SUCCESS IN NUMBERS
The time is right for finding fish near Independence Island, and to do so just join the crowd
Friday, August 08, 2008
Bob MarshallThe old salts of coastal Louisiana fishing will tell you the most important skill to master is “finding fish.”
They will tell you how they began perfecting this skill when they were just fin-high to a cockahoe minnow by fishing at the sides of legendary anglers, men who forgot more about the sport than you’ll ever learn. They will tell you about reading the water for signs of bait, for subtle shifts in tidal movement, for habitat patterns, for matching moon phases with wind direction.
All true.
But they almost will never mention the easiest way to find fish, a secret even the greenest of rookies can master: Just find the other fishermen.
That secret was being exposed recently in the southern reaches of Barataria Bay, where a group of boats began anchoring around a handful of pilings. A half-hour earlier only two boats were riding the waves, casting live bait toward a handful of pilings. Within minutes they seemed to be exerting some type of gravitational pull on other boats, forcing them to radically change course and begin homing in on the piling.
Soon, the two-boat flotilla was a fleet of 10. An angler in the latest arrival tossed a live shrimp on a Carolina rig into the water, and before he could tighten the line, felt the pull of a speckled trout.
He had just perfected the art of finding fish by the oldest and easiest method known. But now he had a question: “Hey,” he yelled over to the boat next to him, “what’s this spot called?”
Well, it is called Independence Island. Not that there has been any island visible there for the past 20 years. That piece of marsh turned to open water long ago, and the pilings that once reminded anglers of the camps that stood there have long since been knocked down. But while the marsh is gone, the shells and oyster reefs that once supported the island continue to be a draw for speckled trout and reds during the summer months. The latest NOAA charts show that “shoal” as the rough outline of a banana running north to south for about one-third of a mile. So anglers who can find the sunken Independence Island between April and September have a pretty good chance of finding fish.
The story has been the same this summer, but with a decidedly different twist.
“Independence and the other reefs in Barataria Bay are just starting to turn on — and that’s about two months later than usual,” said Sidney Bourgeois, manager of Joe’s Landing in Lafitte.
“Normally, we start seeing trout showing up there as
early as late April, and almost always by mid-May. But this
year everything has been late, real late.”Some anglers think the clock has been pushed back by the
amount of fresh water flowing through Davis Pond. Others
think the reason has more to do with the stiff winds that
have hounded the bay this summer. Regardless, the bay
finally seems to be rounding into form — and the old
islands that are now reefs are the best spots to fish. The
reasons for that — conventional wisdom goes — is that
they tend to offer shelter for bait, which attracts the
specks and reds.If you are new to the area and have never marked these
spots on a GPS unit, finding them in the ever-growing
expanses of Barataria Bay can be difficult.
Unless, of course, you can perfect one of the oldest
techniques for finding fish: Just look for the other boats.— Getting there —
GPS coordinates: N 29 18.616, W 89 56.172.
For non-digital anglers, turn due east at marker 16 in
the Barataria Seaway, or head 75-degrees for 1.6 miles
east-northeast from the eastern side of Queen Bess Island.You’re talking about a 40-minute run from Lafitte,
about 15 minutes from Grand Isle.— Gearing up —
The best choice for late summer is always live bait, so
make sure you have a functioning live well, some weighted
corks, and the gear for Carolina rigs: swivels, sliding
sinkers and leader material. Live shrimp will bring the most
hits, but live croakers and pogies will result in bigger
fish. Bring plenty of terminal rigs, because you’ll be
losing gear on the bottom.
Lures that will work include plastic cockahoes (glo,
tuxedo, black/chartreuse tails), Deadly Dudley (Blue Moon),
DOA shrimp (glo), Gulp! Shrimp, menhaden and sand eels. If
the water is murky, try fishing the plastics on a Carolina
rig.Other necessities include a good anchor, plenty of
sunscreen and water — and a sharp eye to watch for
thunderstorms that can approach quietly in the late summer
haze.— Fishing it —
Don’t head this way unless you have a tidal range of
7/10ths of a foot to 1.5 feet, and wind less than 10 mph.
Incoming or falling tide will work, as long as the water is
moving. And the best action will be in the first two and
last two hours of the day — especially during a full
moon.Although the pilings are a good landmark, the reef is
spread across a much wider area, and the fish can be
anywhere. Approach from the down-tide side of the pilings,
placing your anchor about 30 yards from the center.After the boat has settled, begin casting live bait as
far past the pilings as you can. If you’re on the
bottom, let the bait settle, then begin moving it back to
the boat with the current by using small lifts with the rod
tip. Let the bait settle for a minute after each hop. When
you get a strike, try to remember where the bait was,
because the trout tend to hold in specific spots.A sliding weighted cork is a good option. Start with the
hook set about five feet under the cork. Use a split shot
about a foot above the hook to keep the bait down. If you
have a good tidal range, let the current move the bait back
toward you, making sure to reel in the slack as it comes.
Otherwise, pop the bait and reel.Remember, the fish can be almost anywhere on the reef, so
if you’re not having much success in your first spot,
move the boat and start over.
