Got the fishing itch, the rodeo fishing itch? If you’ve felt it coming on, then, come Friday, you can start a summer-long scratch. The annual Grand Isle Speckled Trout Rodeo gets a one-day head start on the big Statewide Tournament and Angler’s Rodeo — S.T.A.R. — that runs through Labor Day and opens a full … Continue reading →

tides Weekly tidal ranges for Shell Beach at Lake Borgne, Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, Grand Isle at Caminada Pass and Caillou Boca south of Cocodrie: Shell Beach Southwest Pass Grand Isle Caillou Boca HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO Fri. 5:34p (1.5) 2:26a 10:47a (1.4) 10:45p 12:26p (1.2) 11:38p 1:48p (1.2) 12:40a Sat. 6:09p (1.4) 3:14a 11:21a (1.3) 11:09p 12:57p (1.1) ---- 2:19p … Continue reading →

calendar FRIDAY NIGHT COOKIE JAR BASS SERIES: 7 p.m.-midnight, False River, Public Landing, Morrison Parkway, New Roads. Weekly through Sept. 14. Weekly fee $30 per boat/1-2 anglers. 14-inch minimum size for bass. Call Guy Perkins (225) 293-3402. LDWF Summer Day Camp Registration deadline: June 25-29 & July 23-27 day camps, Waddill Wildlife Education … Continue reading →

Capital City Elite HENDERSON — Saturday’s top 3 teams from the Capital City Bass Elite Team Series’ Dixie Duel held on Henderson Lake with anglers, stringer weight in pounds and ounces and prize winnings. Also big-bass results and Team of the Year standings: TEAMS: 1, Blaine Brooks-Jesse Brooks, 17 pounds, $800.2, … Continue reading →

Welcome to summer, and the next days when afternoon temperatures will equal the unusually hot coastal action on speckled trout. It comes just in time to welcome the start of a big fishing rodeo season. Our Memorial Day Weekend will be dominated by 10-15 knot easterly winds along the coast, a direction that … Continue reading →

The only way Jeff Bruhl could know the Tchefuncte River any better was if he owned it. In a bass-fishing way, he does. “We’re a little late,” the dyed-in-the-wool Covington fisherman said recently. He wasn’t talking about his early morning trip to the doctor that put us at the landing near Madisonville some three hours … Continue reading →

FALSE RIVER BASS TRAIL TOURNAMENT: 2 p.m. weigh-in, Deer Park Landing, Deer Park. FLY FISHING 201 COURSE: Orvis Company Store, Perkins Rowe, Baton Rouge. On-the-water instructions in casting and rigging for beginners. Other dates June 9, 10 and July 1. Limited class size. Reservations requested. Call Alex Beane (225) 757-7286. Website: http://www.orvis.com/ff201.

Topwater ‘poppers’ work for speckled trout in the surf around the barrier islands especially when shrimp are moving in these shallow-water areas.

Look in the night sky — not for a bird nor a plane nor Superman — to find the moon. Not there, is it? It’s May’s new moon, a phase that usually triggers the first speckled trout run along the Central Coast. After a warm winter, that “usually” part is not and has … Continue reading →

CHRISTIAN MARSH VOLUNTEER PLANTING: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Public Boat Launch, Intracoastal City (south of Abbeville.) Volunteers to help plant 40,000 springs of marsh grass in marshes west of Vermilion Bay. Planting equipment, food, drinks provided. Sponsored by Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Rainey Alliance and Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. Website … Continue reading →

Across south Louisiana, the word is “Go!” Even at the approach of storms late Wednesday, the morning’s action in and around Grand Isle was spectacular. From Saturday into Wednesday, limits of trout up to four pounds were coming from Four Bayous Pass westward through Barataria, The Fourchon, Timbalier and Last Islands areas. Bluegill and … Continue reading →

Weekly tidal ranges for Shell Beach at Lake Borgne, Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, Grand Isle at Caminada Pass and Caillou Boca south of Cocodrie: Shell Beach Southwest Pass Grand Isle Caillou Boca HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO Fri. 12:45p (1.4) 11:36p 7:49a (1.3) 6:35p 8:37a (1.1) 7:35p 9:59a (1.1) 9:08p Sat. 1:25p (1.5) 11:44p 8:08a (1.4) 6:58p 9:02a (1.2) 8:07p 10:24a (1.2) 9:40p Sun. 2:08p (1.5) 11:58p 8:30a (1.5) 7:23p 9:33a … Continue reading →

Across south Louisiana, the word is “Go!” Even at the approach of storms late Wednesday, the morning’s action in and around Grand Isle was spectacular. From Saturday into Wednesday, limits of trout up to four pounds were coming from Four Bayous Pass westward through Barataria, The Fourchon, Timbalier and Last Islands areas. Bluegill and giant goggle-eye … Continue reading →

Four men spent a rainy Friday morning catching bass with a levee between them. Steve Fontana and Raymond Knapp were on the east side of the Atchafalaya Basin Guide Levee that runs more than 60 miles from Morganza to Morgan City and beyond. Exact location? All they said was, “The Stephensville area.” Don Hutchinson and … Continue reading →

The month’s new moon occurs next Sunday. Weather permitting, speckled trout activity is heightened for the seven days around this moon phase.

