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.