What a difference a day can make.
Tony Taylor had made a great speckle trout fishing trip to Coon Point where he had caught 25, 2 to 4 pound speckle trout. Coon Point is one of the most western barrier islands along the Gulf Coast below Houma.
Getting there can be a hassle.
If one launches his boat in Cocodrie, it means a long boat ride by water. The boat ride is 25 miles one -way across Terrebonne Bay and Lake Pelto, but Tony had fished with a group of friends the day before and wanted to make another trip.
Myself, Otis and Anne Taylor joined Tony the next day. We launched at the end of the road on Highway 315 south of Houma and Theriot. The boat ride is only 15 miles across Little Caillou Lake and Caillou Bay.
We were fishing a neap tide of less than a foot. One major fact in catching speckle trout during the summer is to fish tidal movements of greater than 1 foot.
When reaching Raccoon Point, plenty of boats surrounded the western tip of the island. The majority of the fishermen were surf fishing. Baits of choice were chartreuse, purple/chartreuse, black/chartreuse, and electric chicken. Black/white tuxedo cocahoe minnows under a cork worked the best, and the new Mirr-O-Lure surface walkers, 83MR-GR in pink, blue/chrome, and the Golden Retriever also work extremely well.
We managed to catch nine specks during the morning trip.
Good tips for saltwater fishing:
•Summertime saltwater fishing – fish either daybreak to 10 a.m., or 4 p.m. to sundown.
•Fish tidal changes greater than a foot of range.
•Have live bait.
•Fish passes, oyster reefs, and rocks.
•Find the birds and drift through them.
•Bring a landing net.
•Kill the outboard motor and drift into a location.
•Rig tandem bait and fish different colors
•Fish high to low tide movement.
•Have a counter to count landed fish and measure each questionable trout.
We managed to break three of these important fishing tips. We arrived at 8 a.m., fished a neap tide, and did not bring live bait. It was a great trip to Raccoon Point regardless.
Please check LouisianaSportsman.com for open and closed areas along the coast.
You have to be crazy not to fish the STAR!
On Friday, Sam Barbera visited Pier 90 and officially declared the location a STAR weigh site.
But what does it mean?
“We have a weigh-in area close to a boat launch. A big bass, which has been caught, can be weighed, entered, and released before it dies,” Barbera said. “Before, a fisherman would have to transport his catch to Chag’s in Metairie or Roussell’s in Laplace and most fish would die before the weigh-in.
“Now the fish is back in the water for another day. Lake Cataouatche has produced some big bass in the past three years.”
Before a fisherman is eligible for the STAR’s prizes, he or she must be a member of the tournament prior to the catch. To enter, call 1-877-422-2782 or go online at www.ccastar.com. You can also register at Pier 90 with the harbor master.
Kids under the age of 18 years old fish for free.
Winners can receive prizes like a Chevy Silverado or a Harley Davidson.
Last year, Steve Rockweiler, of Luling, finished second in the STAR Tournament.
“I like the idea of having a STAR weigh-in at Pier 90,” he said. “ I will definitely fish in the tournament and think more bass will be weighed-in.”
Barbera said that the STAR Tournament, which usually runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, has been moved to July 1 until Oct. 3. He added that a good number of tagged redfish have been released in the Lafitte area.
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