CHRISTIAN MARSH VOLUNTEER PLANTING: 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Public Boat Launch, Intracoastal City (south of Abbeville.) Volunteers to help plant 40,000 springs of marsh grass in marshes west of Vermilion Bay. Also May 17-19, and May 16 to unload and transport marsh grass to site. Planting equipment, food, drinks provided. Sponsored by Coalition to Restore Coastal … Continue reading →

Old Timers BELLE RIVER: Friday’s top anglers from the 6th annual Old Timers (55-older) Bass Tournament out of Paizano’s with anglers, number of bass weighed (three-bass limit), total stringer weight in pounds and prize winnings, a Big-Bass standings: Results: 1, Steve Fontana-Raymond Knapp (3) 10.51 pounds, … Continue reading →

The threat of inclement weather along Louisiana’s Central Coast forced postponement of the annual Elmer’s Island beach sweep that was scheduled for Saturday, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced late Friday. The all-volunteer effort organized by the LDWF and the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program will be rescheduled. LDWF spokeswoman Ashley Wethey said the state agency … Continue reading →

There were lessons to be learned from last weekend’s explosion of action on speckled trout along the Central Coast. The rare early May convergence went like this: It started several months ago with a warmer-than-normal winter and a lower-than-usual springtime Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers flows; Several weeks of southeast winds that … Continue reading →

Last weekend’s paradise-like conditions — catches across the state proved it was — will fade to something on the other side of the fishing spectrum this week. Rain and moderate winds will plague south Louisiana and put a crimp into what was the first first-rate weekend catches of the year along the coast. Continue reading →

tides Weekly tidal ranges for Shell Beach at Lake Borgne, Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, Grand Isle at Caminada Pass and Caillou Boca south of Cocodrie: Shell Beach Southwest Pass Grand Isle Caillou Boca HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO Fri. 5:56p (1.4) 4:23a 12:21p (1.3) ---- 1:57p (1.1) 12:58a 3:19p (1.1) 2:31a Sat. 5:59p (1.2) 5:33a 12:43p (1.1) 12:38a 2:17p … Continue reading →

LOUISIANA SEAFOOD PROMOTION AND MARKETING BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING: 1 p.m., Louisiana Room, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries state headquarters, 2000 Quail Drive, Baton Rouge. cca river parishes banquet: 5:30 p.m., Jerusalem Shrine Center, 1940 Ormond Blvd., Destrehan. Dinner, auctions. Tickets $60, $30 spouses, $25 youths, $480 tables. Call CCA … Continue reading →

Missing short-striking bass on a buzzbait? Casting a soft-plastic ‘creature’ bait after the short-striking fish is a trick to taking that aggressive bass.

La. Saltwater Series SLIDELL — Top four teams from Saturday’s Louisiana Saltwater Series/Speckled Trout Tournament held out of Dockside Bait & Tackle with anglers, their heaviest fish in parentheses, their two-trout total weight in pounds and prize winnings: 1, Marcus Rieffel-James Tumey (3.24) 6.09 pounds, $900. 2, Chas … Continue reading →

Required boating education-course offerings and a vital restoration project needing volunteers headline the upcoming schedule. Saturday is important for anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1984: If you’re in that age group, you need to successfully complete a state-approved safe boating course to legally operating a boat powered by an inboard/outboard engine larger the 10 horsepower … Continue reading →

When Ryan Wooten got the chance to get away from his office a few minutes, he knew where he was going. It was the last Monday of the spring turkey season and he knew a spot north of Baton Rouge held a prize: A trophy gobbler stealthy enough to elude all hunting during the season’s first … Continue reading →

DOIRON’S TEAM BASS TOURNAMENT: 3 p.m. weigh-in, Doiron’s Landing, Stephensville. iHMSA HANDGUN METALLIC SILHOUETTE MATCH: Ascension Parish Sheriffs Training Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. Smallbore (.22) and Field Pistol matches. Fee $8. Sponsored by Ascension Silhouette. Call Charlie Braud (225) 647-8288 or Philip Braud (225) 675-6451. BPS SET YOUR SIGHTS-dAY 3: 1 p.m., Bass Pro … Continue reading →

Using live shrimp under a cork to catch speckled trout? Smaller size hooks work best, No. 1 or No. 2 Kahle hooks and No. 6, even No. 8 treble hooks.

