Louisiana waters are the place for summer fishing
By Bruce McDonald
If you are waiting for the fish to start biting, Louisiana waters are the place to be. July is the month to do it in. Along the coast the conditions are right to catch bull reds in the passes. Trout are in the surf and over the reef. Freshwater fish are everywhere. Pick your enjoyment. Again, watch the tide movement for saltwater and freshwater, and watch the thunderstorms.
Through June 27 the tide range is from .1of a foot to .8 of a foot. This is a small tide range and fish become less active.
But starting June 28, the tide range goes above 1 foot and the fishing forecast for next week looks good.
On bright sunny days freshwater fishing slows to a halt. When thunderstorms build and the sky becomes overcast, freshwater fishing turns on. On a bright sunny day without clouds, fishing early morning and late afternoon is good.
Best baits for saltwater have been live bait, shrimp and cocahoes. I like using plastic. The best colors have been the 2-inch chartreuse sparkle beetle, and the salt and pepper Terror Tail for specs and white trout.
Bull reds are being caught in Caminada Pass. Best baits are cut mullet and crack crab. Look for the rocks on the left side of the Caminada Pass heading out to the Gulf. When you reach the end of the rocks, head toward the middle of Caminada Pass and drop anchor. This is one of my favorite spots. You should be in 10 to 12 feet of water. Hunter, my son, likes to use the Carolina rigging. Use a No. 4 kahle hook, 50 lb. test leader (24 inches long), a barrel swivel, then a ¾ ounce weight. Bring a gaff or large enough landing net for a 30 plus pound redfish.
If you fish the coming week do not be discourage from fisherman telling you, “You should have here last week!” Check your tide guide. For freshwater, pick any day.
Last week was a great week! I was on the water five out of seven days. Most of the time was trawling for shrimp at Grand Isle. Pete Chaisson and I caught a lot of shrimp and crabs. Our spare time was spent fishing the surf and reefs in Grand Isle.
And the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Marine Fisheries Division has issued the following:
The spring shrimp season is closing next week in some parts of the Louisiana coast.
On Thursday, June 19, 2008, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials announced that shrimping will be off-limits starting at 6 a.m. Tuesday, June 24 in waters between the Atchafalaya River and the western shore of Bayou Lafourche.
The area is being closed because biologists have found large numbers of small juvenile shrimp in that area. The closure protects the growing white shrimp.
Elsewhere, though, shrimpers can continue trawling.
Below are the description of Zones 1, 2 and 3.
Zone 1 includes state waters from the Mississippi/Louisiana state line to the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River including Breton and Chandeleur Sounds.
Zone 2 comprises that portion of Louisiana’s inside waters from the eastern shore of South Pass of the Mississippi River to the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island.
Zone 3 includes state waters from the western shore of Vermilion Bay and Southwest Pass at Marsh Island to the Louisiana/Texas state line.
For updated information and the latest regulation changes 24 hours a day visit the Louisiana wildlife and fisheries web site at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.
Trawling the 8-mile hump along the Causeway was very productive Saturday. I had a chance to be on board the Wahoo Warrior. Steve Waring is the owner. He was very excited after catching 100 pounds of 20 to 40 count shrimp. We trawled the afternoon dodging thunderstorms.
Sunday, I took the family out to Des Allemands and caught a hamper of crabs in Bayou Des Allemands. John David Brady was the owner of the crab’s traps.
The crabs are running medium size in the bayou. We tried fishing the Humble Canals for bream, sac-a-lait, and bass with little success. The red, white and chartreuse tube jig was the best bait.
The Des Allemands area has slowed a little, but the Lake Cataouatche area is doing great. Best baits for bream and sca-a-lait are the black and chartreuse, red, white and chartreuse tube jig.
Bass are still hitting the watermelon worm and baby brush hog, white spinner bait, and Pearl Baby O crank bait.
Catfish still want worms where you can find a current in the canals.
Red fish are being caught around the rigs with shrimp on a jig head in Lake Salvador. Gold spoons and the black and chartreuse tip tail cocahoe with a gold spinner worked well on the south shore.
Louisiana Hunting and Fishing licenses for 2007-08 expire June 30.
New 2008-09 licenses begin selling on June 1.
A Louisiana driver’s license or Louisiana ID Card issued by the Department of Public Safety is required to purchase resident recreational hunting and fishing licenses.
Don’t wait for someone to tell you, “You should have been here last week!” Get out whenever you can, watch the tide guide, and the weather.
You will be successful!
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