Fish biting in almost every area of parish

Now is the time to get out on the water and catch fish as area waters have started producing good numbers of sac-a-lait, bass, bream and catfish.

“Last week, anyone fishing in the bar pits of the spillway was bringing out limits of sac-a-lait,”   Bill Maus, park ranger in the Bonnet Carre Spillway, said. “Fishermen were using shiners and tube jigs and the best colors were blue/white, black/chartreuse and black/white.”

Maus said that bass and bream were mainly caught in the siphons along the levees heading towards Lake Pontchartrain.

“The crabs and crawfish have been spotty because of the weather,”  he added. “During the week, the warming conditions allowed fishermen to catch a few crabs and crawfish in the spillway.  After a cold front the bite stops.”

Maus said that the Mississippi River is starting to rise and anticipated river water to begin entering the spillway. The corps will also begin Phase 1 of the water fight and may begin closing the roads accessing the interior of the spillway.

Des Allemands has also been a hot spot for area fishermen.

Hunter McDonald took his Bass Tracker out Monday afternoon and caught 20 nice sac-a-lait in Bayou Des Allemands. He fished Humble in the Bayou using red/white/chartreuse, black/chartreuse, tube blue/white under a cork. He found sac-a-lait near old stumps, fallen tree tops, and cypress trees.

“The key was finding clear water,” Hunter said.

On Lake Cataouatche, the Pier 90 harbor master said that fish are being caught everywhere.  Sac-a-lait are being caught in the Gulf Canal on shiners, black/chartreuse, black/white, and blue/white tube jigs. Clear water is the key.

Bass are in the Tank Ponds in a pre-spawn condition. The best baits have been the June bug worms, watermelon/red baby brush hogs, blue/white spinner baits, orange/white spinner baits, the pearl baby minus one, and the chrome/black rattletrap.

Bream have been hitting earthworms, crickets, and the blue 1/32 oz. beetle spins.

As for Jason and Jared Perez, they set out a 30-jug line Monday afternoon baiting them with cut shad.

Jason and Jared checked them until sun down and they caught six big catfish.

“We lost the biggest one when a 60-pound leader broke,” Jason said. “I tried to get the fish in the boat too quick, but  I’m happy with the six we caught.”

 

Be safe by making float plan

With the increase of warmer weather, boaters will be heading out to their favorite fishing spots. The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries urges every boater to file a float plan.

A float plan should describe the vessel, its registration number, size, hull color and engine type. Note the boat landing that is used to launch, the area you intend to fish with the names of the lakes and bayous.

It should be left with a relative or friend.

And make sure to wear a personal flotation device.