Louisiana Sportsman

May 23, 2026

With a 10-fish creel limit and no size restrictions in most state waters, bass are popular in Louisiana as both a gamefish and for taking a few home for dinner. However, some areas have lower creel limits as well as minimum/maximum lengths and/or protected slot limits. Check LDWF regulations for specific area regulations.

Chase bass in plastic boats

March 20, 2020 Chris Holmes

With bass available in almost all areas of Louisiana except the extreme coastal regions, kayak anglers are finding unlimited areas to fish.[…]

Jakes: Shoot or not?

March 19, 2020 David Moreland

Some veteran turkey hunters would never shoot a jake, but a novice would no doubt be thrilled to bag one. Should you shoot jakes?[…]

Persistence and patience both had a role in the author landing this huge Texas trout on a terrible weather day.

Never give up! that big speck won’t

March 19, 2020 Chris Bush

More often than not, patience in letting a bite develop or changing techniques to target certain parts of the water column, has directly led to success.[…]

The Crappie Weapon

February 28, 2020 Don Shoopman

Sac-a-lait fisherman and artificial lure manufacturer Capt. Clyde Folse shares what makes The Crappie Weapon so successful on the water.[…]

The author closed out a long, frustrating deer season by taking this buck in a spot where another buck had gotten away.

Sometimes, it takes all season to have deer-hunting success

February 26, 2020 Josh Chauvin

Some deer seasons, everything seems to go right, but others are a test of persistence. This hunter’s frustrating season turned into a success.[…]

Chris Weaver’s kayak looks like a nerf missile launcher as he comes in from a successful winter day of fishing blue cats in Lake Pontchartrain. Weaver finds it easy to carry the noodles in two large scoop nets and has the nets available for landing fish once the noodles are set out.

Winter catfish from a kayak

February 17, 2020 Chris Holmes

If you pick your days and dress appropriately, chasing blue catfish in Lake Pontchartrain can make for a great day of fishing.[…]

Fishing information gleaned from a number of sources can put you on the right track, but it’s more likely your own knowledge and intuition that will lead you in the right direction.

Go with your gut? Fishing in the info age

February 17, 2020 Chris Bush

Anglers scour media outlets seeking a mountain of information in hopes that their next fishing trip will be more successful.[…]

Yamamoto’s 4.5 Xl Tiny IKA has plenty of fishing uses

February 13, 2020 Don Shoopman

Rig a Yamamoto 4.5 XL Tiny Ika for bass or speckled trout. It’s the perfect artificial for finesse fishing, as well as power fishing.[…]

The author shows off a nice channel catfish that will make somebody a great meal.

Species spotlight: Channel catfish

February 6, 2020 Brian Cope

Channel catfish are known as the smallest of the “big three” species of catfish. The average size is about 16 inches, or 1½ pounds, but they can grow much larger.[…]

Knowledge of game laws is one factor in a reduction in wildlife violations.

2019’s most-interesting game violations

January 27, 2020 Keith LaCaze

Violations are down in recent years,but some guys still don’t get it right. Oyster poaching highlights Louisiana’s wildlife violators in 2019.[…]

A dish of Cajun spice

January 27, 2020 Jerry Dilsaver

On cold days, it’s nice to come inside and have a meal that is tasty, filling and warms you all over. This seafood/sausage chowder will do just that.[…]

A quality safety harness may save you from serious injury or worse.

Tree stand malfunctions

January 20, 2020 Josh Chauvin

By always wearing a safety harness in elevated stands, checking equipment and exercising many accidents can be prevented.[…]

Black crappie (left) and white crappie (right) are often caught in the same bodies of water. They’re similar, but different.

Species spotlight: Crappie

January 18, 2020 Brian Cope

Crappie are one of the most popular gamefish among anglers in America. Many anglers don’t realize it, but crappie come in two varieties: black and white.[…]

The Mega Matrix

January 16, 2020 Don Shoopman

The Mega Matrix, which fits in between the 2-inch Matrix Mini, the original 3-inch Matrix Shad and the 5-inch Monster Matrix, works great on redfish.[…]

Adding a little flash and vibration ups the ante when trying to draw winter strikes. Specialty jigheads come with small spinner blades attached that spins even on the slowest moving baits. This redfish jumped all over it despite bitter cold conditions.

Winter kayak fishing: sleep later, fish slower

January 13, 2020 Chris Holmes

Change up your tactics when it comes to fishing from a kayak this winter. Slow down the presentation of your bait and fish later in the day.[…]

Traditional fishing spots, unconventional ways

January 11, 2020 Chris Bush

Capt. Charlie Bush, who tagged a little over 12,000 speckled trout in 4 years for the TAG Louisiana Trout tagging program, shares his top 5 fishing lures.[…]