# 6 Days in Port Mansfield with Captn's. Danny and Jeff Neu....



## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

I don't post my reports very much anymore, but this trip was just so much fun I wanted to share. A few weeks back.... Sitting in the Laguna booth at the Holder a few weeks ago Danny, Jeff and I get into a conversation about heading down south. Well, a short time later we decided that I would head down with them to fish this past week the 16th-21st in Port Mansfield. Both captains had charters, but we planned plenty of "fun" fishing time into the trip. We arrived last Monday and within an hour and a half of arrival in the afternoon there was a limit of trout in the box, a good sign for the rest of the week for sure. We met Capt. Mike Lowe(part of Salt Water Assault Guide Service with Capt. Greg Francis, Aqua Pimp on the board, up here on the upper coast) and his wife Jackie and a couple friends that were down for vacation last week. 

So Tuesday we headed out for a "fun" day and to actually be able to keep a few fish to bring home, since most Capt.'s don't get to keep fish since the new regs., and everyone's wives said bring home fish it was priority #1. We left late due to fog Tuesday, but it didn't matter, we found our trout early all on Brown plastics and 1/8th oz heads in about waist deep off colored water, exactly where Danny and Jeff said they would be. So after that we headed out to look for reds. Our first spot we made a run through an area that has produced for Danny in the past this time of year, and within two minutes of "looking" we blew up a big school of good reds and Danny shut it down and Power Poled down. We bailed out of Danny's 20' shallow Sport, such an incredible ride, a 1st class boat for sure. All seven of us Me, Danny, Jeff, Mike Lowe, his wife Jackie, and thier friends Joe and his son Joeseph(who I understand already has a major league fastball at 14 years old!, seriously) We fanned out in about knee deep water, the tide was way down on Monday which was a concern, we were throwing "carp candy" at them because that annoying lime green snot grass, like west Galv. bay but flourescent green, coupled with the really low tide, was keeping you from throwing anything else. Not 3-4 minutes out of the boat Capt. Lowe is doubled up, then another person, then another, and another, and another....this goes on for about three hours +! I lost track of time. 
Capt. Neu had found us the mother load of upper slot and over sized reds 32-33", our keeper fish all seemed to be 27" ultra fat and tall clones! I think a couple 26" FAT reds were the small reds in our box that week. Some serious bruiser reds. We had so much fun stroking those tournament reds, Mike's wife Jackie was wanting reds, and she got her wish, Jackie can hold her own with anyone wading. Mike you might need to get her to string her own reds, LOL, Capt. Mike got a workout that day walking back and forth, but loved every minute of it. Danny made a believer out of him with the Carp candy that day for sure! Danny said that this was a good wade, but it gets better! I can't wait! All in all we limited on upper slot reds and trout Tuesday, it was one of those days that I will always remember.

The rest of the week Capt. Danny and Jeff had charters, and we fished out of the Mansfield Club. We did the same thing we did Tuesday , Wed. and Thursday. We we got our trout early then went after the carp. Capt. Lowe and crew would get to the redfish hole before us and got it warmed up for us,lol, and also as a bonus helped keep people from burning over the area and spooking the carp. The reds stayed in the area for us for 4 straight days, only moving a couple hundred yards on us on Thursday, but Capt. Jeff broke off and waded another direction and found them for us(a huge 32" started it off, released) and it was on once again. We were getting antsy if someone wasn't bowed up constantly, and if we went 15 minutes without a fish we started to worry,lol, we had it good. We had reds break the hooks off our spoons twice, one was mine, it saw me, then Danny and it headed to S. Padre to party and broke the hook clean off! Awesome. Plus we pulled some solid trout out with those reds. Joe released a a 27"er, plus 4 other solid females on Thursday with Capt Lowe before we arrived. Also on Wed. one of Capt. Danny's clients, Mr. Reckling wanted to use his fly rod. So not but 5 minutes out of the boat blind casting spoonflys to the potholes he hooks up on an oversized red that was just a hair shy of 30"! What more could a fly fisherman want than an oversized red in knee deep water, and this fish took him at least 10-15 minutes to land, he was having a ball with that fly rod.

Friday was dad's day to head out and have fun, and all the kids grouped up. There were four kids on Capt. Danny's boat(12-14 yrs. old) and on Capt Jeff's boat we had 2 boys 10 and 11, Davis and Grayson, and we all had a good time. We concentrated on trout and every boat limited out, and all the boys had a great time, and Davis please stay IN the boat next time! LOL! The young man decided to go for a swim, all we heard was a splash and there was his face looking up at me and his floating Crocs! We all had fun with that one, and he was a great sport about it laughing all the way back onto the boat, and he did that like he fell into fire,lol! All in all the guys that the Capts. fished out of the Mansfield club were great people, and thier kids were all good fisherman and were well behaved on the boats as well. Hats off to thier dads and moms for having some great kids, it was a pleasure to be around children like that. I know Danny and Jeff enjoyed fishing them last week. Oh, and Ward, I still want to take you up on that Nilgai offer some time bud!