Taking into account Saturday’s full moon and strong lunar tides predicted for the state’s coastal waters, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted Thursday to open the spring inshore shrimp season in a large section of the State Shrimp Zone 2 at 6 a.m. Monday. The vote came after Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ biologists and managers … Continue reading →

Louisiana recreational fishermen will not have a more open season to take red snapper in state or federal waters this year, but that could change for 2013 after a decision Thursday during the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting. North Louisiana commission member Ronny Graham offered a plan that would open the state’s red snapper season the … Continue reading →

The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission convenes at 9:30 a.m. Thursday with an information item outlining Louisiana’s “Gulfward Boundary” preceding an agenda item entitled, “To hear and consider a Notice of Intent on Red Snapper Regulations.” During April’s meeting, the seven-member commission considered whether to take a vote on moving the state into noncompliance for state waters during … Continue reading →

Calendar LOUISIANA WILDLIFE & FISHERIES COMMISSION MEETING: 9:30 a.m., Louisiana Room, state Wildlife & Fisheries headquarters, Baton Rouge. CCA Lake Charles Banquet: 5:30 p.m., Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles. Dinner & auctions. Tickets $60, $30 spouses, $25 youths, $480 tables. Call CCA (225) 952-9200. BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES: Douglas Lake … Continue reading →

tides Weekly tidal ranges for Shell Beach at Lake Borgne, Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, Grand Isle at Caminada Pass and Caillou Boca south of Cocodrie: Shell Beach Southwest Pass Grand Isle Caillou Boca HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO Fri. 1:24p (1.3) 10:42p 7:54a (1.2) 5:45p 8:39a (1.1) 7:04p 10:01a (1.1) 8:37p Sat. 1:56p (1.5) 11:29p 8:07a (1.4) 6:42p 9:11a … Continue reading →

Junior Bassmaster PASS MANCHAC — Saturday’s age-group top 5 results and big-bass winners from the 2012 B.A.S.S. Louisiana Federation Nation Junior Bassmaster State Tournament held out of North Pass with weigh-in at Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs with anglers, their hometowns, number of bass weighed in parentheses and total stringer weight in … Continue reading →

Go! With river levels low and getting lower and the winds lighter than any time in the past three weeks, freshwater and saltwater spots across south Louisiana are loaded with hungry fish. The only advisory is that the spring inshore shrimp season (dates will be decided during the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting) will open sooner … Continue reading →

Checked river stages lately? For the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya? The Mississippi is near 16 feet on the Baton Rouge gauge, near the 5-foot mark at New Orleans, and the Atchafalaya’s reading is already below 3 feet at Morgan City. What in the wide, wide world of fishing is going on here? It’s April, … Continue reading →

Light blue is a productive color for soft-plastic and hard-plastic lures when murky waters shows up in freshwater and saltwater areas.

CAPITAL CITY BASS ELITE TEAMS TOURNAMENT: 3 p.m. weigh-in Spokane Landing, Lake St. John, Ferriday. FIN-ADDICT FLY FISHERS MEETING: 6:30 p.m., Spahr’s Restaurant, 1400 W. Tunnel Blvd, Houma. Call Stephen Robert (985) 850-0082. Website: http://finaddictfly
fishers.blogspot.com. WEDNESDAY EVENING BASS TOURNAMENT: 5 p.m., Canal Bank Club, Diversion … Continue reading →

Trey Ourso and Aaron Pierce are close-enough friends to know when each other has a problem. And with a two-day weather window of opportunity and Pierce without a boat — it was in the shop to get ready for his next months of full-blown guided coastal trips — Ourso was faced with only one … Continue reading →

tides Weekly tidal ranges for Shell Beach at Lake Borgne, Southwest Pass of the Mississippi River, Grand Isle at Caminada Pass and Caillou Boca south of Cocodrie: Shell Beach Southwest Pass Grand Isle Caillou Boca HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO HI(R) LO Fri. 6:43p (1.4) 3:28a 12:05p (1.3) ---- 1:43p (1.2) 12:33a 3:05p (1.1) 2:06a Sat. 7:31p (1.3) 5:20a 12:50p (1.2) 12:11a 2:28p … Continue reading →

calendar CCA BAYOU CHAPTER BANQUET: 5:30 p.m., Civic Center, Houma. Dinner, live/silent auctions. Tickets $60, $30 spouses, $25 youths, $480 tables. Call CCA Louisiana (225) 952-9200. BASSMASTER CENTRAL OPEN: Table Rock Lake, Branson, Mo. Second in three-tournament series to qualify winners for 2013 Bassmaster Classic. Website: http://www.bassmaster.com. Continue reading →

The wind continues to blow across south Louisiana waters, but a high-pressure system settling over the Gulf of Mexico should make this weekend more bearable than the past two. By Saturday afternoon, the forecast of 5-knot southeast winds will give us the break we’ve needed for the past seven days to get after trout and redfish moving … Continue reading →

Learn to tie a uniknot. This allows you to use flourocarbon-line leaders at the end of braided line for more strikes with live bait and artificial lures.

Capital City Elite STEPHENSVILLE — Sunday’s results from the Capital City Bass Elite Series held at Doiron’s Landing with anglers, their catch in pounds and ounces and prize winnings, Big Bass winners and Fury Custom Rods standings (after 5 events): RESULTS: 1, Peter Matassa-Gary Regira, 14 pounds, … Continue reading →

Think fishing in south Louisiana, and it’s adventure: trips into the vastness of the Atchafalaya Spillway, casting into the waters near Lafitte, Delacroix, Venice and the many wild and ever-changing passages of the southernmost part of the Mississippi River or the wide-open Gulf of Mexico for giant fish. Let’s not forget the quiet … Continue reading →