Volume 30 Number 2 - February 2010

FEATURES:

	A Sprig of Crappie Fish these peninsula-shaped grass beds in the Basin, and you’ll feel like a victorious Crappie USA contestant. In February 2009, for the first time in nearly 15 years, Crappie USA came back to Louisiana to hold a qualifying tournament. The area the organization selected was the Atchafalaya Basin, with Morgan City the host. ... John K. Flores

	Bayou Welcome Rich in history and offering excellent fishing, Chalmette’s Bayou Bienvenue invites winter anglers. The French named the wandering waterway “Bayou Bienvenue” (Bayou Welcome) probably because it was like a welcome mat, providing passage for ships entering from Lake Borgne almost to the very doorstep of New Orleans. ... Rusty Tardo

	Bruisin’ Bruin Crappie and catfish will be on your menu if you spend a day — or a week — at this underfished oxbow lake. “I’m a catch-and-release fisherman,” says 63-year old Charles Johnson. He is sitting at a campfire in the Johnson Compound at the Lake Bruin State Park Campground. “I catch them and release them into the ice chest.” ... Jerald Horst

	Deer of the Year The 2009-10 deer season was marked by heavy rains and wildly fluctuating temperatures. These hunters overcame the elements to kill some absolute brutes. Hunters had been waiting for a cool fall and winter for what seemed like forever, and judging from the number of big bucks that had hit the ground as of mid January, it was well worth the wait. ... Andy Crawford

	Easy East If you’re the type of guy who couldn’t even catch fish with a gill net in the Boat Show tank, head down to East Bay this month, where several species are dying to make you look like the next Bill Dance. Doc’s brother, Toby, seemed perplexed as he chatted with Pelayo’s brud-n-law Zach, in from Atlanta for Mardi Gras. ... Humberto Fontova

	Hunting With House Pets Think your beagles won’t hunt rabbits if you keep them indoors and let your kids play with them? Think again. Die geschichte der schweinekopf Snoopy (The story of the pighead Snoopy) are the opening words of the 1967 rock-and-roll classic, “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron.” ... Jerald Horst

	It Takes Two This time of year, wise speckled-trout anglers double their pleasure to double their fun. Nearly 20 years removed from living in the U.S. Army barracks at Baumholder, Germany, I still can’t get some things that went on there out of my mind. One in particular was courtesy of my little hip-hop wannabe roommate from Florida. ... Chris Ginn

	Saltwater Series: Calcasieu Lake Whether you’re a Big Lake newbie or a salty old veteran, these 10 spots will put some lunkers in your box. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second installment in a 12-part series mapping out hotspots along the Louisiana coast. ... Chris Ginn

	The Deluge of 2009 This autumn’s historic flood closed roads, fisheries and hunting seasons, but how does it compare to past flood events? October 2009 was one of the wettest months on record for parts of Louisiana. Some areas received more than 20 inches of rain that inundated fields, woods and roads. ... Terry L. Jones