Redfish Cup, and more
Shrimp season, Redfish Cup, and more - Outdoors Beat - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com
Posted by Bob Marshall, The Times-Picayune August 07, 2008 3:34PMFall shrimp season opens Monday
The state Wildlife and Fisheries Commission Thursday decided to open the fall shrimp season Monday. The season is set to close Tuesday, December 16, except for the open waters of Breton and Chandeleur Sounds. Certain waters will remain open until 6:00 a.m. March 31, 2009.Large stork sighted in Louisiana
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported two of its personnel made the first-ever sighting in Louisiana of a jabiru, the tallest flying bird in Central and South America. Ornithologist Michael Seymour and technician Joshua Sylvest found the rare stork while performing a shorebird survey near the Sherburne Wildlife Management Area (WMA) South Farm Complex on the morning of July 31. They took photos and videos of the bird.Empire rodeo
The Empire South Pass Tarpon Rodeo returns form its Post-Katrina break Aug. 14-16 at the newly-reopened Delta Marina in Empire. Tickets are $35, and Delta Marina’s Darren Angelo said proceeds will go to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Port Sulphur, the Recreational Fisheries Research Institute’s fish-tagging program and the Wish to Fish Program. Weigh-in hours will run 3-8 p.m. Aug. 14-15 and 3-6 p.m. Aug. 16.Redfish Cup in Hopedale
The Oh Boy! Oberto ESPN Redfish Cup returns to St. Bernard Parish Aug. 15-17 at Breton Sound Marina at the end of Hwy 624 in Hopedale. Forty-nine teams will compete for $50,000 grand prize. The event will feature a daily Tailgate Party with local food, music, children’s activities and sports related exhibits as well as the popular “Splash Dog” contest where dogs compete for the longest water jump. Festivities get underway 2 p.m. Aug. 15, and 10 a.m. Aug 16 and 17. Weigh-in will be at 3 p.m. Sunday’s calendar is highlighted by the annual Feast of St. Bernard celebration, which include a 10 a.m. Mass, followed by The Blessing of the Fleet.
For complete detail go to www.VisitSt.Bernard.comDuck calling contest
The annual Louisiana State Duck and Goose Calling Contest will be held Aug. 2008 at the Gueydan Civic Center in conjunction with the Gueydan Duck Festival. The duck calling contest is sanctioned by the World Championship Duck Calling Contest Committee of Stuttgart, Arkansas. Duck callers will compete in three divisions by age: Junior (under 14); Intermediate (14-16) and Senior (17 and older). Goose calling will have two categories: Junior (16 and younger) and Senior (17 years and older). Winners become eligible for the World Championship Duck Calling Contest Nov. 28-29 in Stuttgart, Ark.. Complete contest rules can be found at the Louisiana Wildlife Federation Web site, www.lawildlifefed.org.State offers gator hunts
The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is offering lottery sport hunts for alligators on eight wildlife management areas on a variety of dates between Aug. 27-Sept. 12. The areas include Atchafalaya Delta; Elm Hall Joyce; Pass A Loutre; Pearl River; Pointe-Aux-Chenes; Salvador; and Sherburne. Applicants must be a legal Louisiana resident and 16 years of age or older. Application can be obtained by calling 337-373-0032 or from the agency Web site, www.wlf.louisiana.gov/experience/lawildlife/nongame/alligators.cfm. Applications must be submitted by Aug. 13, drawing will be held Aug. 15 and selected hunters will be notified by mail.Coastal conference
Anyone interested in possible solutions to Louisiana’s coastal problems will want to attend the conference “Sustainable Management of Deltaic Ecosystems: Integration of Theory and Practice” Aug. 25-26 at LSU. Presentations by scientists from across the United States will examine the many challenges of coastal management from engineering to social issues. The first day of the conference will consider examples and experiences from other coastal ecosystems; the second day will focus on the Mississippi Delta. The evening session Aug. 25 will feature guest speakers, former Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and Garret Graves, director of the Governor’s Office of Coastal Affairs. The session will focus on some of the problems and constraints Louisiana is facing and its plans for future stewardship of coastal resources. To register, visit www.sce.lsu.edu/conference or contact Emma Schneider at 225-578-3381 or Karen Gros at 225-578-8806 for more information.
Want to find fish? Find other fishermen
Want to find fish? Find other fishermen - Outdoors Beat - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com
Posted by Bob Marshall, The Times-Picayune August 07, 2008 10:41PM
Categories: Bob Marshall
BOB MARSHALL/THE TIMES-PICAYUNEWith so many landmarks washed away, “finding the fish” in the growing expanse of Barataria Bay often means finding where the other boats are anchoredThe old salts of coastal Louisiana fishing will tell you the most important skill to master is “finding fish.”
They will tell you how they began perfecting this skill when they were just fin-high to a cockahoe minnow by fishing at the sides of legendary anglers, men who forgot more about the sport than you’ll ever learn. They will tell you about reading the water for signs of bait, for subtle shifts in tidal movement, for habitat patterns, for matching moon phases with wind direction.
All true.
But they almost will never mention the easiest way to find fish, a secret even the greenest of rookies can master: Just find the other fishermen.
That secret was being exposed recently in the southern reaches of Barataria Bay, where a group of boats began anchoring around a handful of pilings. A half-hour earlier only two boats were riding the waves, casting live bait toward a handful of pilings. Within minutes they seemed to be exerting some type of gravitational pull on other boats, forcing them to radically change course and begin homing in on the piling.
Soon, the two-boat flotilla was a fleet of 10. An angler in the latest arrival tossed a live shrimp on a Carolina rig into the water, and before he could tighten the line, felt the pull of a speckled trout.
He had just perfected the art of finding fish by the oldest and easiest method known. But now he had a question: “Hey,” he yelled over to the boat next to him, “what’s this spot called?”
