Staying close to home this year for the Fourth of July, my neighbor, John Champion, joined me and my wife Gretchen for a crabbing trip to Bayou Des Allemands on Monday.
The water in the bayou is very high because of Hurricane Alex and a small disturbance off the coast. Add strong southeast winds for four days and we have minor flooding problems.
We were able to launch our boat and head north across from Tauzin Bay. Crabs like a hard bottom in 7 to 9 feet of water. We got to the western side of the bayou and used a depth finder to locate a good spot to start setting out the nets.
We baited the drop nets with chicken leg quarters and began putting the nets out 50 yards apart heading north. With only 12 nets, we waited 15 minutes before checking them.
After the first run we had nine crabs. On the second run we caught three crabs.
We realized we had to move our nets.
After relocating the drop nets, each run would produce a good crab catch. Within an hour and a half we caught three dozen crabs and decided to call it a day.
Don’t forget to renew hunting, fishing licenses
Hunting and fishing licenses expire on June 30, so it’s time for outdoorsmen to renew.
Basic fishing licenses cost $9.50 and additional saltwater licenses are $5.50. To fish saltwater, a fisherman must have both for a cost of $15.
A recreational fisherman is allowed to use the following: bow and arrow, a barbed or barbless spear, frog gig/catcher, scuba gear, hook and line (trot line), cast net with a radius not to exceed 8 feet 6 inches, and a rod and reel.
There are Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officers patrolling local waters checking licenses.
Ethanol-free gas still a hot topic
After three weeks in the shop and $600 of repairs, I was able to take my boat out for a fishing trip.
Most fishermen I spoke to about the ethanol gas problem still believe as long as they add a gas treatment they will be alright.
But Will Sigmon, of Outcast Marine, disagrees.
“It’s a matter of time before the ethanol gas destroys some part of the engine,” he said.
Robert Corey, of Country Corner Conoco on River Road in Luling, said that he will continue to serve ethanol free gas to his customers until he cannot get anymore.
“Conoco has reassured me of a long-term agreement for ethanol-free gas,” he said.
I will go out of my way to fill up my boat with ethanol-free gas from now on.
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