Fishing Hotspots
Specks ‘tearing it up’ at Grand Isle
The trout spawn is happening now in and around Grand Isle, and speck specialist Tommy Vidrine said June is a great month to head to the island to get in on the action.[…]
Inshore Fishing
News Breaker
Cocodrie’s barrier islands, inside structure packed with trout
Summertime heat has already settled over South Louisiana, and that means speckled trout fishing close to the launches in Cocodrie is all but done.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Marsh Man Masson survival vid: It all comes together
When you’re fishing for your lunch, you don’t exactly need to fill the cargo hold of a tuna boat to survive. So what do you do when the marshes spill their bounty all over your boat?[…]
Inshore Fishing
Marsh Man Masson survival vid: Variety of fish yanked up for dinner
For most of humanity’s existence, fishing wasn’t a sport; it was a means of feeding your family. To see if we would have gotten fat or died of starvation, my son, Joel, and I set out in the marshes around Delacroix, hoping to put a few fish in the box for that evening’s meal.[…]
Columns
It’s topwater trout time
If you’re looking to catch the biggest trout of your life, now is the time. […]
News Breaker
Video: Fishing for big Grand Isle specks with Tommy Vidrine
If you’ve never been lucky enough to fish for some big Grand Isle specks on Tommy Vidrine’s boat, then check out this video for the next best thing.[…]
Fishing Hotspots
Trout fishing looking up in Lafitte
Capt. Sean Thornton (504-388-4535) said it’s seemed like the speckled trout had the air let out of their tires because they were a no-show after this winter’s big freeze, but May should have prime speck action back on track.[…]
News Breaker
Marsh Man Masson survival vid: We don’t catch, we don’t eat
Fishing is all fun and games when you’ve got a couple of po-boys waiting to be devoured in the Coleman. The sport takes on an entirely different feel when you’re literally trying to catch your next meal.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Can you keep bull sharks?
While many people, in Andy Jones’ experience, fish for alligator gar and bull sharks for the excitement that comes with catching hard-fighting fish with mouths full of big teeth, both species are indeed edible and in fact, delicious.[…]
Sidebars
‘Yak tournament tactics
Kayak tournament season is in high gear ,with tournaments being held across the state that cover a wide variety of formats and species. We caught up with some winners to get a few tips on their strategies for success.[…]
Inshore Fishing
What’s to use for alligator gar bait?
Striped mullet, that’s what.
This isn’t a finesse, artificial lure fishery. Gar and sharks are big, pug-ugly brutes that are looking for mouthfuls of meat.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Step-by-step: How to clean an alligator gar
Alligator gar are encased with an almost impervious layer of scales made of true bone. Here are 8 steps for how to clean them.[…]
Field Notes
Topwater troubles?
May is a great month to throw topwater lures for speckled trout all along the coast, and it’s especially true in Big Lake.[…]
Redfish
More popping cork pointers
A good topwater bite can offer an entertaining display of ferocity, but at some point the fish shy away from this game. Maybe it’s the intensifying sunlight/heat, fishing pressure or a combination of such factors; but whatever the case, Capt. Ross Montet knows that the fish haven’t necessarily stopped feeding. In his view, you simply need to descend into the water column — and popping corks offer the perfect transitional tool.[…]
Sidebars
Correct gear essential for deep-water jigging
When fishing the reefs around Lake Pontchartrain, deep-water jigging is definitely the most rewarding way to catch speckled trout.[…]
Inshore Fishing
The ol’ croaker hole
Catching a bunch of croakers and frying them up whole is a childhood memory many locals still cherish. Today, it’s pretty much gone because trout and redfish get all the attention.[…]