Louisiana Sportsman

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May 23, 2026

Painting a crankbait, even with a state-of-the-art airbrush paint, is a process that takes many, many steps and coats of paint to give the bait a perfect finish.

Tie on a Black Label balsa crankbait

March 26, 2019 Don Shoopman

Mississippi pro’s hand-crafted balsa crankbaits are square-billed, bass-catching creations.[…]

Some members of the St. Michael Fly Fishing Club practice casting on school grounds at one of their after-school meetings. Only half the members can practice at one time due to shortage of equipment.

For these students, the fish ate their homework

March 21, 2019 Catch Cormier

Most schools in Louisiana have a bass fishing club that competes against other schools. Now there’s the St. Michael High School Fly Fishing Club.[…]

Trophy deer like this 10-point may be the exclusive target of some poachers who are only interested in the biggest and the best.

Trophy bucks will make some people make some awfully poor decisions

March 20, 2019 Keith LaCaze

Here are a couple of examples of situations where the desire for trophy deer overrode the constraints of legality, ethics and fair chase. […]

Jerkbaits will trigger strikes from speckled trout year-round, but they’re especially productive in cold weather.

Jerkbaits can give speckled trout fits

March 13, 2019 Chris Bush

How to cast jerkbaits and get the merciless response that speckled trout exhibit after staring down its hard-plastic foe.[…]

Real kayak anglers, real reviews

March 8, 2019 Chris Holmes

Louisiana Sportsman reached out to several kayak fishermen with various levels of experience to get some personal reviews of popular models.[…]

The double-wheelie sharpener

March 1, 2019 Josh Chauvin

The double-wheelie blade sharpener is inexpensive, fits in your palm and only takes seconds to use.[…]

Camp chef cooks Creole seafood classics

February 28, 2019 Jerald Horst

This Barbecue shrimp and sweet potato grits offers the contrasting tastes of spicy and sweet, while David Rouse’s corn and crab bisque makes a hearty meal.[…]

The heads of two big bucks taken in violation of the daily limit on Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge last November.

Noteworthy poaching violations of 2018-19 season

February 28, 2019 Keith LaCaze

Here’s a look at some wildlife violation cases from this previous fall, along with sentencing in a baiting case. All are well worth mentioning, and are a reminder that protecting wildlife resources is a never-ending job.[…]

Rat-L-Trap’s new MR-6 crankbait

February 26, 2019 Don Shoopman

Rat-L-Trap’s new MR-6 crankbait has everything in it tour anglers want, including a low-pitched knocking sound unlike the rattle of a Rat-L-Trap.[…]

New speckled trout column debuts

February 25, 2019 Chris Bush

New column will help you to become a more well-rounded speckled trout fisherman.[…]

Looking for chunky chinquapin? Caney Lake delivers!

February 25, 2019 Catch Cormier

When it comes to readers – a.k.a. chinquapins, a.k.a. shellcrackers – there’s no better place to catch a monster than Caney Lake.[…]

Some days it is best to stay home and organize your gear. But if you choose your days carefully, you can find some excellent kayak fishing during February.

It’s a secret in the kayak fishing world

February 19, 2019 Chris Holmes

February may be the best kept secret in kayak fishing. If you pick the right days and conditions, the fishing can be absolutely fantastic.
[…]

Crawfish: It’s what’s for dinner

February 6, 2019 Jerald Horst

The sheer numbers of crawfish in the Atchafalaya Basin is amazing, if only for the reason that Louisiana has the lowest number (39) of species of crawfish of all the southeastern states in the U.S.[…]

Josh Chauvin dropped this 7-pointer with his .44 mag Contender pistol after the buck walked directly into the treetop he was hunting.

Apex Predator: Fallen treetops bring in the bucks

February 4, 2019 Josh Chauvin

Targeting fallen treetops is a great way to locate bedded-down deer, according to Apex Predator Josh Chauvin. […]

‘Towing the line’ in the kitchen

January 27, 2019 Jerald Horst

Colleen and Christian Orfanello create original, unique dishes. Here they share their recipes for Bull Turtle Soup and Smoky Soft-Shell Crabs.[…]

Hog hunter Jeffery Rachal and Bullet after a good morning’s work along Red River.

It’s time to dog the hogs

January 24, 2019 Keith LaCaze

Fill the upcoming void in hunting seasons by hog-dogging.[…]