Well, it is called Independence Island. Not that there has been any island visible there for the past 20 years. That piece of marsh turned to open water long ago, and the pilings that once reminded anglers of the camps that stood there have long since been knocked down. But while the marsh is gone, the shells and oyster reefs that once supported the island continue to be a draw for speckled trout and reds during the summer months. The latest NOAA charts show that “shoal” as the rough outline of a banana running north to south for about one-third of a mile. So anglers who can find the sunken Independence Island between April and September have a pretty good chance of finding fish.
The story has been the same this summer, but with a decidedly different twist.
“Independence and the other reefs in Barataria Bay are just starting to turn on — and that’s about two months later than usual,” said Sidney Bourgeois, manager of Joe’s Landing in Lafitte.
“Normally, we start seeing trout showing up there as early as late April, and almost always by mid-May. But this year everything has been late, real late.”Some anglers think the clock has been pushed back by the amount of fresh water flowing through Davis Pond. Others think the reason has more to do with the stiff winds that have hounded the bay this summer. Regardless, the bay finally seems to be rounding into form — and the old islands that are now reefs are the best spots to fish. The reasons for that — conventional wisdom goes — is that they tend to offer shelter for bait, which attracts the specks and reds.
If you are new to the area and have never marked these spots on a GPS unit, finding them in the ever-growing expanses of Barataria Bay can be difficult.
Unless, of course, you can perfect one of the oldest techniques for finding fish: Just look for the other boats.
Getting there
GPS coordinates: N 29º 18.616, W 89º 56.172.For non-digital anglers, turn due east at marker 16 in the Barataria Seaway, or head 75-degrees for 1.6 miles east-northeast from the eastern side of Queen Bess Island.
You’re talking about a 40-minute run from Lafitte, about 15 minutes from Grand Isle.
Gearing up
The best choice for late summer is always live bait, so make sure you have a functioning live well, some weighted corks, and the gear for Carolina rigs: swivels, sliding sinkers and leader material. Live shrimp will bring the most hits, but live croakers and pogies will result in bigger fish. Bring plenty of terminal rigs, because you’ll be losing gear on the bottom.Lures that will work include plastic cockahoes (glo, tuxedo, black/chartreuse tails), Deadly Dudley (Blue Moon), DOA shrimp (glo), Gulp! Shrimp, menhaden and sand eels. If the water is murky, try fishing the plastics on a Carolina rig.
Other necessities include a good anchor, plenty of sunscreen and water — and a sharp eye to watch for thunderstorms that can approach quietly in the late summer haze.
Fishing it
Don’t head this way unless you have a tidal range of 7/10ths of a foot to 1.5 feet, and wind less than 10 mph. Incoming or falling tide will work, as long as the water is moving. And the best action will be in the first two and last two hours of the day — especially during a full moon.Although the pilings are a good landmark, the reef is spread across a much wider area, and the fish can be anywhere. Approach from the down-tide side of the pilings, placing your anchor about 30 yards from the center.
After the boat has settled, begin casting live bait as far past the pilings as you can. If you’re on the bottom, let the bait settle, then begin moving it back to the boat with the current by using small lifts with the rod tip. Let the bait settle for a minute after each hop. When you get a strike, try to remember where the bait was, because the trout tend to hold in specific spots.
A sliding weighted cork is a good option. Start with the hook set about five feet under the cork. Use a split shot about a foot above the hook to keep the bait down. If you have a good tidal range, let the current move the bait back toward you, making sure to reel in the slack as it comes. Otherwise, pop the bait and reel.
Remember, the fish can be almost anywhere on the reef, so if you’re not having much success in your first spot, move the boat and start over.
FISHING REPORT by Bob Marshall
Friday, August 01, 2008
Bob Marshall— Inshore saltwater —
Outlook:Dog days of summer are here. Best fishing will be in the early morning on days with good tidal movement. Trout fishing remains best in the outer bays; reds thick inside.
(Good) Delacroix Isle
Trout outside, reds and bass inside. Best spots: Dope Boat, Black Tank, The Wreck, Battledore Reef, Breton Sound; redfish in Little Lake, Grand Lake, Four Horse Lake, Oak River, Little Crevasse, Oak River Bay, Lake Campo. Best baits: live shrimp, live croakers, live cockahoes, market bait, plastic cockahoes, gold spoons.
(Good) Hopedale
Specks and reds. Best spots: Bay Eloi, long and short rocks, Central, Gardiner Island, Lake Fortuna, Lake Machias, Central Rig, wellheads, Breton Sound at Central, The Compressor, Little Central, Five Wells, Dope Boat, MR-GO from Hopedale to short and long rocks, Lake of the Trees. Best baits: Hybrids (avocado, seafood), Berkley Gulp! (glo, new penny), live shrimp or croakers.
Reggio
Reds and specks. Best spots: Reds in duck ponds off Bayou Juanita, Schooner Canal, Reggio Canal, Tanasia’s, Lake Amadee, Bayou Batolo, Bayou Robin, Petain. Best baits: gold spoon, plastic cockahoe with gold spinner blades.
(Good) Shell Beach
Specks, reds. Best spots: south side of the channel at the new rocks and cement pads, between Shell Beach and Bayou La Loutre, long and short rocks, Black Bay at Stone Island and Lonesome Islands, Breton Sound on calmer days. Best baits: live shrimp, live croakers, sparkle beetles (clear, chartreuse), plastic cockahoes.
