Louisiana Sportsman

April 29, 2026

This nice tarpon was caught slow trolling a DOA Bait Buster soft plastic lure. Trolling live bait is a popular method, but tarpon are also regularly caught using artificial lures. This fish was well over 100 pounds and put up a long fight before finally being brought boat side.

2023 Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo

June 25, 2023 Chris Holmes

The Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, the country’s oldest fishing tournament, returns to the island again this year for the 95th event on July 27-29.[…]

Tinnerello listens to fishing partner and boats Caney monster bass

June 20, 2023 Dan Kibler

Pete Tinnerello of Winnfield landed a 13.21-pound Caney Lake lunker bass on June 14 with a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm.[…]

Theophile’s Reef

June 15, 2023 From News Reports

A new inshore artificial reef was installed in Hackberry Bay near Lafitte in honor of legendary Louisiana angler Capt. Theophile Bourgeois.[…]

Wildlife and Fisheries Commission extends CWD control area

June 6, 2023 Joe Curtis

A LDWF control area that bans supplemental deer feeding and carcass transportation due to CWD has been expanded into north Concordia Parish.[…]

Billfish Classic brought big fish, big boats, big dollars to Grand Isle, Venice

May 12, 2023 Kinny Haddox

The Louisiana Gulf Coast Billfish Classic, part of the Sport Fishing Championship Series, brought big fish to south Louisiana May 3-7.[…]

LDWF: 2023 turkey season produced another higher than average harvest for hunters

May 11, 2023 From News Reports

For the second straight year, the Louisiana turkey harvest was higher than average and in fact, the second best since 2009.[…]

Tripp Saltaformaggio, 11, got his first gobbler in Liberty, Miss., on March 25. The turkey had a 10-inch beard and 3/4-inch spurs.

Dad guides all three children to harvest gobblers in their first season

May 8, 2023 Michael O. Giles

Paul Saltaformaggio helped all three of his talented children harvest their first gobbler during the same season.[…]

Redfish survey results

May 5, 2023 Joe Curtis

Sixty percent of Louisiana residents with licenses who responded to a recent survey said they support current red drum (redfish) regulations.[…]

Alton Jones, Jr. scoops up a Bussey lunker that hit a white spinnerbait and Geecrack plastic trailer, his winning combination. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Brings/MLF)

Alton Jones, Jr. wins $100,000 MLF big bass title on Caney, Bussey

May 2, 2023 Kinny Haddox

Alton Jones, Jr. caught 81 pounds, 15 ounces of bass at Bussey Brake to claim the Major League Fishing Heavy Hitters $100,000 first prize.[…]

Reader Report: Angler shares special trip to Grand Isle pier

April 28, 2023 Field Reporter

Grand Isle is responsible for Brad Felkins becoming a saltwater fishing addict. A fishing trip with his fiancée, Tay, is one of his favorites.[…]

Michael Crapanzano of Hammond was fishing at Bussey Brake Reservoir when he caught this 11.14-pound bass.

Reader Report: Two 11 pounders

April 28, 2023 Field Reporter

Michael Crapanzano and Chris Davis of Hammond were fishing at Bussey Brake Reservoir in March when they each caught 11-pound lunker bass.[…]

Saltwater anglers shouldn’t get in their boats this time of year without a STAR entry. You never know when you might catch a fish worth thousands of dollars.

CCA STAR offering over $750,000 in prizes

April 24, 2023 From News Reports

The CCA Louisiana Statewide Tournament and Angler’s Rodeo (STAR), presented by Chevron, begins on May 27, 2023.[…]

Monroe angler boats Bussey Brake trophy bass

April 19, 2023 Dan Kibler

Kade Hillestad, a member of Louisiana-Monroe’s college bass-fishing team, hooked a 13.22-pound bass on Bussey Brake Reservoir on April 16.[…]

Brac Salyers, LDWF District 9 Inland Fisheries Biologist Manager, helps with the bagging of 40,000 largemouth bass fingerlings known as F1s, or "Tiger Bass," on April 15 at Veterans Park in Pierre Part. Salyers and dozens of other volunteers were participating in Cliff Crochet's Every Fish Matters project.

Cajuns, community and conservation boost future of bass fishing

April 18, 2023 Don Shoopman

Bass fingerlings were released around Lake Verret and the Atchafalaya Basin during the Every Fish Matters project started by Cliff Crochet.[…]

Michael Boudin of Prairieville holds the 13.60-pound lunker he caught at Toledo Bend on April 11.

Prairieville angler’s Toledo Bend lunker was acting like a carp

April 16, 2023 Dan Kibler

Michael Boudin of Prairieville caught his personal best bass, a 13.60-pound lunker, at Toledo Bend on April 11.[…]

Tassin’s catfish catch was one he’ll never forget

April 14, 2023 Nick Vaccaro

George Tassin, Jr. of Slidell pulled in a gold-colored flathead catfish from Doubloon Bayou on April 7, 2023.[…]