Northshore: fishing HEAVEN
I made a scouting trip during the summer to find places to fish other than Grand Isle, Lake Salvador and Lake Cataouatche. So last week, I traveled to the northshore in Slidell. I went to visit a friend. After crossing the Highway 11 Bridge, I made a right turn onto Lakeview and drove to the end of the road.
It turned out to be a small fishing heaven from the bank. The area was close to deep water with a lot of baitfish. Structure was all around and light-green clear water was dropping from a changing tide.
All the conditions were right for the comforts of roadside fishing.
As the sun started to set, local fishermen told me, ” You should have been here last week!.”
Fishermen were catching limits of speckle trout and 30-inch redfish from the spot I was standing.
As I continued to fish, I reeled in five speckle trout and two redfish. I also set out two drop nets for crabs and caught a dozen huge No. 1 blue-claw crabs.
I accomplished this feat within an hour. The local fishermen told me this was a bad day to be fishing. The area is within sight of Interstate 10, between the Highway 11 Bridge, and Railroad Bridge.
I used regular market shrimp and tried throwing the white and chartreuse Sparkle Beetle.
Watch the weather
With the passage of the last cold front, fishing conditions are going to change drastically.
Water levels will drop and fish will move to deeper water.
Just before a cold front, water levels will rise enabling fish to feed on cloudy days.
Warm air temperatures will allow fish to feed near the surface and top water is always a good choice.
Combine the techniques of fishing under a cork, or slow and fast retrieve to zero in on the fish.
This goes for fresh and salt water. A good rule – fish just before the cold front or the third day after a cold front.
Salt water Scenes
Captain Roe Pitre of Galliano has been catching limits of reds and specs from the Point Au Chene to the Fourchon.
The Gold Cpoon, the Blue Moon Terror Tail, the avocado Baby Bull Minnow with red metal flakes, and tuxedo cocahoes have worked well on a retrieve or under a cork.
He also said to keep an eye on the sky – plenty of birds have been working the area over large schools of shrimp.
Mr. Cabali, a co-worker, is fly fisherman at heart.
He made a trip to Port Sulphur and caught his limit of red fish using his fly rod.
He ties his own baits and promised to share his secret bait in an upcoming article. He urges anyone interested in fly-fishing to checkout www.laflyfish.com.
On calm days, fish have been caught in the surf. Live shrimp and poogies, the Gulp Alive in molten shrimp, purple and white, and black and chartreuse cocahoes have produced well.
This is the time of year the bull reds begin their annual spawn in the passes. The tides will have a good strong range this week along Grand Isle.
Locally, the canals north of Des Allemands have been producing catches of sac-au- laits.
Russell Loupe says to find the dead end canals off of Humble in the Bayou, the Providence Canal, the Airplane Canal, and Dead Cow Lake.
Fish the corners where Wax Myrtles or Willows hang over the water edge.
Black and chartreuse, blue and white, red, white and chartreuse, and shiners under a cork work well.
Crabs are everywhere, but the cold front this week will slow things down.
Lake Cataouatche has been producing good catches of bass. Fish the north shoreline in the Whiskey Bay area for best results.
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. From the mouth of Bayou Couba, Bay Badeaux, the Christmas tree line, Bayou Viller, and Bayou Perot, Captain Tommy reported, “It’s been great!”
Any color Sparkle Beetle with a gold spinner, but purple and white, and black and chartreuse have worked the best.
The ¼ ounce gold spoon and market shrimp on the bottom under a cork works.
Hunting
Rabbit and squirrel season opened Oct. 4 and runs until Feb. 28.
The second split of dove seasons opened Oct. 18 and runs until Nov. 30.
Deer season opens for primitive arms Nov. 8 through – 14 and still-hunting opens Nov. 15 through Jan. 18.
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