Friday evening was a fun fish time, and that resulted in limits of trout, and a few blue cans in the cooler, including two 24"ers that were caught. Both the Captn's believe in releasing all the good "breeding sized" fish and only want to keep the 15-17"ers for the fryer. I was intruduced to trout sashimi Friday night. The trout was out of the water less than two hours so I said I would try it, and dam they were right, it wasn't fishy at all. If you like sushi you guys need to try that for sure. All in all it was a great 6 days in Port Mansfield with good friends Danny and Jeff, and having Capt. Mike Lowe , his wife Jackie and friends Joe and his son Joseph and Paul there, plus meeting all those great guys out of the Mansfield Club just capped off a great time on the LLM. The weather gods blessed me again, it should have been blowing this time of year, but the wind gods gave us calm winds with nothing over the low teens, maybe 15 in the afternoon, maybe. Too calm at times. It was the perfect week of fishing for me. One of the best fishing trips I have ever had, only way to make it better was to have my dad with me.

If anyone of you want to experience the LLM, or you have fished there and want to learn more you guys need to call Capt. Danny or Jeff Neu. They are not those guides that talk in circles and code so as to not help you. Hell twice Danny told people he knew from the club, in detail, where, when, and then what to throw. Both Danny and Jeff are like that, they don't have that Galveston to Rockport mentality we all deal with and see on a regular basis. I know it is warranted up here, oh do I know, and tend to do it myself, we have to up here,lol. Every spot we stopped at we caught fish, these guys know the water there, I have fished all over the coast and I was impressed with what I saw out of Capt. Jeff and Danny last week. I knew what to expect since we have been friends for years, but... The time off the water we all spent discussing the conditions and the water, where to start, back up spots just in case, where to go if the wind picks up, if it goes slack, no bait present, with bait, ect., ect... they care about thier clients. These two Capts. are true professionals, but they also make it fun for the clients. All fish were caught on artifiscials this past week. I can't wait until the next time I head down for some fun with my buds.


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## Texxan1 (Dec 31, 2004)

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO PICTURES.. Get with the program Deke

Sounds like a great time with the Neu boys!!!!!!


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## aqua pimp (Oct 19, 2004)

Nice job and report Deke. Mike stopped by the house yesterday and told me ya'll tore them up pretty good. 

AQUA PIMP


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## ROOSTER REDCHASER (Feb 25, 2005)

what? Very nice report though! "Magic in Mansfield"


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## reeltime1 (Mar 5, 2005)

:texasflag* Deke, Thanks for the detailed report. I was @ the same restaurant that Danny, Jeff and crew were enjoying some mudbugs will they had some rods drying and they told me about the trip but we were all indulged in pinchin tail and sucking head to come up for air. Deke, your report would be great for a chapter in a book. The Neu Bro's are two great guys. Thanks again, reeltime1 *


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## Poon Chaser (Aug 22, 2006)

LOL... good report... no pics is ok.


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Sounded like a great time..


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## Eltruchador (Apr 8, 2005)

Sounds like y'all had some fun....congrats.


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## edbuck51 (Aug 7, 2008)

Little slice of heaven for ya Deke, I'm jealous.


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## day18 (Dec 1, 2005)

Always wanted to fish with them. I know they make a great rod


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

Thanks guys, it was a blast. Capt. Lowe has a few pics, but we were too busy having fun and completely forgot about the camera. I need to get the ones from him.


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## 100% Texan (Jan 30, 2005)

Deke no need for pictures I was reading and feeling ya bro what a great trip cudo's to the twins there tops in my book.


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

Just got off the phone with Danny. He called to tell me that they got into them again today. They found all thier fish, and had a good session on reds in skinny clear water sight casting to them. The trout were solid today he said, and the dinks weren't a problem, but one spot they had to wade through all the 19" reds to get to the solid fish, 23-25" ers. They released several 24-25" trout. Man I want to get back down there!


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## Captain Dave (Jul 19, 2006)

Great 6 days out Deke ! Good to read a report from you... I can picture it with the details...

Till the next one


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Sounds like a blast Deke!!


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## Rockfish (May 21, 2004)

What a perfect couple of days on the water. Thanks for making me want to get back on the water more than I did before reading this. AWESOME


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## kenny (May 21, 2004)

I thought you were headed to Maryland or somewhere!


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

kenny said:


> I thought you were headed to Maryland or somewhere!


It has been delayed, for now. I can't leave without fishing with you one more time bud, just watch out for that nasty cooler, they jump up and tangle up your feet, LOL.


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