Louisiana Sportsman

May 19, 2026

When the tide is moving hard at Bayou Black, bass can be found out on the edges of the reeds.

Pitching tips for Bayou Black

July 15, 2018 Chris Ginn

Pitching plastics at Bayou Black doesn’t have to be complicated, but there are a few tips Engerran passed along to help you be more successful.[…]

SeaDek foam traction pads offer stylish looks while making your kayak stealthier through noise reduction. They also reduce standing fatigue and make the deck cooler to the touch. The pads are easy to clean and resist mud and blood stains.

New gear reviews

July 15, 2018 Chris Holmes

SeaDek Kayak Traction Pads

Made from closed cell PE/EVA foam, SeaDek pad kits for kayaks offer an exceptional traction surface, and also add to a kayak’s stealth factor by reducing noises caused by dropping or hitting gear against the plastic deck. The cushiony foam also lessens fatigue from prolonged standing, and keeps the deck much cooler to the touch on hot summer days.[…]

July is a month where you might have to bounce around a bit, picking up a few fish at each stop. But those fish will quickly fill the cooler.

Be flexible to fill trout limits

July 15, 2018 Andy Crawford

Capt. Tommy Pellegrin always has a plan in mind when he leaves the dock. But he said he’s ready to zig and zag because, well, stuff happens.[…]

Thomas Dameron caught this nice redfish while kayak fishing in Pointe-aux-Chenes.

July’s Best Bets

July 15, 2018 Chris Holmes

How: Even though it is hot, the fishing on Toledo Bend has been good. Early mornings and late evenings are the most productive — and the most comfortable. Bass are hitting topwater baits fishing shallow early morning and evenings, but as the day wears on, they are heading deep. Throw drop-shot rigs, Texas-rigged plastics and deep-diving crankbaits.[…]

Pellegrin uses a No. 4 treble hook when fishing shrimp because he knows they will sink into flesh and won’t let go without the use of pliers.

Treble hooks hold tight

July 15, 2018 Andy Crawford

Capt. Tommy Pellegrin uses slip corks because they make it so easy to cast.

He uses slip corks because they make it so easy to cast, even working over deep water.[…]

Tippets

July 15, 2018 Catch Cormier

Early July should be great surf fishing for speckled trout. Try poppers starting at first light. An hour after the sun rises, switch to Clouser Minnows or other baitfish patterns. An intermediate or sink tip line will help get the fly down in the trough areas where the larger trout are feeding.[…]

Capt. Tommy Pellegrin looks for sweet spots when he’s fishing jetties and beaches. If you find water pulling out faster than the surrounding surf, actively feeding trout are almost guaranteed.

Beating the barrier islands

July 15, 2018 Andy Crawford

When conditions are slick enough to allow you to work the beaches on the barrier islands, ice chests can quickly fill with solid trout throughout the summer.[…]

You might not catch absolute hammers at the islands, but you probably won’t have to measure many trout, either.

How to tie a uni knot stopper

July 15, 2018 Andy Crawford

Tying a uni knot stopper is easy and quick, once you get the steps down.[…]

Slip corks are the best tools for working live shrimp over fish-holding trash in Timbalier Bay because it’s easy to cast the rigs no matter what depth you need to be fishing.

Why sliding corks are best

July 15, 2018 Andy Crawford

After the early morning topwater action dies out, it’s pretty much a sure bet Capt. Tommy Pellegrin will turn to live shrimp.[…]

Birds just haven’t shown up this year, so you’ll likely not find any trout drifting the bays. Instead, find oilfield locations and satellite rigs, and work shrimp over the junk on the bottom.

The bay is all about structure

July 15, 2018 Andy Crawford

If conditions rule out fishing the beaches — or if the bite just isn’t on — plenty of action awaits in Timbalier Bay.[…]

Time invested in thoroughly probing laydowns is usually rewarded.

Hot topics

July 15, 2018 David A. Brown

When planning your summer bass outing, keep these points in mind:[…]

Never pass wood in Blind River without casting to it.

Tips for Blind River summertime bass

July 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

• Look for places that bass go to eat. That’s where they congregate. Focus on sloughs and points without ruling out bank fishing.[…]

When Bobby Phillips gears up for Ouachita River crappie, you can bet these lures will be on deck.

Geared up and ready to go

July 15, 2018 Kinny Haddox

With tackle stores full of a thousand sizes, shapes, styles and colors of crappie jigs and fishing equipment, you could spend days or weeks just trying to figure out what to fish with. Or you could just let Bobby Phillips tell you his favorite go-to gear, and copy this veteran guide’s success.[…]

Overall, a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Tail Rage Craw is Johnson’s go-to lure on Blind River.

Johnson’s Blind River bait calendar

July 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

Topwater frogs and Texas-rigged craws are “in season” on Blind River for Lyle Johnson from March to November. But he is quick to admit that the Texas craw is his mainstay lure. The clear water coming out of the sloughs draining into the river is what prompted his heavy use of the frog the day we fished.[…]

Bobby Phillips cruises the river system, searching for tops that might hold crappie.

The Ouachita’s long and winding path

July 15, 2018 Kinny Haddox

There are more than 90 miles of Ouachita River between the Arkansas line and the Columbia Lock and Dam in Northeast Louisiana. The river lakes, bayous and cuts off the river are too numerous to mention. But the nice thing is that good access is available up and down the river, and prime fishing isn’t far away. […]

Lyle Johnson serves both as president of the Louisiana Outdoor Writer’s Association and chairman of the Louisiana Fish Records Program.

Don’t cook a record fish

July 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

“Get in the books.” That’s Lyle Johnson’s message to his fellow fishermen.

As chairman of the state’s Fish Records Program, he encourages people to enter their fish, even if it isn’t a No. 1.[…]