(Fair) Bayou Bienvenue
Specks and reds. Best spots: The Castle. Violet Locks, mouth
of the bayou at the lake, and the MR-GO rocks between Bayou
Bienvenue and Violet, Boh Brothers, Bulk Plant. Best baits:
live shrimp, live croakers 2 feet below a sliding cork.(Fair) The Chef
Scattered trout, reds. Best spots: New rocks in Lake
Pontchartrain, Alligator Point, Star Bayou, Shell Point,
Third Island, gas wells in Lake Borgne. Best baits: live
shrimp, fresh shrimp, gold spoons, sparkle beetles, Gulp!
(lo), Deadly Dudley Terror Tail (Blue Moon).(Good) The Rigolets
Trout and reds. Best spots: The railroad and car bridges,
Unknown Pass, Alligator Point, Rigolets shorelines. Best
baits: Live shrimp, live croakers, Deadly Dudley Bay Chovie
(Opening Night) Terror Tail (Blue Moon), DOA, Gulp!(Fair) Myrtle Grove
Scattered reds and specks. Best spots: Manilla Village; Bay
Laurier, Bay Round, Bay Cray, Manilla Village, St.
Mary’s Point, reds in the ponds along Bayou Dupont.
Best baits: plastics on the bottom, and drifting with cork.(Fair) North shore
Sheepshead, drum, croakers, white trout and flounders. Best
spots: Specks along the trestles between mid-and south
shore, and along the shoreline between Liberty and Lacombe.
Otherwise bottom fish along all the bridges and rigs. Best
baits: any plastic with a chartreuse tail, including, Deadly
Dudley Baychovie (Opening Night), DOA shrimp (glo,
clear/chartreuse tail); market bait.(Good) Lafitte
Plenty reds, trout scattered. Best spots: on calmer days
trout in the bay from Manilla Village south, and on the
beaches; some specks in Hackberry Bay; reds everywhere from
Bayou Perot, The Pen, Lake Salvador east and south
shorelines, Bay Round, Airplane Bay, Little Lake, Hackberry
Bay, Bay L’ours. Best baits: live shrimp, live
cockahoes on the bottom, plastic cockahoe (glo/chartreuse
tail, black).(Fair) Happy Jack-Port Sulphur
Trout and reds. Best spots: As tidal range improves this
weekend, action should improve at Four Bayous, the Mining
area, Lake Washington, Bay Sansbois, Grand Bayou. Best
baits: live shrimp, live minnows, sparkle beetles (avocado,
gold spoons).(Fair) Pointe a la Hache
Trout outside, reds inside. Hoist is now working at Beshel.
Best spots: Trout under the birds California Bay, Iron
Banks, Stone Island, Battledore area; reds are thick inside
between Pointe a la Hache and Delacroix. Best baits: sparkle
beetles, plastic cockahoes, topwater baits, fresh shrimp.(Good) Empire-Buras
Trout and reds. Best spots: when the wind is not from the
west, trout are on the beaches from Empire to Four Bayous;
east side, California Point, Battledore Reef, Black Tank.
Best baits: on calmer days use topwater baits (Zarra, Jr.,
She Dog), otherwise, Deadly Dudley Terror Tail (Blue Moon),
live minnows and shrimp.(Good) Venice
Trout and reds. Best spots: Main Pass Block 69, Flatboat
Pass, Pass a Loutre, Breton Island, Deepwater Point,
Kelly’s Gap, South and Southwest Pass rocks and lumps,
Scofield, Sandy Point; reds everywhere on west side. Best
baits: live shrimp, plastic cockahoes (black/chartreuse) on
the bottom; fresh shrimp; gold spoons.(Good) Grand Isle-Fourchon
Specks, reds, white trout, sheepshead. Best spots: Timbalier
Islands Lake Raccourci reefs, reefs behind Grand Isle, Queen
Bess, Coupa Bel, Government Reef; reds in the marsh off the
canals; some trout along the beaches from Elmer’s
Island to Four Bayous. Best baits: live shrimp, live
cockahoes, live croakers, live pogies, Berkeley Gulp!
(shrimp) Saltwater Assassin (chartreuse, smoke).— Offshore —
Outlook:Tuna in West Delta 58, plenty of West Delta 117,
edge of the Grand Isle block and up into the canyon, big red
snapper; grouper; cobia, amberjack; plenty of tuna at Quest
Medusa, Innovator. Bay Marchand rigs and Grand Isle 20s and
40s have snapper, cobia and some grouper.— Freshwater —
Outlook:Bass and bream steady.
(Good) Lafitte
Bass and bream. Best spots: the trees on the north side of
The Pen, and the grass bed on the east side, Tank Pond, Blue
Point, Service Canal, Delta Farms, Salvador Management Area,
Bayou Dupont. Best baits: buzz baits early and late; plastic
worms, (red shad), live worms, Gulp! Niblets.(Fair) North shore
Bass, sac-a-lait, bream. Best spots: West Pearl below
Interstate 10, Bayou Liberty, Bayou Lacombe, Geohagen’s
Canal. Best baits: spinner baits (yellow/chartreuse),
plastic worms (Tequila); live shiner, crickets and worms for
bream.(Good) St. Bernard
Bass. Best spots: Grand Lake, Bayou Terre aux Beoufs, Oak
River, Spanish Lake, Lake Lery, Reggio Canal, Lake Amadee,
Caernarvon Canal, Howard’s Ditch, Schooner Canal, Bayou
Le Mer Canal. Best baits: DOA (clear), live shrimp beetle
spins (green/black stripe), plastic lizards (watermelon),
plastic worms (purple, Tequila, pumpkin seed), DOA (glo).
