This past weekend many hunters headed to their favorite deer leases, duck ponds, or lakes with the anticipation of killing or catching a wall hanger.
For local hunters, the Lake Salvador Management area was the place to be for duck hunting. Garrett, Logan, and Aaron Loupe have been hunting the management area and having good luck.
“Hunting after a cold front has produced good flights of ducks this week,” Logan said. “But we only killed three dois gris and three blue wing teal.”
Another hunter with his family was Gerald Barbier and his three sons – Ryan, Matt, and Evans. They ventured out of Pier 90 at around 7 a.m. on Saturday to do some scouting.
“We lost our duck hunting lease and decided to give the Salvador Management Area a try,” Gerald said. “We live in Luling and this is convenient to hunt. The cool temperatures and a late fog kept us hidden until 9 a.m. and Ryan was able to kill a couple poule dos.”
Hunters that launch at Pier 90 to access Lake Cataouatche must be on the lookout for construction 200 yards south of Pier 90 in the Sellers Canal, also known as Bayou Verret.
After leaving Pier 90, follow the eastern side of the canal to avoid the buoy barrier protecting the barges and equipment. The Harbor Master says hunters entering the marshes of the Salvador Management Area to be aware of the tidal movements.
Some duck hunters enter the marsh at high tide, and when the tide drops later in the morning they are stranded.
In fact, a few hunters have had to be rescued because the diversion has caused some areas in the marsh to have hard bottoms due to the strong flow of water from the Mississippi.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries is conducting a research survey of ducks killed in the Lake Salvador Management Area so that they can have a better idea of the species that inhabit it.
“Hunters think I’m in enforcement when they see my LDW&F shirt,” Todd Credeur, of the LDW&F said. “Hunters shouldn’t worry. The department wants to know the type of ducks the Davis Pond project is drawing into the area.
“So far, mallards, blue and green wing teals, red heads, canvas backs, grays, dois gris, poule dos, wood ducks, mottled ducks, and pintails have been reported.”
Large flocks of ducks also spotted at Bonnet Carre
The Bonnet Carre Spillway has also seen an increase in duck hunters.
Rick Boyett, a spokesman for the Corps of Engineers, said that many people are venturing to the spillway due to the low water conditions.
“Big flocks of teal, widgeons, gray, snipe, and doves have offered hunters a chance to take home their limit,” he said. “Wood ducks, black ducks, mottled ducks, canvasbacks, and mergansers have also been taken.
“We have hunters from Pierre Parts hunting in the Spillway and the area also attracts a large number of rabbit hunters.”
Anyone wanting to hunt the Bonnet Carre Spillway must obtain permits from the Bonnet Carre Spillway project office. For more information about the spillway, call (985)764-7484.
But it’s not just duck season that is open. Deer hunting in Area 6 is in full swing. Gun season opened on Nov. 19 and runs through Jan. 22.
The second split of dove season will close Nov. 28 and the third split will open Dec. 18 and close Jan. 3.
Rabbit season will close Feb. 28.
Canals north of Des Allemands producing sac-a-lait
Locally, the canals north of Des Allemands have been producing catches of sac-a- lait. Fish the corners where Wax Myrtles or Willows hang over the waters edge. Black/chartreuse, blue/white, red/white/chartreuse, and shiners under a cork work well.
Lake Cataouatche has been producing good catches of bass. Fish the grass bed from the middle of the lake back to the mouth of the La. Cypress Canal area for bass and sac-a-lait. White spinner baits, watermelon colored worms, shad colored crank baits, and the red bloodline rattletrap will do the trick.
Lake Salvador has produced good catches of specs and reds. Fish the mouth of Bayou Couba, Bay Badeaux, the Christmas tree line, Bayou Villere, and Bayou Perot this time of year. Any color sparkle beetle with a gold spinner will work, but purple/white and black /chartreuse have worked the best. The ¼ ounce gold spoon and market shrimp on the bottom and under a cork has also been successful.
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