Cataouatche hotter than the temperature

By Bruce McDonald

June 08, 2011 at 1:52 pm  | Mobile Reader | Print 

John Champion, with a 10-pound catfish pulled from the cuts on the north shoreline in Lake Cataouatche. He was using earthworms on the bottom.

We departed Boutte around 10 a.m. and headed towards Westwego. The price to launch at the State Park was $1 a person. After paying $2 to launch, we made our way to the five double back down launch.

We cranked the Kenner VX and made our way along the ring levee to the Whiskey Canal.

 It allowed us to stay in protective water to Lake Cataouatche. For the past month and a half we have had to endure strong winds from the south, traveling to Westwego to launch, and now the 99-degree temperature on this day without any cloud cover. 

"But if we can catch 12 catfish, we could have a nice fish fry," Champion said.

Reaching the first cut before the La. Cypress Canal, we set out two catfish lines. Both were rigged with earthworms with a ¾ ounce weight Carolina style. 

Anchoring 40 yards down current from the cut, rods were thrown and placed in the rod holder. Within five minutes Champion set the hook on a nice 12-inch blue channel catfish. 

As soon as he had the fish in the boat the other rod bent and Champion set the hook. We caught 20 nice catfish for noon.

The biggest went around 10 pounds. 

We noticed the clear water was mixing with the murky water from Lake Cataouatche at the cut. On the edge of the clear and murky water, bait was being attacked from bass below.

We rigged Watermelon/red baby brush hogs and Booyah spinner baits chartreuse/white with gold teardrop blades and began catching bass. We circled the area a dozen times.

Each time we found the bait, we caught nice bass. The biggest bass on the day went 6 pounds. 

All of the bass were released. 

We had fished in the heat of the day, 99 degrees with strong south winds, from noon to 4 p.m. and caught fish. We were back at the Bayou Segnette boat launch for 4:30 p.m.

"I can't wait to fish on a good day,” Champion said. “It doesn't get any better than this.”