Sac-a-lait attack mini jigs in North Canal of SMA

Bass hitting baby brush hog in same area

When water temperatures begin to reach 62 degrees, bass and sac-a-lait head for the shallow water to spawn.

Lake Des Allemands, Lake Cataouatche and the Salvador Management Area are experiencing the same warmup now. However, the weather has been a problem. The winds are blowing 15 to 20 miles per hour out of the southeast piling up water in canals with warm temperatures.

These conditions are perfect to catch fish on an overcast day. But if you venture into open water, a fisherman could face 3 to 4 foot waves. Two days later a cold front comes through, the temperatures drops and a strong north wind pushes all the water out of the canal.

This situation happened twice last week in the North Canal of the Salvador Management Area. But there are good reports of bass and sac-a-lait being caught at the very end of the North Canal. The best baits were the black/chartreuse, blue/white and blue/chartreuse mini jigs under a cork for sac-a-lait. Bass have been hitting the baby brush hog, ultra speed craw in watermelon/red, the white/chartreuse Booyah spinner bait with a gold teardrop spinner and the Baby Minus one in crawfish colors.

In the Des Allemands area, dead end canals produced good catches of sac-a-lait. Find a corner covered with lilies, which will hold plenty under the lilies and grass beds. Anchor against the lilies and make a small hole in the grass or lilies with the end of a rod and drop a mini jig under a cork.

Fish will hit the mini jigs quickly. Move to a different spot if unsuccessful in catching them. Several locations may be fished before locating sac-a-lait. Excellent spots have been Knight Bay, the Stump Canal, Humble in the Lake, Humble on the Bayou, the stumps in the Providence Canal and Penrod in the Lake Des Allemands area.

The Lake Cataouatche Limited Access Area opens Wednesday, Feb. 1, for the use of motorized boats. Big bass are lurking around the stumps in the Tank Ponds and Netherlands.

The best baits will be the Junebug and watermelon/red flukes, worms and brushhogs. Chartreuse, pearl and crawfish colored ¼ and 3/8 ounce crankbaits and rattle traps also work well.

The Louisiana Cypress Canal, the Bulkheads, the Tank Ponds, the Netherlands, the West Canal, the Umbrella Tree Canal, the North Canal, Alligator Pond, the Fence, the Mecom Canal and the Temple in Lake Cataouatche and the Salvador Management Area.