Snapper season opens with limits, specks invade the oyster reefs behind Grand Isle
The start of Red Snapper season officially kicked off on June 1, and they were pulled in by the bucket loads south of Grand Isle. Local angler Bruce McDonald and his crew of four limited out fishing 50 miles offshore starting at Grand Isle block 48. The crew used really big pogies to gather them in.
“We also saw a few tripletail and chicken dolphin,” McDonald said. “We did have a lot of problems with four or five grey sharks.”
For those in search of specks, McDonald says they are just “unbelievable” right now.
“Anywhere on the back reach, from Four Bayou Pass to Caminada Pass is really good,” McDonald said. Oyster reefs have been especially hot first light on an incoming tide. Live shrimp under popping corks was key to catching specks on the reefs the first weekend in June.
McDonald says that fishermen need to watch for the changing tides and that he has had success using the tide guide on page 218 in the May issue of the Louisiana Sportsman.
“If they watch that, anyone can be successful,” McDonald said. “This week especially is good. Anytime there is a big tide change, we catch a lot of specks.”
As far as freshwater fishing is concerned, McDonald says that it’s hard to find a better place to fish than Lake Cataouatche.
“You can’t go anywhere in Lake Cataouatche right now and throw a line without catching a bream,” McDonald said. “You can fish the southside, the canals, just anywhere where there is clear water to catch bream galore.”
The cuts are also proving to be prime real estate to catch catfish and bass.
“We’re catching big catfish on shrimp and we can throw a worm and catch bass,” McDonald said. “Cataouatche is probably one of the hottest lakes in the state. Even if you don’t know how to fish, you can get in the cuts and it’s just phenomenal.”
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