Cowboys’ Prescott does Dularge

Dallas QB enjoys some down time fishing for specks and reds

It’s not everyday that the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year — who happened to throw 23 touchdowns and only four interceptions for the Dallas Cowboys during a magical run last season that landed him a Pro Bowl berth — shows up on your boat to catch some speckled trout and redfish.

But Dak Prescott was ‘Doin’ the Du’” Tuesday with Captain Marty LaCoste and Absolute Fishing Charters down in Dularge.

“It was freakin’ awesome,” LaCoste said about guiding for Prescott, his brother Thad and Dak’s coach at Haughton High School in Bossier Parish, Rodney Guin. “To have him on the boat is the coolest thing ever.

“It’s not an everyday occurrence that you have an NFL quarterback on the boat.”

LaCoste actually met Prescott and took him fishing a couple of years ago — when he was still playing in the SEC.

“Coach Guin has been fishing with me three or four years now,” LaCoste said. “Dak came down two years ago when he was still with Mississippi State.”

But the man who took over for Tony Romo and guided the Cowboys into the playoffs as the top seed in the NFC East didn’t talk any football on Tuesday.

“We didn’t talk shop all day,” LaCoste said. “He was focused on fishing and chilling out and relaxing.

“They were all having a good time.”

And for the most part, the fish cooperated.

“The trout bite was slow as can be. It was windy, so we picked away at some trout in the morning, then we tried catching a few reds and wound up with three keepers,” LaCoste said. “So then we switched to bull reds. We pulled up, and in 30 seconds Dak was hooked up.”

Not surprisingly, competition between the anglers ramped up, and smack talk was flying as the bulls had drags screaming with Carolina-rigged cracked crab.

“Coach actually caught the biggest red. Later on, Thad and Dak doubled up. They both had a red, but Thad’s came in second place,” LaCoste said. “Dak got third in the big red contest, but Dak caught the most reds. He was in first place for that.”

LaCoste said specks are in transition mode now heading out of the marshes, so the bite’s been somewhat sporadic.

“Last week I had a couple of days where you’d pull up and catch fish every cast and put 60 in the boat in an hour,” he said. “But lately it’s been picking here, picking there. The water temperature is 76 degrees. I fished a bunch of flocks of birds today and caught one fish.

“Last week I pulled up to birds and it was two at a time every cast. I can’t figure it out.”

But redfish have been pretty consistent, and LaCoste suggested anglers head to the banks of Lake De Cade, Lake Mechant and Lost Lake for good action.

“All last week the tides were too low to get in the shallow water to fish them, but now the water is back up,” he said, noting he’s had success tight-lining green hornet Matrix Shad. “The redfish bite has actually been pretty good.”

About Patrick Bonin 1315 Articles
Patrick Bonin is the former editor of Louisiana Sportsman magazine and LouisianaSportsman.com.