Duck season is over and wrapping up deer hunting in AR and I am looking forward to spring fishing. Looking to trailer my boat down to Louisiana and chase some Reds. Only problem is I have never been down to that stretch of water. I don't mind paying a guide for his local expertise but would much rather figure it out myself. I would plan on a couple days and would appreciate if anyone has some pointers on where to stay/launch and general areas to fish. I have tentatively located Shell Beach as a starting point but would be open to suggestions and other ideas.
DIY Reds in Louisiana - Help
- Thread starter Grnwing
- Start date
rbreedi1
Well-Known Member
A guy that used to work with me would go down to Delacroix, LA every year with some other friends and they would wear the redfish out. They took their own boat and apparently the fishing is good and don't think they traveled very far to get into fish.
Buccaneer
Well-Known Member
Johnson Silver Minnow in Gold color with curly tail grub trailer. Hildebrand Snagless Sally with gold blade. Venice area.
What kind of boat? Can you get shallow?
This time of year you want to fish the backwater ponds which can be really shallow.
If you take more than 14" to float, you're out of luck for this type of fishery.
Look for pelicans diving or other sea bird activity near the coast.... any structure or shoreline near by should be a good place to start...
Throw a chatter bait to search... after you locate fish, slow down and fish a soft plastic with a chartreuse tail.
This time of year you want to fish the backwater ponds which can be really shallow.
If you take more than 14" to float, you're out of luck for this type of fishery.
Look for pelicans diving or other sea bird activity near the coast.... any structure or shoreline near by should be a good place to start...
Throw a chatter bait to search... after you locate fish, slow down and fish a soft plastic with a chartreuse tail.
I appreciate the feedback! I will be ordering some Hildebrandt Snagless Sally spinners but will be looking at trying to do more fly fishing if I am able to put together a pattern. I have a 16ft flat bottom with a mod v with pods on the back that keeps me floating and running shallow. I have a push pole and trolling motor and plan on bringing my canoe as well to reach some of the more isolated ponds(if need be). I think I have selected the Shell Beach/Hopedale area as my entry point and be able to tent camp nearby at the St Bernard State Park(16miles away). I imagine that I will be overwhelmed with trying to learn the marsh and figuring out what is productive water versus fishless water. Looking for diving birds is a great way to find the bait. I have tried to narrow down some sections that will have a variety of winding creeks/open ponds/deep water access to try and put together a pattern in a relatively short period of time. Sounds like a chatter bait would be a good locator bait and then switch over once I find productive water.
double browtine
Well-Known Member
A guy I used to work with lives down there now. I will see if I can get in touch with him and get a few pointers for you. He has sent me some pics of some absolutely huge redfish he has caught. Afternoon is best I remember he said. Something to do with the tides.
Depending on the weather the reds can be in those shallow ponds or stacked in a hole if a cold front goes through.
Current is key if you are just starting out. Look for moving water and you will find reds, sea trout, lady fish and others.
If you are dead set of fly fishing for them, then you will need a way to get elevated in your boat, even if it is only a few feet. Fish the shallow ponds with clear water so you can sight cast to them. Often the ponds with stained water will be better but you have to find tailing fish or actively feeding fish or you will be worn out before you find the fish. A big noisy popper can bring exciting strikes.
Here are our top baits.
1. Jig under a popping cork
2. Weedless spoon with curly tail trailer if super shallow/weedy, no trailer if water is less weedy.
3. Snagless sally
4. Wobble rite gold spoon. (various sizes depending on current, depth, and wind.)
5. Baby -1. Pulled just under the surface so it pushes a wake.
Its easy to get lost in the marsh so bring a GPS, maps are a huge help. There is great fishing within a few minutes of the boat ramp so don't feel that you need to run far.
If the weather is bad, half a cracked crab fished at the edge of the channel or better yet, where channels meet is a killer bait for reds, big reds in particular.
Current is key if you are just starting out. Look for moving water and you will find reds, sea trout, lady fish and others.
If you are dead set of fly fishing for them, then you will need a way to get elevated in your boat, even if it is only a few feet. Fish the shallow ponds with clear water so you can sight cast to them. Often the ponds with stained water will be better but you have to find tailing fish or actively feeding fish or you will be worn out before you find the fish. A big noisy popper can bring exciting strikes.
Here are our top baits.
1. Jig under a popping cork
2. Weedless spoon with curly tail trailer if super shallow/weedy, no trailer if water is less weedy.
3. Snagless sally
4. Wobble rite gold spoon. (various sizes depending on current, depth, and wind.)
5. Baby -1. Pulled just under the surface so it pushes a wake.
Its easy to get lost in the marsh so bring a GPS, maps are a huge help. There is great fishing within a few minutes of the boat ramp so don't feel that you need to run far.
