Outdoor Report with Bruce McDonald 1-28-2009

Pressure builds in final hunts, mighty bass bite in surrounding waters

Salvador duck surveys in

Despite a pitiful last weekend, duck season on Lake Salvador was a success for several local hunters who killed their six-bird limits on previous weekends.

Throughout the season, hunters averaged two birds per hunt according to Wildlife and Fisheries surveys.

An estimated 1,200 hunters shot and killed 2,105 birds. Ring-neck, Blue-wing teal and Gadwall were the most common.

These numbers are in line with Atchafalaya Delta WMA, and Pointe-aux Chenes WMA. Pass A’ Loutre WMA had nearly twice the success rate with hunters there averaging 3.6 birds per hunt.

Final deer hunts ooze stress

Feeling the pressure of the last weekend, I made afternoon deer hunts Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Sunday I made my last ride to my favorite deer stand to watch the sun go down on the deer season in Area 6.

It was a cool, foggy day with anticipations of having a trophy buck walking out.

With the season ending, the primitive arms segment of the last week was now at hand.

Yet, nothing moved on this last day. Quite disappointing, but I had shot a 7-point, a doe, and three wild hogs out of the oil well, my favorite deer stand.

By most standards, that would be a great year, but it’s over, so now’s the time to get ready for next year.

A great time of year to scout for next year’s deer hunting is now.

Scrapes, rub-lines, and trails can easily be detected.

Foliage this time of the year is a bare minimum.

Walking the area around your stand and you will discover rubs and scrape lines you did not know existed.

Marking these spots with a GPS or flagging material will give incite on where you should put up a climber or new stand.

Deer generally will travel the same trails and rub lines from the previous year.

Bountiful bass

Last week I received reports of bass weighing 8, 9, and 10 pounds caught in the Des Allemands and the Lake Cataouatche area.

This is not a surprise. When the first Bass Masters classic was making preparations to come to Louisiana, Florida bass fingerings were released in the year 2000.

These fish and their offspring are maturing in our local lakes. Many local fishermen who fish the Des Allemands and Cataouatche are finding big trophy fish regularly.

Most fishermen have been releasing their catches, which means the school of big fish are still out there.

Pick a good, warm day when the water is up in the lakes and fish the Baby Brush Hog in the watermelon, the white-spinner bait, or the Rattle Trap in the red blood-line, chrome-perch, or blue chrome.

The spawn started after Christmas and will continue through April. The big fish spawn early and as the season goes on the smaller fish spawn will follow.

Craig Matherne of Luling had a chance to fish the Hopedale area last week. With a couple of friends they boated 65 speckled trout – all in the 18 to 20 inch range. They found clear water and a good tidal range in the afternoon. Live shrimp or the glow-sparkle beetle under a cork worked best.

 

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