Port Mansfield Kayak Fishing | 956 Salty Waders

5-Hour Kayak Fishing Adventure in Port Mansfield

Get ready for a world-class kayak fishing experience in one of Texas's most renowned inshore destinations. Captain DLS, a veteran guide with 956 Salty Waders, will take you deep into the Lower Laguna Madre's legendary shallow flats around Port Mansfield. This isn't your typical guided trip – you'll be paddling solo in your own kayak, getting up close and personal with some of the best redfish and speckled trout waters on the coast. With five solid hours on the water and catch cleaning included, this customer favorite delivers everything you need for a top-rated fishing adventure. The flats here are special, and once you experience the crystal-clear shallows and aggressive strikes, you'll understand why anglers travel from across the country to fish these waters.

What to Expect on the Water

This trip puts you right in the heart of the Lower Laguna Madre's most productive fishing zones. Captain DLS knows these flats like the back of his hand, and he'll position you where the fish are feeding. You'll launch your kayak and spend five hours working the shallow water structure that makes Port Mansfield famous among inshore anglers. The beauty of kayak fishing here is the stealth factor – you can slip into skinny water that bigger boats can't touch, getting within casting distance of tailing reds and cruising trout. The trip flows between drifting the deeper cuts and wading the prime flats, depending on conditions and where the fish are showing. Captain DLS handles all the logistics, from gear setup to finding the hot spots, so you can focus on making casts and landing fish. The pace is relaxed but productive, giving you plenty of time to work each area thoroughly while soaking in the pristine coastal environment.

Techniques & Gear Breakdown

You'll be fishing with Wicked Paddle Tail soft plastics – a proven choice that consistently produces strikes in these waters. Captain DLS will show you the most effective retrieval techniques for the conditions you're facing, whether that's a slow twitch along the bottom or a steady retrieve through the water column. The fishing style alternates between drifting and wading, letting you cover water efficiently while staying mobile. When you're drifting, you can cast to structure and drop-offs that hold fish, while wading puts you in prime position to sight-fish cruising reds and trout in the shallows. The kayak setup is user-friendly, even if you're new to paddle fishing. Captain DLS ensures your gear is rigged properly and walks you through the best casting angles and approaches for different scenarios. The soft plastic technique is straightforward but deadly effective – these baits mimic the shrimp and baitfish that reds and trout hammer in the Laguna Madre system.

Species You'll Want to Hook

Redfish are the marquee species in these waters, and for good reason. The Lower Laguna Madre's reds are known for their size and fight, with fish regularly pushing the 20 to 30-inch range. These copper-colored bruisers love the shallow flats, especially during the warmer months when they cruise the edges looking for crabs and shrimp. You'll spot them by their distinctive bronze backs and that telltale black spot near the tail. What makes reds so exciting here is their aggressive nature – they'll crush a well-presented soft plastic and take off on blistering runs that test your drag and technique. Fall through early spring tends to be prime time, when cooler water concentrates the fish and makes them more predictable to target.

Speckled trout are the other half of the inshore slam you're chasing, and the Laguna Madre system produces some genuine giants. These silvery fighters with distinctive black spots are ambush predators that love to hang around grass beds and drop-offs. Port Mansfield's trout run larger on average than many other coastal areas, with 20-inch-plus fish being a realistic goal on any given trip. They're more finicky than reds but equally rewarding when you dial in the right presentation. Trout fishing peaks during the cooler months when the fish school up in deeper holes, but you can find them year-round if you know where to look. The fight is different from a redfish – more head-shaking and jumping – but just as addictive once you hook into a quality speck.

Time to Book Your Spot

This trending kayak fishing adventure delivers everything serious anglers want: access to prime water, expert guidance, and the chance to target trophy-class fish in one of Texas's most productive inshore fisheries. Captain DLS brings years of local knowledge and military precision to every trip, ensuring you get the most out of your five hours on the water. The single-angler format means personalized attention and the flexibility to adjust tactics based on what's working. With catch cleaning included, you'll head home with a cooler full of fresh fillets and memories of an authentic Port Mansfield fishing experience. The Lower Laguna Madre's reputation speaks for itself, and this best trip format puts you right in the middle of the action. Don't wait – book now with 956 Salty Waders and experience why kayak fishing the flats around Port Mansfield has become every inshore angler's must-do adventure.