If the weather is bad, half a cracked crab fished at the edge of the channel or better yet, where channels meet is a killer bait for reds, big reds in particular.
7mm08
Well-Known Member
.Grnwing":x6rokjyi said:
Copper or shrimp colored sliders. Pink or gray/ white clauser Minnows. Tie in weed guards!!!
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
From Hopedale, fish the MRGO rock dam, then hit Lena lagoon (be careful in Lena, can get shallow in places). If you feel like running, travel up bayou laloutre up to Stump lagoon (run the south shore- plenty of stumps to hit in the middle) and Muscle bay. They should still be in the marshes up till mid to late March, when they'll start moving farther out. If you stay in the main canals, you won't have a problem; but once you get out of them, water can get skinny fast and can certainly eat some lower units.
Put in at Venice, cross the river and go through the boat lanes in the rosso cane in those back water bays on the east side of the river. Poping followed by a DOA shrimp up against the rosso cane put a 3 man limit in the boat in about an hour this week 2 years ago. we also caught some huge blue cats with that rig and a few trout.
Crosshairy
Well-Known Member
I didn't see it mentioned so I'll throw out this word of caution...
Look up the tide schedule for your trip and make sure you know when the high/low times are. They also publish the expected level changes, so you should have an idea of what to expect. Make sure you aren't going somewhere you can't get out if you happen to be traveling on a high tide.
Good luck! I'm sure a lot of us would appreciate a follow-up report when you return to see how you did. My boat isn't big enough for most of those adventures, but it sure sounds like fun.
Look up the tide schedule for your trip and make sure you know when the high/low times are. They also publish the expected level changes, so you should have an idea of what to expect. Make sure you aren't going somewhere you can't get out if you happen to be traveling on a high tide.
Good luck! I'm sure a lot of us would appreciate a follow-up report when you return to see how you did. My boat isn't big enough for most of those adventures, but it sure sounds like fun.
Thanks again for the feedback on the lure selection fishboy! I have plenty of trays full of baby 1's and will switch out hooks. I am looking into getting the maps for my Lowrance unit and making sure everything works. I have a lot of clauser flies from my Everglades years but need to get some more copper colored shrimp/crab imitations for my fly options. I did take a look at the tides for the month of March and the end of the month had really good water flow (1.3ft) on a 2 tide day but since I am not familiar with the water and don't have a anything to base the flow on, I opted for the early part of the month to hit a 4 tide cycle with less moving water. I feel mixed about passing up on moving water but I know I would end up too far back and risk getting stuck, not something I want to do on my first go at it.
I spent the rainy weekend going over my boat and trailer and had planned on putting new bearings on my hubs. My current set had been on there for almost 13 years and were always well greased but didn't want to risk loosing time on the water for something that was preventative. I was really glad I did, as soon as I took the wheel off I saw one of my leaf springs was completely broke and pressing up against the trailer frame. I have no idea how long that had been but have to think it just happened. I picked up some new springs and bearing kits and essentially rebuilt my trailer. I'll leave at 2 AM on Sat March 10 and return late on Monday the 12th.
I will try and do a good job of documenting the trip so i can post an update upon my return. I really appreciate everyone''s feedback and input!
Thanks
I spent the rainy weekend going over my boat and trailer and had planned on putting new bearings on my hubs. My current set had been on there for almost 13 years and were always well greased but didn't want to risk loosing time on the water for something that was preventative. I was really glad I did, as soon as I took the wheel off I saw one of my leaf springs was completely broke and pressing up against the trailer frame. I have no idea how long that had been but have to think it just happened. I picked up some new springs and bearing kits and essentially rebuilt my trailer. I'll leave at 2 AM on Sat March 10 and return late on Monday the 12th.
I will try and do a good job of documenting the trip so i can post an update upon my return. I really appreciate everyone''s feedback and input!
Thanks
7mm08
Well-Known Member
Drive careful and good luck!
This is a follow up to my original post about going to Louisiana and chasing redfish in the marshes.
