Hopedale fishing guide says mobility will be key during next month’s migration
With the completion of the August full moon last week, a Hopedale fishing guide said speckled trout are probably just about ready to begin their migration back into coastal lakes and marshes starting in September.
“We just came off a full moon, so that may be the last cycle of spawn for the summer,” said Capt. Gene Dugas, with Rather be Fishing and Hunting Adventures. “I think the fish are going to start staging to move in.”
Dugas, who reported catching limits of nice trout last week on live shrimp under a cork at rigs on the edges of Black Bay, said September is a month of transition for both trout and fishermen.
“They’re going to move, so that’s what you’ve got to do,” Dugas said. “You’ve got to move a lot. You catch ‘em one day in one place, and they’re probably not going to be there tomorrow.”
As the fish gather and begin the process of moving in, Dugas said to try fishing the rocks along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, any of the outer lakes bordering Black Bay, and Lake Eloi and Muscle Bay leading up to the Biloxi Marsh.
“And if the shrimp start moving, you might run into some birds in September and that will put you on ‘em, too” Dugas said. “Keep your eyes out for the birds. We haven’t seen them much this summer, but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to pop up soon.”
Redfish remain active in the interior marsh around points with moving water, he said.
“Normally I use dead shrimp a lot for reds, but this year it seems like they want live shrimp more,” he said.
For good redfish action, he suggested Lake Calebasse and Lake Campo.
“Come on in and look for the points with moving water,” Dugas said. “Go from point to point. There’s a lot of black drum in there, too. You can catch them at the same time.”
