Took Road Trip and Caught Biggest Speck IN YEARS!

How far would you drive to catch a 28-inch, 7-pound speckled trout while standing in knee-deep water? For me, it was 10 hours, and without question, it was worth every second.
Check out the video for all the details!
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[@keithhornback5454]

This is Mr. Boudreaux's Oldest Grandson from Boudreaux's Waterfront Motel in Leeville Louisiana and the 2 biggest Speckled Trout I've ever caught 1 was on a piece of cut mullet on a treble hook fishing for Redfish in Timbalar bay 6 lbs 5 ounces and the 2nd was on a half of a cracked crab under a cork in a canal off of Catfish bay 5pounds 3 ounces I didn't think Trout would eat those kinds of bait but they do

[@Nike2141]

Dear sweet 5 pound 6 Ounce baby Jesus! Those were some crazy Trout! Congrats! That had to be a blast!

[@speckledtruth4577]

“Gratification delayed is gratification intensified” best line from the whole trip

[@jimmyfumbanks6081]

It's presentation ,period . Gò ìfyoyself

[@jimmyfumbanks6081]

Anyone that has fished 10 minutes knows it.

[@jimmyfumbanks6081]

But yanks are way smarter of course

[@FishiganMilligan]

Those are some tanks!!! Great job there. Ain’t nowhere like our Texas coast! I love it.

[@jzap570]

Glad you got to experience Port Mansfield fishing. I am originally from South Texas and Port Mansfield has been my honey hole since I was a child. Definitely have some great fishing down here. I currently am enjoying fishing the Marshes in your neck of the woods (Port Sulfur) area. Currently Casting the Zimmer Swimmer. Not Luck yet.

[@gchamp3]

Fishing with absolute masters and catching monsters. Trip of a lifetime!

[@rocknut88]

Awesome trout Todd!! Texas has one of the best trophy trout fisheries in the country!

[@hectortijerina9173]

Hopefully you’re coming back!!! I live right down the road and wade fish all the time I caught a 27 inch trout right outside the harbor this past weekend.

[@ETuss713]

Great job. I was watching this with a lot of anticipation. Each cast I was like "is this it." Awesome!

[@habanerojooz]

Different kind of Texas Slam. 😂 Glad you got what you came for. Watch the guide again and notice that it looks quick, but it is twitch or reel. Never both at the same time. Subtle nuance makes a bait action difference with softdines and corkies. Love your videos. Welcome to Texas.

[@jeffmullis6218]

Hey Todd, GREAT video. It contains a lot of good info. I am going to Port Mansfield this December. I will pass on one tip courtesy of a Capt. Jay Watkins video. He recommends holding your rod down, like parallel to the water, that helps keep the trout from jumping and spitting the hooks. The water pressure on the line by holding your rod down helps!

[@Outdoorsman_13]

Awesome, the trout and redfish have moved in more at Hopedale. They aren’t at the artificial reefs, where they normally are. We actually went today, and caught 1 speck 1. Red, and a ton of baby sheepshead, on the back side of the damn in the Mr. Go.

[@Gmanrockz2]

I’m not an expert by any means Todd but I fish out of Corpus Christi a ton. A tale tale sign of that bait moving too slow is catching those black drum. You can see as the video progressed, the more erratic you move that bait, the better bites you were getting. Paul Browns same concept… Plus ounce you get one of those sallow water “gorillas”, you’ll want to keep coming back for more. Tight lines and Merry Christmas Todd!!

[@beachcityboy02]

Congrats on a great fish Todd. I live in Texas and have fished Port Mansfield quite a few times. It's a special place, a real gem on the Texas coast for saltwater fishing. Glad you had a great trip !

[@tjrou2005]

Lord those trout had shoulders. Nice fish Todd. Good to see you using Capt Lane's stuff in Tx, I know some of his stuff is popular there. He's my cousin and I used to fish with him a ton.

[@pinecone5058]

What is the combo you were using, rod, reel, line, leader, your a awesome fishing machine, you caught more fish in two days than most catch in 3 months, thanks for your time

[@Wayno228]

Thats freaking awesome wonder what we could do in Louisiana and mississippi to get big trout like that

[@ethansmith7659]

Welcome to Texas bubba! Definitely some good fish and fantastic weather. Hope to see more vids like this one.

[@kwuqb11]

So glad you went down to Port Mansfield and experienced South Texas in the winter time, Todd! Time for you to move down here now!

[@MarshManMasson]

Don't think I haven't considered it 🤔

[@stevenjurgelsky8222]

Great trip, great footage... Todd, his twitch was like an up and down shake/twitch, go back and re-watch his demonstration. Wow, you wouldn't expect that subtle difference would produce the size difference, compared to just twitching it.