I had originally planned on leaving really early on Saturday but didn't get on the road until 730AM. I made good time and was able to get into my campsite in the early afternoon. I checked in and set up camp. I headed for the Hopedale Marina to launch and start exploring. The folks at the marina were extremely helpful and friendly and quick to give me some pointers and steer me in the right direction. By 3PM Saturday I was on the water fishing. I had strong SW winds and started fishing the windblown shoreline of an island. After about 30 minutes, I feel a good thump on the end of my line. Fish on! I dropped an anchor to help hold the boat in position while I battled with the fish. After a good fight, I was able to net my first Louisiana redfish! He stretched out to 29in. Took a quick picture and turned him back to fight another day. I continued to fish the windblown shorelines and was able to put a few more reds in the boat before sunset and kept one for dinner. Back at the campsite, I quickly realized that I had forgot bug spray. I was covered by mosquitos! I set up my tent and ate a quick but delicious dinner and headed for bed. Next morning, I got up extra early with the help of the time change and found myself at the ramp 2 hours before sunrise. Stopped in the marina and picked up some a $10.00 can of Cutter and head out to the same area I fished the afternoon before. Once there was enough light, I was able to start working my way back into the creeks and start exploring with the aid of a good high tide. The fish were hungry, I boated over 50 fish on Sunday morning. Majority were seatrout and bass with 12 or so being reds. I was ecstatic at all the activity. One cast I'd catch a trout, next a bass and next a red. It was really awesome to fish such a productive fishery. By noon, I had thunderstorms rolling in and had to head back to the ramp. I had originally planned on staying Sunday night and fishing more on Monday but with the storms and a strong cold front I opted to head back Sunday afternoon and work Monday. Since I had such a good time learning a new area I decided that I would take Friday off to go back down there and fish some more. After a short work week, I rolled out of the driveway at 3AM on Friday morning and made my way back down. Got started fishing around noon on Friday and picked up where I had left off. The previous creeks and holes held fish and I was quickly back into them. Keeping a few for dinner and releasing the rest. Storms/wind/fog all made each day a little different but the fish seemed to cooperate regardless. I took some time on Saturday to just run and explore the marsh, it is hard to comprehend how vast that area is and I look forward to many more trips.
I caught fish on everything from spoons/jigs/jerk baits but the hot bait was a 3/8oz Booya Spinnerbait with matrix shad trailer slow rolled under the surface. Watching those reds come up behind it pushing a wake is burned into my memory!
If you have never been down there, I would strongly recommend making a trip. The people were beyond friendly and fishing and scenery is amazing!
I had originally planned on leaving really early on Saturday but didn't get on the road until 730AM. I made good time and was able to get into my campsite in the early afternoon. I checked in and set up camp. I headed for the Hopedale Marina to launch and start exploring. The folks at the marina were extremely helpful and friendly and quick to give me some pointers and steer me in the right direction. By 3PM Saturday I was on the water fishing. I had strong SW winds and started fishing the windblown shoreline of an island. After about 30 minutes, I feel a good thump on the end of my line. Fish on! I dropped an anchor to help hold the boat in position while I battled with the fish. After a good fight, I was able to net my first Louisiana redfish! He stretched out to 29in. Took a quick picture and turned him back to fight another day. I continued to fish the windblown shorelines and was able to put a few more reds in the boat before sunset and kept one for dinner. Back at the campsite, I quickly realized that I had forgot bug spray. I was covered by mosquitos! I set up my tent and ate a quick but delicious dinner and headed for bed. Next morning, I got up extra early with the help of the time change and found myself at the ramp 2 hours before sunrise. Stopped in the marina and picked up some a $10.00 can of Cutter and head out to the same area I fished the afternoon before. Once there was enough light, I was able to start working my way back into the creeks and start exploring with the aid of a good high tide. The fish were hungry, I boated over 50 fish on Sunday morning. Majority were seatrout and bass with 12 or so being reds. I was ecstatic at all the activity. One cast I'd catch a trout, next a bass and next a red. It was really awesome to fish such a productive fishery. By noon, I had thunderstorms rolling in and had to head back to the ramp. I had originally planned on staying Sunday night and fishing more on Monday but with the storms and a strong cold front I opted to head back Sunday afternoon and work Monday. Since I had such a good time learning a new area I decided that I would take Friday off to go back down there and fish some more. After a short work week, I rolled out of the driveway at 3AM on Friday morning and made my way back down. Got started fishing around noon on Friday and picked up where I had left off. The previous creeks and holes held fish and I was quickly back into them. Keeping a few for dinner and releasing the rest. Storms/wind/fog all made each day a little different but the fish seemed to cooperate regardless. I took some time on Saturday to just run and explore the marsh, it is hard to comprehend how vast that area is and I look forward to many more trips.
I caught fish on everything from spoons/jigs/jerk baits but the hot bait was a 3/8oz Booya Spinnerbait with matrix shad trailer slow rolled under the surface. Watching those reds come up behind it pushing a wake is burned into my memory!
If you have never been down there, I would strongly recommend making a trip. The people were beyond friendly and fishing and scenery is amazing!
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Looks/sounds like a great trip!