BOB MARSHAL fishing report
It was no surprise that a line of charter boats was heading toward Lake Washington, south of Port Sulphur. After all, anglers have been catching trout, reds and flounder in this spot for a couple of generations.
But the home port of these boats was a surprise: Lafitte.
It’s not a short run from Lafitte to Lake Washington, and with fuel prices over $4 a gallon, the 225-horsepower outboards pushing those heavily laden 25-foot bay boats were going to take a chunk out of the day’s profits. So that begged the obvious question: Why?
“It’s the closest place we’ve been able to find decent size trout lately,” said Theophile Bourgeois of Lafitte-based Bourgeois Charters. “Barataria Bay has been muddy, and the trout along the beach have been small. So if the customer wants good trout, Lake Washington is a good spot for us right now.”
That might be news in Lafitte, but Lake Washington is a very old story around the Port Sulphur area.
“It’s a pretty dependable spot in the summer, I guess because it’s close to the Gulf, and there’s so much bait moving in and out of there with the strong tides,” said Barry Colligan, of the Buras-based Shallow Water Charters. “Guys here have been fishing there since the days when it was still a small lake.
“If there’s anything different for us about that spot these days, it’s just how large it’s become because of erosion and just how open everything is now.”
In fact, the horrendous pace of marsh erosion in Barataria Bay might be the reason why Lake Washington has become — and will remain — a regular destination for Lafitte-based anglers. The large marsh islands and structures that once stood between Lake Washington and the eastern edges of Barataria Bay are almost completely gone.
Today an easterly breeze leaving the shoreline of Lake Washington blows basically unfettered as it moves over the Mining Area, Lake Robinson, Billet Bay, Lake Grand Ecaille, Cat Bay and the main body of Barataria. The first large expanse of marsh that catches the breeze will be in the Hackberry Bay area on the western side of Barataria Bay. That’s a fetch of almost 20 miles. And that’s why Barataria Bay remains so muddy when a wind picks up from any direction, but especially from the east or west.
“You see the names of bays on the map, but it’s really all one big body of water now from Lake Washington to the other side of Barataria Bay,” Colligan said. “Of course, when it’s blowing from the east, Lake Washington has much better water.”
And that’s why Lake Washington is being discovered, once again.
— Getting There —
The shortest route to Lake Washington is from Happy Jack Marina. Travel east on Grand Bayou to the Freeport Canal, then turn right, or south. The first opening onto the northern end of the lake is about 2 miles away on the left.
— Gearing up —
You’ll be running into trout up to 3 pounds, and reds up to 30 inches. Medium-action tackle, 10-15-pound test line, and rod with fast tips to work popping corks and live bait on the bottom.
Live shrimp, croakers and cockahoes are producing the biggest trout. Bring sliding sinkers and swivels for Carolina rigs. Lures working include topwater baits (Zarra Spook, Top Dogs), Gulp! Shrimp (glo), The Speculizer.
— Fishing It —
Best fishing will be before 10 a.m., unless we’re in a full-moon phase. Then you need to be on the water by sunrise, and expect action to tail off around 8:30 a.m. Also pick a day when the tide range is above 7/10.
You’ll find better water on the northern end of the lake. Upon entering, begin looking for birds working, or bait moving on the surface, and fish those spots.
If the tide is up, put the trolling motor down and work close to the bank with topwater baits and live baits under a cork for the first hour. As the sun hits the bank, begin backing off, working baits about 3 to 4 feet off. Concentrate on any points or marsh islands with current lines, especially on the falling tide. If the bank isn’t producing, begin drift fishing, casting plastics under a rattling cork. Have a Cajun anchor ready to drop when you begin hitting fish.
New Orleans Fishing Update
FISHING REPORT
Inshore saltwater
General outlook — Steady summer action from Breton Sound through Lake Borgne, with bigger trout in the outer bays and the marshes filled with reds. West side of the river has been spotty for trout because of high winds and muddy water, but reds are hungry and everywhere.
(Good) Delacroix Isle
Specks outside, reds inside. Best spots: Dope Boat, Black Tank, The Wreck, Battledore Reef, Breton Sound; redfish, Little Lake, Grand Lake, inside Four Horse Lake, Oak River, Little Crevasse, Oak River Bay, Lake Campo. Best baits: live shrimp, live croakers, live cockahoes, market bait, plastic cockahoes, gold spoons.
(Good) Hopedale
Specks and reds. Best spots: Wellheads and cement rigs in Bay Eloi, long and short rocks, Central Rig wellheads, The Compressor, Little Central, Five Wells, Dope Boat; MR-GO from Hopedale to short and long rocks; Lake of the Trees, Halfmoon Bay, Point Lydia, Comfort Island. Best baits: Hybrids (avocado, seafood), Berkley Gulp! (pearl, new penny) rig free lined or with one split shot; live shrimp or croakers.
Reggio
Some reds, specks scarce. Best spots: Reggio Canal, Tanasia’s, Lake Amadee, Lake Ameda, Bayou Batolo, Bayou Robin, Petain. Best baits: live cockahoes, fresh shrimp, sparkle beetles (purple/white, clear,) plastic cockahoes, gold spoons.
