Volume 32 Number 7 - July 2012

FEATURES:

	Dominance dilemma Sometimes it just makes sense to take smaller-antlered bucks, particularly when those deer are interfering with the goal of harvesting large-racked bucks. In today’s age of whitetail management the understanding and practice of mandatory antler restrictions is under way. This approach primarily allows yearling bucks protection so the animals can reach whitetail maturity with sizeable racks, as well ... Tommy Kirkland

	Don’t wimp out Just because the tides aren’t rolling doesn’t mean trout won’t bite. Here are some tips on how to put fish in the boat, even on wimpy tides. The broad-chested guy sitting in the driver’s seat of the big Ford pick-up cleared his throat, as if preparing to speak. I glanced over at him. In the dark, the glow from the truck’s dash lights made his chiseled features appear even sharper. Jerald Horst

	Mad as a Hatter This lifelong Cross Lake fisherman has a different twist that keeps his freezer stuffed with catfish. Some people think Charles Citrano is just a little bit crazy. But the way he sees it, he’s just somebody who always has catfish fillets in his freezer. You see, Citrano isn’t your typical Cross Lake catfish angler. Oh, he’ll get out ... Chris Ginn

	Outa Sight Southcentral anglers head offshore to find trout teeming around the rigs south of Vermilion Bay. Everywhere I go, I seem to bump into Casey McLaurin, director of operations for Acadiana Outfitters, a high-end specialty outdoor retailer located on the outskirts of New Iberia. Casey loves to fish for speckled trout and he loves to duck hunt, so ... Jerald Horst

	Pass a Good Time Grand Isle’s Caminada Pass bridge is the place to go for summertime crab and trout action — no boat necessary. After spending a hot summer day searching for speckled trout in the surf, the cool sea breeze felt good as I strolled down the old wooden bridge among a crowd of people after dark. Singles, couples and families were lined up side by ... Terry L. Jones

	Plan B Instead of allowing stiff winds to ruin your Hopedale fishing trip, have an alternative plan — and put plenty of trout in the boat. It’s a scenario every angler is familiar with. You heard the fish were biting in the outside waters at the islands and rigs just off the coast. According to all the reports, the action has been spectacular. The fish have been large and plentiful, ... Rusty Tardo

	Reef runner: Fishing the Lake Pontchartrain reefs is a guarantee Want to get away from the crowds? Head for the Lake Pontchartrain reefs, and catch boatloads of fish. I watched what seemed to be an unending parade of barges filled with mountains of crushed concrete arrive and dump their contents onto the lake floor to create a five-acre artificial reef, all from the back porch of my home on Lake Pontchartrain’s ... Capt. Steve Himel

	Second Fiddle Oyster Bayou is out of the way, and can be hit and miss, but it also can bail out trout anglers struggling to limit out. Capt. Marty LaCoste with Absolute Fishing Charters exited the mouth of Bayou DuLarge at Pelican Pass. Only this time, rather than pointing his bay boat toward more-familiar destinations like Coon Point and the Mardi Gras rig, he turned sharply ... Chris Ginn

	Slow down for more summer bass When bass don’t feel like moving, make it easy for them by slowing down. When largemouth bass play hard to get, it’s time to pull out the clichéd yet profoundly applicable allusion of the tortoise and the hare. No doubt, when extreme heat, extreme cold or a high level of fishing pressure has the fish ... David A. Brown

	Sweeping up Head to Vermilion Bay’s Trash Pile to clean up on fish of all species. Making a clean sweep seems to always make things feel a little fresher. And sweeping up a mess of redfish, flounder, black drum and speckled trout at a spot near Weeks Bay called the “Trash Pile” is a good way to do a little ... John Flores

	Venice Rodeo: Catch it all at the mouth of the Mississippi River Whether you fish the marshes at the mouth of the Mississippi River or head out to Breton Sound, Venice is the best jumping-off point in the world. Pelayo eased back on the throttle, and we idled toward shore at (what’s left) of Grand Gosier Island. We gaped at water that looked more like Destin’s Crab Island or the Florida Keys than anything usually within reach of a Louisiana marina. Humberto Fontova



	July is when trout seem to be everywhere along the coast, while bass anglers can find hot-weather success by modifying their tactics. Photo By Andy Crawford