[@johnshuler3699]

AWESOME Fish, good job hanging in there

[@ProDoc18]

You got yourself a buzzer beater! Congrats and welcome to PM

[@anthonycyprusjr7829]

Congrats,Todd.Many years ago an incredibly talented soft plastics expert showed me an easy way to guestimate weight of thick specks using their length to estimate weight and bet that speck was about 27 in long.I was mystifying a bunch of anglers at a Jesuit High Alumni rodeo and very accurately estimated(to within a few ounces!)about 15 specks!!!Might head down to Venice Spring 2024 to learn a few hot-spots for lunker specks like Doc Weiss typically nabs!!

[@austinmatthews1866]

Those two vids were great! I grew up in deep south texas and grew up fish south padre in the crystal clear water. I havent been to port mansfield but that will change this year. I am glad you were able to get that trout. I hope its an annual thing because it was great watching and learning the techniques. I really enjoy your videos. I learn something in all of them. That Chris Bush is going to hit legend status very soon and yall should collaborate more. He needs to visit you in LA and catch saltwater bass. Keep making vids and congrats again!

[@MarshManMasson]

Chris is the son of a Louisiana legend, so he comes by his skills honestly. But you're right, he himself will be revered by the next generation of anglers. He's eaten up with it.

[@gchamp3]

⁠@@MarshManMassonnever had the chance to meet Chris, but I’ve met his dad through church, and he is an awesome, gracious guy. Chris+mr. Charlie+you on a trip tagging trout back home would be a top shelf episode.

[@angler152]

Way to grind it out Todd. I recently caught my PB a just over 27-inch trout. Now we are in search for a thirty!!! The addiction is real!!

[@oscarsantos7131]

Great video, glad you caught the big girl

[@TheFulweber]

Great video. The # 1 suggestion that helps is tying a loop not. Looked like Joe had one.

[@demetriogranados3879]

Glad you got your fish brother!!! Maybe one day I can get one of those to

[@garybarrere7552]

Great trip, great rod. Two thoughts watching you and them. Relax you are too tensed up. What weight rod you using. My son the big fish skater in my house uses a 6’ 5” med light wader. Their switch almost looked like working a wacky worm. Your twitch was slower and harder. You got your big one great persistence. I will go to your Facebook and send you some pictures of my sons three biggest trout.

[@johnharris4854]

Port Mansfield is a magical place. We’ve been fishing it for 20 + years. It can be a little frustrating figuring out what the fish want but when you do it’s on.

[@MarshManMasson]

Yeah, even if you take the fishing out of the equation, I just really like the vibe of the place.

[@tylerallen580]

Man. Come to Mississippi and wade the barrier islands! Great fishing here as well. Very overlooked.

[@texaswadefisherman]

Awesome job brotha and congratulations on catching that beautiful fish what an experience

[@donsisco7118]

Congratulations on a Beautiful Trout 👍👊

[@gillisdanos9354]

Nice trout ! I couldn't wait for this video to come out.

[@MarshManMasson]

Thanks!

[@bigjspec]

Lol 8 hour drive to that cold water give me the Sanibel area any day. Shorts big trout and grouper with snook. Don’t like cold water wade fishing but if I did that would be place I would try.

[@rl2109]

Those specs were HUGE! I remember as a kid, my Dad would surf fish the jetties at Grand Isle (LA). He would catch the big specs, and seemed to always have a full stringer when he returned...! I was too young to wade out that far, as chest deep water on him was over my head. I was limited to fishing the surf in front of our tent. I'd catch an assortment of fish, and a pretty red sunburn by the end of the day! God bless ALL of us! WWG1WGA

[@JonMillerFishing]

Sweet trout! Congrats and it looked like you had plenty of good action.

[@barrywuthrich8530]

Congrats Todd. I was wondering if you were fishing your braid. When I fish treble hooks, I switch to mono. You should do a pool test and twitch a bait with mono vs braid. It's night and day. If you try to mimic someone's cadence with braid when they're fishing mono, your presentation will be totally different. I'm sure you already know that, though. Those guys have just fished the dines and the corkys enough to gain confidence with them. My last tank was caught mid-may, so I'm about due. Usually, November is my best month, but my biggest trout last month was a only 24".

[@MarshManMasson]

All of us were fishing braid with leaders

[@Greggydoo]

I love watching all those big girls getting released!

[@BrentStAmant]

Dam rite after I commented you finally got one 👍 very nice but I personally would stay in our territory and keep dry inside the boat 😁

[@kencleg7721]

I need to get into this Iam 3 hrs away from the gulf my boat shallow runner and I fly fish chest waders. On hand

[@LarryBoyfishing]

I'm going tonight, nice & windy in Palacios tx I might use soft dime

[@cfizzle6211]

Awesome! I couldn’t tell in the video, but a loop knot is the way to go on fatboys and softdines

[@cfizzle6211]

Also I tip I received from a guide friend of mine is to hold your rod at more 10-11 o’clock sometimes 12 o’clock to keep that bait higher in the column. It’s also easier to twitch fast in my opinion.