(Good) Shell Beach
Specks, reds. Best spots: Lake Borgne shoreline from Old Navy Base pilings, the short rocks, Bay Eloi, Breton Sound spots, the east shoreline of Lake Borgne from Proctor’s Point to Bayou Biloxi. Best baits: live croakers, live shrimp on a Carolina rig, sparkle beetles (clear, chartreuse), Gulp! Shrimp (glo), Deadly Dudley, plastic cockahoes.
(Good) Bayou Bienvenue
Specks and reds. Best spots: Seabrook, the locks, Lake Borgne from Bayou Bienvenue to The Castle, The Locks, Violet locks, Boh Brothers, Bulk Plant. Best baits: live shrimps, live croakers two feet under a sliding cork.
(Good) The Chef
Trout, reds. Best spots: Alligator Point, Star Bayou, Shell Point, Third Island, the new rocks in Lake Pontchartrain, gas wells in Lake Borgne. Best baits: live shrimp, fresh shrimp, gold spoons, sparkle beetles, Gulp! (glo), Deadly Dudley Terror Tail (Blue Moon).
(Fair) The Rigolets
Trout and reds. Best spots: on a falling tide railroad and car bridges, Sawmill Pass, back of Geohagen’s Canal, Miller’s Ditch, Lake Borgne rigs, shoreline from Unknown Pass to Alligator Point, Rigolets shorelines. Best baits: Live shrimp, live croakers, Deadly Dudley Bay Chovie (Opening Night), Terror Tail (Blue Moon), DOA, Gulp!
(Fair) North shore
Trout. Best spots: South shore at the trestles early before the wind picks up, rigs at Bayou Lacombe. Best baits: live shrimp, live croakers, Deadly Dudley Baychovie (Opening Night), DOA shrimp (glo, clear/chartreuse tail).
(Fair) Lafitte
Mostly reds, some trout. Best spots: reds in Bayou Perot, The Pen, Lake Salvador east and south shorelines, Bay Round, Airplane Bay, Little Lake, Hackberry Bay, Bay L’ours; trout early morning in Hackberry, Snail Bay, Manilla Village. Best baits: live shrimp, live cockahoes on the bottom, plastic cockahoe (glo/chartreuse tail, black).
(Fair) Myrtle Grove
Scattered reds and specks. Best spots: Bay Laurier, Bay Round, Bay Cray, Manilla Village, St. Mary’s Point, reds in the ponds along Bayou Dupont. Best baits: plastics on the bottom, and drifting with cork.
(Good) Happy Jack-Port Sulphur
Trout and reds. Best spots: Trout moving close to the beach, Bayou Chalon, Four Bayous, LaRocca’s, the Mining area, Rattlesnake, Bay Sansbois, Bayou Dulac, No Man’s Land, Bayou Travere, Grandpa Bayou. Best baits: live shrimp, live minnows, sparkle beetles (avocado), gold spoons.
(Fair) Pointe a la Hache
Trout outside, reds inside. Best spots: Trout are under the birds and Bay Crabbe, American Bay, California Point, Battledore; reds are thick inside between Pointe a la Hache and Delacroix. Best baits: live shrimp, live croakers, topwater baits.
(Good) Empire-Buras
Trout and reds. Best spots: Along the beaches from Bay Chalon to Four Bayous, but best action on the east side due to the west wind. Look for clear water Battledore, Kelly’s Gap, Iron Banks, Stone Island, Pelican Island, and Deepwater Point. If water clears, trout over the reefs in Phillips Canal, Dry Cypress area, Bay Adams, Drake Bay, Bay Jacques. Best baits: topwater baits (Zarra, Jr., She Dog), Deadly Dudley Bay Chovie.
(Good) Venice
Trout and reds. Best spots: Main Pass Block 69, Flatboat Pass, Pass a Loutre, Breton Island, Deepwater Point, Kelly’s Gap, South and Southwest Pass rocks and lumps; reds everywhere on west side. Best baits: live shrimp, plastic cockahoes (black/chartreuse) on the bottom; fresh shrimp; gold spoons.
(Good) Grand Isle-Fourchon
Specks, reds, white trout, sheepshead. Best spots: Little Lake, Lake Raccourci reefs, reefs behind Grand Isle, Queen Bess, Coupa Bel, Government Reef; some trout along the beaches from Grand Isle to Four Bayous; bigger trout along the Timbalier Islands. Best baits: live shrimp, live cockahoes, live croakers, live pogies, Berkeley Gulp! (shrimp) Saltwater Assassin (chartreuse, smoke).
Offshore
General outlook — Blue water still hasn’t shown up, but yellowfin tuna still around the floaters, wahoo and dolphin along the rips and grass patches; mangroves and red snapper in West Delta; plenty of amberjack, cobia; mangroves, lemon fish Bay May Marchand rigs and Grand Isle 20s and 40s.
Freshwater
General outlook — Bass and bream steady.
(Good) St. Bernard
Bass. Best spots: Grand Lake, Bayou Terre aux Beoufs, Oak River, Spanish Lake, Lake Lery, Reggio Canal, Lake Amadee, Caernarvon Canal, Howard’s Ditch, Schooner Canal, Bayou Le Mer Canal. Best baits: beetle spins (green/black stripe), plastic lizards (watermelon), plastic worms (purple, Tequila, pumpkin seed), DOA (glo).
(Fair) Lafitte
Bass and bream. Best spots: Tank Pond, Blue Point, The Pen, Service Canal, Delta Farms, Tank Pond in Lake Cataouatche, Salvador Management Area, Bayou Dupont. Best baits: plastic worms, (black/blue, red shad), live worms, Gulp! Niblets.
