Best best to round up trout and reds
According to Capt. Darren Schaff (504-400-2466), trout and redfish action out of Reggio has been excellent.
“We’ve been on a great bite throughout the fall, and it’s been very consistent,” Schaff said. “The only thing that’s interrupted our steady flow of action is the fronts. They blow through and mess us up for a few days, but once they pass and the winds settle down a bit, the action picks up right where it left off.”
But staying on fish this month will require some adjustment.
“Typically, we put on our winter mind-set in January,” Schaff said. “The air and water temperatures definitely get colder, and water levels generally fall. Daylight is shorter, and all of that means we plan to fish deeper for the next couple months.
“We fish bayous and canals and dead-ends, targeting the deeper holes in the cuts and the turns of bayous like the Twin Pipelines, Bayou Robin and Bayou Batola. Those areas will hold fish all winter.”
The guide said his favorite baits are H&H cocohoes in black/chartreuse and purple/white, or Matrix Shad in the lemonhead color.
Best jighead weights are ¼ or 3/8 ounce jig, with current and water depth dictating which to use.
“Stronger current, heavier jig — and remember the fish get sluggish and the bite gets lighter as winter progresses,” Schaff said. “But if we have a mild winter like last year, then we never really leave the flats. We’ll fish Lake Amedee, Petain Lagoon, Lake Robin, Tanasia Lagoon — all under corks.
“We’ll fish off the shorelines and fish those same plastic baits, but I’ll also bring live shrimp if its available, just as a little insurance policy. Last year the shrimp hung around all winter. Maybe it’ll do the same this year. But only time will tell.”
Schaff said reds hug shorelines in the same lakes.
“Lake Amedee and Tanasia and Petain all hold reds in January, and so does Lake Robin,” he said. “Look for coves or points with shells on the side, and fish with dead shrimp under a cork.”
