5 Hours of Kayak Fishing Adventure in Port Mansfield
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Five-hour kayak fishing adventure targeting redfish and troutDrift and wade fishing in Lower Laguna Madre flatsCatch cleaning included with veteran captain guidance
Get ready to paddle into some of the best shallow water fishing Texas has to offer. Captain DLS with 956 Salty Waders knows the Lower Laguna Madre like the back of his hand, and he's ready to put you on fish in the legendary flats around Port Mansfield. This isn't your typical boat trip – you'll be getting up close and personal with the water in a kayak, accessing spots that bigger vessels can only dream about. Five hours on the water targeting redfish and speckled trout with a veteran guide who's dialed into what these fish are doing throughout the seasons.
Port Mansfield sits right in the heart of some of Texas's most productive inshore fishing waters. The Lower Laguna Madre is famous for its gin-clear shallows, endless grass flats, and healthy populations of gamefish that cruise these waters year-round. Captain DLS will have you launching in the early morning, paddling out to prime feeding areas where redfish and trout are actively hunting. You'll be working the flats by drifting with the current or stepping out to wade fish the skinnier water. The beauty of kayak fishing here is the stealth factor – you can slip into areas without spooking fish, getting shots at tailing reds and feeding trout that would scatter at the first sound of an outboard motor. The captain handles all the navigation and reads the water for you, so you can focus on making good casts and fighting fish. With just one angler on this trip, you get his full attention and can really dial in your technique throughout the day.
The go-to lure for this adventure is the Wicked Paddle Tail, a soft plastic that absolutely crushes fish in these shallow waters. Captain DLS will have you rigged up with the right weights and hooks to match the conditions – sometimes you need a lighter setup to work over grass beds, other times you might bump up the weight to get down to fish holding in slightly deeper pockets. The technique is all about reading the water and adjusting your retrieve. You'll be working these paddle tails with steady retrieves, occasional twitches, and sometimes just letting them sink and flutter in the strike zone. When you're wading, you can really take your time and work structure thoroughly – oyster bars, grass edges, and drop-offs where fish ambush baitfish. The drifting approach lets you cover more water and find active schools. Captain DLS will coach you through both methods, helping you understand when to switch tactics based on what the fish are telling you. The shallow water means you can actually see a lot of the action happen, watching fish follow your lure or seeing them blow up on it in just a couple feet of water.
Redfish are the crown jewel of Port Mansfield's flats fishing scene. These copper-colored bruisers love the shallow grass beds and oyster bars throughout the Lower Laguna Madre. Reds here typically run anywhere from 18 inches up to full-grown bulls pushing 40 inches or more. Spring and fall see the most consistent action, but these fish feed actively year-round in this system. What makes redfish so special is their attitude – they fight dirty, using their broad sides to pull drag and making powerful runs toward structure. You'll often spot them tailing in super shallow water, their bronze backs glinting in the sun as they root around for crabs and shrimp. The visual aspect of sight-casting to these fish adds a whole different level of excitement to the experience. Plus, they're not shy about eating a well-presented paddle tail, often crushing it with authority that you'll feel right through the rod.
Speckled trout are the other main target, and Port Mansfield's trout fishing is absolutely world-class. These silvery gamefish with their distinctive black spots are abundant throughout the laguna system. They typically range from 14 inches up to occasional giants over 25 inches, with the average fish running a solid 16-18 inches. Trout are more seasonal than reds, with peak action happening during the cooler months when they school up in deeper grass beds and along drop-offs. They're ambush predators that love to hang around structure, waiting to attack passing baitfish. When you hook into a good trout, they'll jump and make screaming runs, testing your drag and your nerves. The bigger ones are notorious for throwing hooks, so you need to keep steady pressure without being too aggressive. What trout anglers really love about these fish is their willingness to bite artificials and their excellent table fare – which is why Captain DLS includes catch cleaning in this trip.
This top-rated kayak fishing adventure gives you five solid hours with a veteran captain who knows exactly where to find fish in the Lower Laguna Madre system. You're not just booking a fishing trip – you're getting access to local knowledge that takes years to develop, plus the chance to fish waters that consistently produce quality reds and trout. The one-on-one format means you'll learn techniques you can use for years to come, whether you're fishing Port Mansfield again or applying these shallow water tactics somewhere else along the coast. With catch cleaning included, you can focus entirely on the fishing and head home with fresh fillets ready for the dinner table. Captain DLS keeps his calendar pretty busy, especially during peak seasons, so don't wait too long to lock in your dates. Book now and get ready to experience some of the best kayak fishing Texas has to offer.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the bread and butter of our Port Mansfield flats - copper-backed beauties with that signature black eyespot near the tail. Most slot fish run 18-28 inches, though we see plenty of bigger bulls that'll test your drag. They love super shallow water, often so skinny their backs show above the surface as they cruise oyster reefs and grass beds hunting crabs and shrimp. Year-round fishing is solid, but fall brings the best action when they school up on the flats. What keeps anglers coming back? That explosive topwater strike and bulldogging fight that'll have you questioning your knots. Plus, slot-sized reds are fantastic table fare with mild, sweet meat. Here's something most folks don't know: when you spot tailing reds, don't cast right at them. Lead them by about 10 feet and let your soft plastic settle to the bottom - they'll find it while rooting around in the mud.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled trout are what we're really after here in the Lower Laguna Madre - these aren't the freshwater kind. They're silver-sided beauties with distinctive black spots that typically run 14-24 inches and fight harder than their size suggests. You'll find them cruising grass flats in 2-4 feet of water, especially around dawn and dusk when they're actively feeding on shrimp and small baitfish. Spring through fall offers the best action, though winter can be productive when they school up in deeper channels. What makes them special? That soft topwater strike followed by head-shaking runs, plus they're some of the best eating fish in Texas waters - white, flaky meat that's perfect for the table. Here's a local trick: when you see birds working bait, cast your soft plastic just outside the commotion and work it slow. The bigger trout hang on the edges waiting for wounded prey to drift their way.
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