(Fair) North shore
Bass, sac-a-lait, bream. Best spots: West Pearl, Bayou Lacombe, Geohagen’s Canal. Best baits: spinner baits (yellow/chartreuse), plastic worms (Tequila); live shiner, crickets and worms for bream
Fried Catfish & Hushpuppies Recipe
My version of good old Southern Fried Catfish & Hushpuppies really hit the spot tonight! Sometimes, the only thing that will cool your craving is a whole plate of fried food, tonight was one of those nights.
I used a medium grind corn meal, and I wish I hadn’t. The only downfall of the whole meal. Those large grains just don’t seem to get cooked through enough during the short frying time.
Wondra flour (gold medal brand) is what is known as an instant flour, used for thickening sauces and gravies. It’s wonderful for frying because it absorbs so much liquid and makes the finished product ultra crispy.
The recipes:
Fried Catfish Recipe with Hushpuppies and Creole Tartar Sauce
For the Catfish:
Fried Catfish Recipe
2 Catfish Fillets, cut into fingers
1 Cup Corn Meal
1/4 Cup Wondra Flour
3 Tbsp Creole Seasoning
Salt & Pepper
Peanut Oil or Lard for frying
Heat 2 inches of Peanut Oil or Lard to 360 degrees in a Cast Iron dutch oven.
Season the Catfish fingers liberally with salt and pepper.
Combine the corn meal, Wondra, and Creole seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge the catfish in the mixture until well coated. Set aside for 10-15 minutes.
When the oil is to temperature, fry the catfish fingers in batches until golden brown and cooked through.
Serve with lemon wedges, hushpuppies and Creole Tartar Sauce
**Be sure not to over crowd the pan, or you will have greasy, soggy catfish.
For the Hushpuppies:
Hushpuppies Recipe
1 Cup Corn Meal
1 Cup All Purpose FLour
2 Tbsp Green Onions, finely sliced
2 tsp Kosher Salt
1 pinch Cayenne
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
Combine all of the ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Form into balls and fry in 360 degree oil as described above for the Catfish.
For the Creole Tartar Sauce:
Creole Tartar Sauce Recipe
1 Egg
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
2 tsp Garlic, chopped
1/4 Cup Dill Pickle, chopped
1 Tbsp Creole Mustard
2 tsp Horseradish
2 tsp Parsley, chopped
3 Tbsp Green Onions, chopped
2 tsp Hot Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Vegetable Oil
Kosher salt
Combine all of the ingredients except the oil in the workbowl of a food processor. Mix on high for 1 minute, then slowly drizzle in the oil until all is incorporated and the mixture is thick like Mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt.
Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes!
Blackie Campo’s death doesn’t mean the end of his legend
They told me Thursday that Blackie Campo had died. I don’t believe it.
That’s not denial, just fact. Landmarks don’t pass away; icons don’t disappear.
There is a level of accomplishment in our world that goes beyond famous. It’s called unforgettable. That’s what Blackie Campo is for generations of metro-area anglers. Death can’t take that away.
Blackie and his Shell Beach business are to local anglers what the Mississippi River is to New Orleans — an essential, permanent part of our lives. He spent all of his 90 years on the banks of Lake Borgne, and seemed to give every one of them to us. Life without him is inconceivable.
“Blackie was fishing in this area,” said Mark Schexnaydre, an LSU Sea Grant Fisheries biologist. “There isn’t a fisherman alive today who doesn’t know who he is.
“You can’t think of him not being here. He’s just a constant.”
He has certainly been a constant in my life, a man who was a mentor in all things fishing and also a shining example of the spirit and character of St. Bernard Parish.
I can remember being totally intimidated at our first meeting. I was a 16-year-old kid from the city standing in a crowd of sun-tanned veteran anglers buzzing around the Campos’ famous Shell Beach bait and rental business on a busy summer Saturday morning. I wanted to rent a skiff. No motor, please. Couldn’t afford the combo.
“You better have some strong arms to get back here against that tide,” a voice boomed from the heavens.
I turned and gazed up at a towering figure whose profile seemed to touch the top of the electric hoist. A row of white teeth were showing in a wide grin from a face far above me, just below a pair of strikingly blue eyes glowing like welder’s flames from a face dark as old mahogany. It was clear why Frank Campo was called Blackie.
To say I was awed would be acriminal understatement. Blackie already was famous at 48, a name mentioned almost weekly by the outdoors writers of the time. This was the man who gave counsel to McFadden Duffy and By HEK. Fishermen in the neighborhood quoted him and shared his words of advice with the kind of reverence football fans expressed when mentioning Vince Lombardi.
And now I was standing before that legend. And he was talking to me.
I could feel my face flushing, and managed only to stammer “Yes, sir,” and headed toward the skiff with a practiced casualness that must have made Blackie’s smile even wider. Naturally, I managed to catch the bottom of one sneaker on the gunwale and proceeded to spill tackle box, rod-and-reel and lunch bag onto the deck, before following on hands and knees. I could hear the cockahoes laughing from the bait tank.
“Wear that life jacket,” Blackie commanded. I quickly put it on, then proceeded to begin rowing the skiff out into the bayou — only to realize I still hadn’t untied the docking line.
“Gonna be hard to tow us all out there,” Blackie said, using a pair of hands the size of frying pans to free the line before tossing it in the boat.
