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A River Reborn
Nobody would ever confuse the Mermentau River with a sprawling reservoir that attracts bass anglers from all across the nation.[…]
Southwest LA
Inshore Fishing
Big Lake reds on the rocks
When word gets out that the redfish are on the rocks at the end of the ship channel below Calcasieu Lake, anglers flock to the area to reel in everything from 16-inch grillers to 40-pound behemoths.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Heavy rains haven’t hurt Calcasieu
The recent heavy rains in Southwest Louisiana weren’t enough to shut the trout bite off at Calcasieu Lake, and Capt. Jeff Poe with Big Lake Guide Service (337) 598-3268 has continued to catch a bunch of fish the past several days.[…]
Ask Captain Paul
How do I get to Leeville hotspot?
Dear Capt. Paul:
I am heading to Grand Isle with my son this weekend. I am looking for the coordinates to the Southwest Canal.[…]
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Calcasieu Cleanser
Most people in Louisiana relate purging with cleaning a sack full of crawfish by making them vomit out impurities before they are dropped into a pot of boiling water.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Calcasieu pipeline holding trout
“If the wind doesn’t blow you off the lake, you can catch some good trout right now,” said Capt. Norman Rester with A-Speck Charters (318-481-0049). “Last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we did real well. And just the other day, a friend of mine caught 15 trout in 15 minutes.”[…]
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Mishmash in the Marsh
I withdrew into my parka as Kirk Stansel buzzed his way through the narrow maze of ditches that ran through the marsh. The mix of stinging raindrops and the slapping reeds was a bit too much for the senses at such an early hour.[…]
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Calcasieu in the Fall
The pink rod made a question mark as the MirrOlure She Dog vanished in an explosion on the surface. When the line knifed through the water, my guide, Kirk Stansel, one of the owners of Hackberry Rod and Gun, and I both wondered aloud, “Speckled trout or redfish?”[…]
Bass Fishing
Post-Rita bass swarming in Mermentau
Among the many devastating effects of Hurricane Rita just two years ago was the damage it did to the Mermentau River bass population. Bass have been almost non-existent up until recently, and now that they’re showing up again, they are making up for lost time.[…]
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Grand Isle Fish Fest
Darkness was closing in as we breached Grand Isle’s city limits, and Pelayo slowed down. In seconds, he slammed the brakes with a force that would have launched us through the windshield.[…]
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Off the Charts
I was scheduled to meet Capt. Mark “Hard Times” Scardino (985-787-3529) at the dock of the newly renovated Sand Dollar Marina in Grand Isle at 6 a.m.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Anglers finding consistent bite at Calcasieu
According to Capt. Erik Rue with Calcasieu Charter Service (337-598-4700), there is a lot happening at Big Lake right now. Trout are biting all over the lake with most of the action coming over the oyster reefs and under the birds.[…]
Waterfowl & Duck Hunting
Ducks cranking up behind cold front
If a Monday morning marsh hunt with Hackberry Rod & Gun is any indication, Louisiana waterfowlers reluctantly counting down the days of the 2006-07 season may finish with a flurry thanks to the cold front making its way across the state.[…]
Other Hunting
Late-season dove hunting ridiculously good
There are few things in life more ego-flattening than a really good dove hunt. That being the case, I spent my Christmas weekend eating shared dove breasts and a giant piece of humble pie.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Big trout biting in Turner’s Bay
Some trophy trout have started to show up at Calcasieu Lake. Capt. Jeff Poe of Big Lake Guide Service (337-598-3268) caught trout up to 8 pounds a couple of days ago, and he said a friend of his caught a 9 1/2-pound lunker that was 29 1/2 inches long last week.[…]
General
Major spill closes Calcasieu Ship Channel
The CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex, the Coast Guard and the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office have established a Unified Command to manage the clean up and recovery of a major oil spill in the Calcasieu Ship Channel near Lake Charles.[…]