A gold spoon retrieved cleanly across the top of a pothole, states Danny Neu, is downright deadly.
And Neu is someone who you should listen to when he's sharing fishing tips. Captain Neu is a professional guide in Port Mansfield who has long been specializing in the grass flats of the Lower Laguna Madre, an area which lends itself to many different styles of fishing.
Scattered throughout the lower coast are circular sandy breaks surrounded by underwater vegetation. They are easily visible, especially with a pair of polarized sunglasses. Potholes, as they are commonly called, look like miniature crop circles submerged in waist deep water and are one of the best structures for holding baitfish and attracting predators. Lower coast locales like Port Mansfield boast never-ending flats of entwined grass potholes aplenty.
"I actually do my best fishing anywhere from late spring to the beginning of fall drifting potholes or wading in these areas," says Neu. Since so many baitfish gather in the Port Mansfield area in spring, it's a magnet for predators - and coming from Neu, this is information as valuable as any fishing reports you'll find. Even sightcasters do well in the area, thanks to the exceptionally clear waters.
According to Neu, fishing is at its finest when small baitfish infiltrate bay systems. "Piggy perch and pinfish cruise in and out of the pockets and make it easy pickins."
For Neu, the locations he begins to wade or drift are places that he can actually see the fish laying on the edge of the grass awaiting prey while motoring by. Setting up the initial location is simple when water clarity is the utmost. "Slicks and fleeing baitfish are other signs to watch for."
Drifting and wading are both perfectly good methods in this region, with the choice really coming down to a matter of preference. Fishing reports may vary in the opinions they give, but the experts say it is up to what works best for each angler.
"Typically I wade when I work the potholes, since this lets me get into each and every sandy patch one by one and fish each spot thoroughly," says Neu.
A man never short of fishing tips, Captain Neu also suggests wading rather than drifting if you happen to come across a group of feeding fish. He says this makes it far easier to hold a good position once you've found one.
Biologist Casey Hardin has been studying the lower Texas coast sea grasses and tells us that it seems to him that they form as the result of the substrates being unsuitable for plant growth. He also mentions that where anglers are concerned, this is probably of less interest than the fact that potholes make for great fishing when speckled trout and redfish are in your sights.
An angler himself, Hardin spends much of his free time fishing the same grassy areas he studies. "The Upper Laguna has some great shoreline, but not a lot of potholes. Personally, I love fishing these areas and I now mark potholes on my GPS before I start wading to make sure that I hit all of the best ones," says Hardin.
When conditions are windy, drifting tends to be problematic, but when working pothole laden flats, one of the best fishing tips is actually to drift to find out which potholes are the most productive spots in a shorter time.
"Trout and redfish go for soft plastics, gold spoons and topwaters, I find. When a weedless spoon isn't working for me, I go for a red and white soft plastic instead," adds Hardin. According to area fishing reports, suspending baits and lightly weighted jigs are ideal for working these grassy potholes.
And Neu is someone who you should listen to when he's sharing fishing tips. Captain Neu is a professional guide in Port Mansfield who has long been specializing in the grass flats of the Lower Laguna Madre, an area which lends itself to many different styles of fishing.
Scattered throughout the lower coast are circular sandy breaks surrounded by underwater vegetation. They are easily visible, especially with a pair of polarized sunglasses. Potholes, as they are commonly called, look like miniature crop circles submerged in waist deep water and are one of the best structures for holding baitfish and attracting predators. Lower coast locales like Port Mansfield boast never-ending flats of entwined grass potholes aplenty.
"I actually do my best fishing anywhere from late spring to the beginning of fall drifting potholes or wading in these areas," says Neu. Since so many baitfish gather in the Port Mansfield area in spring, it's a magnet for predators - and coming from Neu, this is information as valuable as any fishing reports you'll find. Even sightcasters do well in the area, thanks to the exceptionally clear waters.
According to Neu, fishing is at its finest when small baitfish infiltrate bay systems. "Piggy perch and pinfish cruise in and out of the pockets and make it easy pickins."
For Neu, the locations he begins to wade or drift are places that he can actually see the fish laying on the edge of the grass awaiting prey while motoring by. Setting up the initial location is simple when water clarity is the utmost. "Slicks and fleeing baitfish are other signs to watch for."
Drifting and wading are both perfectly good methods in this region, with the choice really coming down to a matter of preference. Fishing reports may vary in the opinions they give, but the experts say it is up to what works best for each angler.
"Typically I wade when I work the potholes, since this lets me get into each and every sandy patch one by one and fish each spot thoroughly," says Neu.
A man never short of fishing tips, Captain Neu also suggests wading rather than drifting if you happen to come across a group of feeding fish. He says this makes it far easier to hold a good position once you've found one.
Biologist Casey Hardin has been studying the lower Texas coast sea grasses and tells us that it seems to him that they form as the result of the substrates being unsuitable for plant growth. He also mentions that where anglers are concerned, this is probably of less interest than the fact that potholes make for great fishing when speckled trout and redfish are in your sights.
An angler himself, Hardin spends much of his free time fishing the same grassy areas he studies. "The Upper Laguna has some great shoreline, but not a lot of potholes. Personally, I love fishing these areas and I now mark potholes on my GPS before I start wading to make sure that I hit all of the best ones," says Hardin.
When conditions are windy, drifting tends to be problematic, but when working pothole laden flats, one of the best fishing tips is actually to drift to find out which potholes are the most productive spots in a shorter time.
"Trout and redfish go for soft plastics, gold spoons and topwaters, I find. When a weedless spoon isn't working for me, I go for a red and white soft plastic instead," adds Hardin. According to area fishing reports, suspending baits and lightly weighted jigs are ideal for working these grassy potholes.
About the Author:
Captain Kyle Tomek is a Texas Gulf Coast fishing guide who submits featured Texas saltwater fishing tips to Texas FishCast. You can submit Texas saltwater fishing tips through your Facebook account to Texas FishCast. You can share pictures and videos and tag your fishing buddies for everyone to see.