[@ikashibimauler]

This is my dream trip.

[@CaptCollier]

Congrats on that toad. Would love to come do that one day 🤙🏻💪🏻

[@Alzybaby]

Do you plan to use those techniques in the Louisiana marsh?

[@keithwalter2608]

Nice trout. Congrats!!

[@luketroyprestridge6189]

Very nice trout!!!!

[@kenp247]

Congratulations !!!!❤

[@jonathanalmeida8049]

Good job brotha nothing like our big monster trout in texas!! Merry Christmas

[@outcastfisherman]

Congratulations man! Buzzard beater fish

[@pamelaasbell4200]

When I was station down in New Orleans, we used to wade fish in the Mississippi River and catch big red fish and flounder some black drum few catfish. But I don't remember the red fish having light blue on their back fin. The red fish I had mounted don't have it also the one I have and remember getting was deeper gold and brown with the nice spot on it. the smaller one was lighter color. Also, I take my bass boat down to lower Plaquemines Parish and would fish down their some of the best fishing I have even done in my lifetime. But the trout I used to hook were never that big, but when you got found then I would get a lot becasue they school up together. We would have a big fish fry ever other week. sure do miss that. I was lucky to enjoy that for 4 years.

[@mthomas2953]

Great Trout

[@davidm2250]

Awsome catch

[@streamin2605]

Todd, we fished Breton for almost 20yrs. Don't count it out. Caught two over 30 out there. Close to home and has big fish potential

[@kall2me]

Also the chandelier

[@MarshManMasson]

It's not an impossibility to catch a big trout here, that's for sure. My biggest ever -- 8 pounds, 8 ounces -- came from Calcasieu Lake on June 10, 2002. That was during an incredible five-year run of trophy trout. I caught the 7-7 on the back cover of my book 16 months prior. But in recent years, our fish have gotten smaller on average. Hopefully I'll live long enough to see another run like the one two decades ago.

[@shutupmanful]

@@MarshManMasson If y'all would let your fish grow more than y'all would have better results....

[@jeremypeterson7384]

Correct me if im wrong but you would want it windy if you are wading, covers up the sounds of your movement and such

[@MarshManMasson]

Yeah, some wind would have helped us be more stealthy and would have put the fish more at ease. But could the fishing have been any better? I don't see how.

[@RickyVargasIII]

Man congratulations on that beautiful Speck! It seems so unnatural to work that bait so fast, but yeah makes sense to keep it out the grass. I could tell that the struggle was real 😅 but regardless what a great fishing experience! If y’all would have been after a meat haul, it was on!!

[@Wormdirt7180]

Can’t really meat haul down there. Only allowed 3 per person. Depends on the bay system, but some systems are 3 fish with only one over 22 or 25, something like that. Don’t want to keep trophy fish anyway though.

[@slimmdogg47]

I caught a 28 inch Speck off the beach in Gulfport Mississippi. I didn't get to weigh it though. What does a trout that length weigh? 7 pounds? more maybe?

[@tbsierra9675]

Were the other anglers throwing braid?

[@Connerscementfinishing]

Looks like everyone fishing Waterloo rods. Idk about anyone else but in my opinion Waterloo is the best rod you can have for inshore fishing.

[@hectorcoria3650]

Fantastic video!!! What kind of lure did you use?

[@MarshManMasson]

2 3/4-inch MirrOlure SoftDine

[@hectorcoria3650]

@@MarshManMasson thank you 😊

[@ifishforfoodnottrophys7483]

Holy shit I’ve never caught a black drum or a sheepshead on artificial unless I was using gulp you have the magic touch 😂

[@KeithIekar]

Amazing speckle trout. I want to land one that size.

[@roymyers8575]

Gotta twitch then reel!!! You're constantly reeling and twitching

[@ernieburch]

Wade fishing tip Quit grabing the line. Play the fish until you can grab her directly either with your hand or boga. You will lose those big ones if you grab the line and put more pressure on the hooks. Great trip man. Congrats!!!

[@MarshManMasson]

Yeah, as I mentioned in the first video, I was a fish out of water. I just don't have a ton of experience wade-fishing. I also don't have the appropriate gear, as my duck-camo waders and lack of Boga demonstrated. Proper fishing waders and a Boga are on order, and should be delivered any minute lol

[@ernieburch]

We Wade a bunch out of Dulac and Mobile, Al. Don’t usually bring a boga just play the fish until he/she is spent and leave enough line out to grab them directly. Grabbing the line will lose fish and catch hooks in hands/arms. But we aren’t catching those giants. Wow, what a trip. Congrats again!! Love your show

[@capteugene]

what was the water temp?

