Bank on Lafitte redfish this month

Forget about trout — for now

Lafitte is known for great fishing, but its prime speckled trout month isn’t exactly August.

Capt. Kory Matherne doesn’t try to force the issue on specks. Instead, he targets redfish on the inside this month.

Some of Matherne’s favorite areas include Coffee Bay and Little Lake, and he said one of the keys is to keep your eye on the banks.

“A lot of times you just see them schooled up, swimming down the bank,” he said. “You get these hot days in August and when it’s calm, you can troll up and down the main shorelines and see schools of fish.”

Matherne also pointed out that your trolling motor batteries might be a little shot by the end of the day.

“Most of the time, you’re steadily on the trolling motor, unless you can see school after school coming toward you,” he said. “Then, you just Power-Pole down, and wait for them to come to you.”

When Matherne does see a redfish, he tosses a black/chartreuse Berkely Gulp soft plastic.

“The smell (on the Gulp) helps a lot,” he said. “They seem to work pretty well.”

The reds, Matherne said, are usually in the slot. However, he said if you travel further toward open water, you can have the fight of your life.

“If you get on the edge of the bays, you’ll catch a few bulls,” he said.

For many species, a falling tide is best, and Matherne said the redfish are no exception.

“I find the reds bite better on a falling tide, especially if you get around the cuts where the marsh is draining out,” he said.

The advent of braided line has taken the fishing industry to a whole new level, and Matherne uses it to his advantage when he’s targeting redfish. The no-stretch braid allows for a better hookset, and it also prevents break-offs.

Matherne uses 30-pound Power Pro with a 30-pound leader. The leader prevents the fish from seeing the line, and it also doesn’t slice your hand when you grab the line to take a fish off the hook.

He also uses 7-foot medium-heavy power rods and 3000-sized spinning reels.

About Joel Masson 177 Articles
Joel Masson is an avid angler who has fished South Louisiana his whole life. He lives in Mandeville and can be reached at Joel.masson19@gmail.com.