Offshore Fishing
Rigging up
When Kim and Blake Fouquier leave the dock, they carry a small arsenal of rods and reels. Their basic tuna rigs include Tiagra 50W Shimano Two-Speed Lever Drag reels mounted on J & M Tackle custom rods.[…]
October 2014
Offshore Fishing
Chum! It’s what’s for breakfast
Chum, and plenty of it, is a critical part of catching fall tuna ghosting under shrimp boats. Chum can be almost anything fishy, and it doesn’t have to be fresh.[…]
Offshore Fishing
Taking care of the ride
For fishing 50 or 60 miles offshore, the single most important piece of equipment is a fisherman’s boat and motor.[…]
Offshore Fishing
Why October?
Tuna fishing as described here is not a year-round sport. While yellowfin can be caught off of the Louisiana coast all year, October is special. After a couple of cold fronts, the hot-blooded fish come nearer to shore from their usual deep-water haunts.[…]
Columns
The Crappie Psychic
There were days as recently as this summer that a 51-year-old Raceland outdoorsman returned from a sac-a-lait (crappie) fishing trip and removed a secret weapon on his tube jig about a mile from the boat ramp.[…]
Columns
Back to the deer stand
In the dark ages many years ago, when I was a young lad, school always started the week after Labor Day; summer baseball began in June and ended at the end of July, but summer continued through August; and the alphabet letters on the phone were actually part of the phone number.[…]
Columns
Some like it on top
I was so ecstatic when Texas A&M joined the Southeastern Conference three years ago. As an LSU fan, in addition to renewing one of our traditional rivalries, it was a chance to revive some of my favorite Aggie jokes.[…]
Ask Captain Paul
Horseshoe Island
Dear Capt. Paul:
An old timer once told me about a small island somewhere in Black Bay south of Mozambique Point by Breton Sound called Horseshoe Island. Try as I can, I cannot find anything on the island. Can you help?[…]
Contents
Ensuring a trophy mount
The crashing noise startled me.
It was like a sound effect from one of those old western movies during a saloon brawl, where some cowpoke always grabs a chair and smashes it over the sheriff deputy’s head. […]
Contents
Cover: October 2014
Hunting season is finally here, so all you have to do now is be in position to score. This issue is packed with information to help you do just that.[…]
Deer Hunting
Is your deer program working?
Managing your deer herd can make hunting a pleasure or a chore. Learn how to achieve your goals and enjoy your time in the woods.[…]
Bass Fishing
Fall lunkers like grass
Shorter days and sliding water temperatures tell bass it’s belly packing time and a great many will move up from summer depths.[…]
Contents
10 trophy buck tips, based on success
The day, Dec. 23, 1998, was nasty and getting nastier, and the weatherman’s promise of sleet and freezing rain couldn’t have been more on target, falling over the north Louisiana landscape.[…]
Contents
Big game on Pearl River
“Kickoff’s at seven,” Artie reminded. “So we wanna get the backstraps in the smoker by mid-afternoon. Y’all be back by then, huh? And with some backstraps? Heck we need to marinate ’em a little beforehand.”[…]
Contents
Louisiana’s big buck locations
When I retired from Wildlife and Fisheries in 2007, I predicted that within five years Louisiana would have a new state record typical buck. […]
Contents
Unlocking the marsh
The inherent challenge of fishing the Delta marsh is that “everything looks fishy.”[…]