strictly State Waters. State of Texas Fishing License with Salt Water Stamp is Required. |
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