[@lloydmartin6744]

What guide service did you go with? Or was it friends?

[@speckledtruth4577]

Capt Joe Prado is who we went with. He’s a close, personal friend it just so happens to guide, so I’m a little biased, but I highly recommend Joe. He’s a young, energetic guy who loves the sport and is an absolute stick. Dude has a knack for finding fish. All that said, there are so many remarkable guides along the TX Coast, I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that.

[@wreckanchor]

What size mirodine were you guys using?

[@MarshManMasson]

2 3/4-inch MirrOlure SoftDine

[@johnfontenot7861]

I know the feeling when everyone else is catching and yr not, it sucks, competing kicks in, stress, you start questioning yr skills. But ive also been the guy catching when my fishing buddy isn’t (not often). All i can say is when you’re hot you’re hot. When you’re not you’re not!

[@MarshManMasson]

Every fisherman has been on either side of that equation many times in his fishing career, although not everyone will admit it lol. I was surrounded by truly great anglers, and at no point did I begrudge them their success. I was just bound and determined to figure it out. I feel like I finally did, but who knows? Maybe I just got lucky lol

[@johnfontenot7861]

@@MarshManMasson better lucky than good, and that was a magnificent speck!

[@ianjones6910]

Why are the trout so much bigger there than in Louisiana? Is it the management, or are there other factors? I know the size limit has to be a factor.

[@MarshManMasson]

Definitely a host of factors, not the least of which is a longer growing season. Stable salinities also play a role, especially for those bigger fish. Their osmoregulatory system doesn't handle low-salinity water well. The Mississippi River is the key to South Louisiana's productivity, but a persistently high river definitely puts a cap on speckled trout size.

[@ianjones6910]

@@MarshManMasson thanks...that all makes sense.

[@scottmoorman1780]

Nice!!..🐟🐟🍻

[@kendalcobb367]

There are definitely trout like that in Louisiana.. Aint just Texas

[@kencleg7721]

U think spinning Rigs would be better cast farther ?

[@bunnpokefishing]

If I want to book a trip with these guys do you know how i need to contact? Thanks you

[@MarshManMasson]

Capt. Joe Prado, 956-357-1301

[@mikemoxey7732]

What a gloomy Gus. I would have a hard time listening to this all morning

[@rhkeller3]

Nice

[@rusellesanchez7370]

I was born in Lafayette LA n raised in houston texas,,so welcome to real specs in texas,,, now RUN TO JESUS

[@Sonytherealtor]

Atta boy!

[@Sonytherealtor]

And nice lunar rock 🌮

[@MarshManMasson]

lol

[@miguelcalvo5885]

👌👌👌

[@fredholland5723]

You ain't holding your mouth right bro😂

[@alejandroacosta9521]

🤙🏼🤙🏼

[@davidcastillo6554]

🔥🇨🇱

[@joemacera747]

Congratulations, Well Done that's a hog!

[@MarshManMasson]

Thanks! It sure was. Made the long drive well worth it.

[@wyatthawes]

booo hooo, never heard someone cry so much about catching fish.

[@MarshManMasson]

Thanks for noticing. BTW, give me a call if you want the secret to catching sheepshead on a jerkbait.

[@barrywuthrich8530]

@@MarshManMasson I haven't done that yet. I have caught a couple sheepshead trolling a rattletrap behind my kayak.

[@outcastfisherman]

He’s there for a big trout , so that’s what he wants to catch

[@ACTEN10187]

Why be a dick

[@user-ho5vz5tg3r]

​@MarshManMasson I don't know about that, but do you know how to get ahold of Chris? I would love to go on a trip sometime in the future. Nice Trout!

[@southernmarsh4234]

Shhhhhhh

[@KGFishyFingers]

Nice fish! Caught so many 5 to 8.5s I cant count. Thos 9 plus fish are the grail. My biggest 2 are 9.7 and 9.12....Been in the game over 30 years. If it aint 10# or bigger just doesn't do it anymore. You'll get that way too once you caught a bunch of em. Not even gonna say what were whakin em on this year. Y'all potlickers will buy em all. 😂

[@ETuss713]

Guy gets a 28 inch, 8lb trout and its like ehhhh...

[@bubbaluch7950]

Spent to much time worrying on what to use, rather than on how to use it and why yours wasnt working like theres...

[@MarshManMasson]

Yeah, that's easy for you to say. You weren't the one watching trophies reeled in on either side of you for two days straight. If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting.

[@BrentStAmant]

First of all I watch a lot of your videos and second of all the man showed you and you still haven’t copied him! Is it pride or something 😂 you should stick with Venice and stop trying to fish with the Texans lol just kidding bro 👌

[@TheSHOP411]

Nice