What he said next was my first insight into the man that was Blackie Campo. “Take your time. Those trout ain’t going nowhere. And don’t forget to try the Shell Canal.”
Those were face-saving lines graciously served up by a man who could see the embarrassment written all over this rookie’s face.
Blackie was equally generous years later when that rookie had morphed into an outdoors writer for the local paper. I talked to Blackie at least weekly for most of the past 30 years, and he always freely shared his wisdom, revealing nuggets of insight into the behavior of fish and fishermen, mined from a lifetime spent observing both in the marshes of southern St. Bernard Parish.
He also was free with his criticism. There were memorable debates about science-vs.-experience, sports-vs.-commercials, regulations and enforcement. And there were times when he gave me a tongue-lashing with a heat that could come only from the heart.
Yet he never held a grudge. I learned to tread carefully when discussing certain topics with Blackie — such as the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, the net ban, the Army Corps of Engineers or his beloved Saints. But I never worried that expressing my opinion would be terminal to the relationship.
And I also learned, quickly, that Blackie, his wife Mabel and his family were not posing when they talked about their love for the marsh. His home and business were destroyed four times by hurricanes, and his beloved swamps and marsh were decimated by the government. But leaving was never a consideration.
Nor was whining.
“That’s just part of the deal out here,” he said. “We want to live here, and we know this could happen. But this is where we want to be.”
We loved having him there for more reasons than just fishing tips. He had a mind as sharp as a filet knife and a heart as big as the marsh.
Maybe no one knew this better than Mike Hanemann, who became Blackie’s fishing buddy after his own father, who long held that position, died.
“About three months after my father passed, Mr. Campo called and asked me if I could get Tuesdays off to fish with him,” Hanemann said. “Well, that was like Gabriel asking me if I wanted to blow his horn!
“So we fished almost every week, sometimes twice a week. What I learned on those trips covers a lot more than fishing. My father left me a lot of things, but the best thing he gave me was Mr. Campo.
“He was a man whose judgment and kindness you could always count on. He was always there for you.”
The angling community, including me, took that permanence and guidance for granted, because it never occurred to us that there would not be Blackie Campo at Shell Beach. The stock market could crash, the nation could go to war or be wracked by social upheaval, we could lose our jobs or loved ones, we could be stricken by disease, we could see the world enter the dizzying pace of the digital era, our city could be destroyed by the federal levee disaster. But there always would be that tall, dark man with the piercing blue eyes waiting at the hoist in Shell Beach. Blackie was permanent, as dependable as the next sunrise or the change of seasons. Even Hurricane Katrina couldn’t defeat him.
In fact my lasting image of Blackie will come from a scene about a year after Katrina. He had taken refuge in Baton Rouge after having been chased out of St. Bernard when the corps’ levees had crumbled along the MR-GO. With the rest of the parish and much of the area equally devastated, there was little hope of reopening his business. There were just no customers.
But on a hot summer day a year later, I found Blackie sitting on a white-plastic chair next to his dock in Shell Beach, surrounded by the rubble of his business, with Mabel watching him from the steps of a FEMA trailer. I thought it was a pitiful scene.
Blackie was wearing a grin like he’d won the lottery.
“I know there’s nothing left, but when I finally got back here I felt good for the first time since the storm hit, because I felt like I was finally home,” Blackie told me. “I can see the water and smell the marsh. This is where I belong.”
And that is where he will always be for me, and for generations of other anglers who called him friend.
They can say Blackie Campo is dead, but they can’t take him away from us. He is unforgettable.
Capt Scott Poche
Capt Scott Poche
Crescent City Fishing Charters, INC
(504) 915-0392
Welcome to “The Sportsman’s Paradise,” better known as Louisiana. Step aboard with Capt. Scott Poche` of Crescent City Fishing Charters Inc. and prepare for the fishing experience of a lifetime!
Located only 35 minutes from downtown New Orleans, Capt. Scott will take you to Lafitte’s Barataria Basin with world class fishing opportunities for redfish, speckled trout, flounder, black drum and bass. In addition to being a prime spot for fishing, the waters of Lafitte are well known for their beautiful marshes and spectacular wildlife habitat.
As a native of the New Orleans area, Capt. Scott has fished and hunted these waters for more than thirty years, and has owned and operated Crescent City Fishing Charters Inc. since 1996. Whether it’s your first time casting a line, or angling is your passion, Capt. Scott’s immense knowledge and experience along with his friendly, personable attitude will insure that you have a great day on the water and guarantee that you will catch fish.
Capt. Scott has been featured on several television channels dedicated to fishing and the outdoors, such as Louisiana Sportsman TV, The Outdoors Network and The Sportsman’s Channel. He was also featured in several fishing articles published in Outdoor Life, Louisiana Sportsman Magazine and Field and Stream Magazine.
Let U.S. Coast Guard licensed Capt. Scott Poche’ or one of his well trained, talented guides take you on the trip of a lifetime. Whether it’s a trip for two, a family or a corporate fishing trip, we can customize our services to your needs. We also coordinate company fishing rodeos for groups of 50 or more. A wide variety of single or multiple day trips can be planned to include food and lodging, seafood boils, casino trips and much, much more!
Come enjoy the best of what Louisiana has to offer and book your fishing trip with Capt. Scott Poche` of Crescent City Fishing Charters Inc. today for an unforgettable fishing adventure!
Capt Scott Poche with Kids
Capt Scott Poche teaches kids how to catch monster Redfish. Great day on the water for the kids. Mom and Dad had fun too!
