Freshwater Fishing
Louisiana’s turtles
Louisiana has 25, maybe 26 species of turtles within its borders or along its coastline. Not all of these are targets for freshwater turtle fishermen.[…]
Month: July 2013
Freshwater Fishing
What’s legal as a turtle trap?
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement Division, the definition of a turtle trap is quite liberal, essentially calling it any device used to catch turtles.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
The feast
“This is plain, old pot-frying, not turtle soup like at those French Quarter tourist restaurants,” Dirk Matherne said wryly. “Of course, ours has turtles in it. I don’t know if those restaurants even have any turtle in their soup.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
How to make a turtle trap
Dirk Matherne’s turtle trap is simple in construction, requiring nothing more than 2-inch-by-4-inch animal wire fencing material and hog rings to hold it together.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Spoons for any fishing situation
Jason Shilling and Gerald Roy couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me when I told them I wasn’t a big fan of fishing spoons for redfish.[…]
General
Bob Marshall’s predictions
With 41 years in outdoors writing under his belt, Bob Marshall has a wealth of experience. Here’s what he had to say about the future of what he holds dear.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Best baits for a Carolina rig
If you have ever fished Calcasieu Lake, then you know that the waters hold populations of all sizes of mullet.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Carolina rigs produce diverse catch
Although most anglers will focus their time on Calcasieu Lake toward speckled trout, there are many species that find live bait irresistible.[…]
Bass Fishing
Tag team topwater fishing tactics
Savvy anglers will keep walkers and chuggers/poppers handy, but a deliberate one-two plan can elevate your topwater game — particularly in deeper water.[…]
General
The new Bob Marshall
“My real goal when I left the newspaper,” Marshall said, “was to find a way to cover coastal issues better. I retired from the Picayune; I didn’t retire from journalism.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
Tackle talk for spider-rigging crappie
Williams said his standard spider-rigging outfit comprises a 14-foot medium-action Wally Marshall rod with a Wally Marshall spinning reel strung with 8-pound monofilament terminating in a snap swivel for quickly attaching and switching out rigs.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
Chains help slow down drift for more crappie success
Crappie pro Mark Williams knows that working with the wind is a make-it-or-break factor for spider rigging.[…]
Bass Fishing
The right rod for topwater fishing
Murray said the key to effective topwater retrieves — particularly for walking baits — is a 6 ½- to 7-foot, soft-action rod. No spinnerbait or worm rods here: Just something with the right amount of fish-fighting backbone that still has sufficient flexibility.[…]
Bass Fishing
Best line and knots for topwaters
If you’re aching for a lesson in frustration, tie your topwater onto an outfit spooled with braided line. Light, limp and oh so buoyant, braid tends to gather just where you don’t want it – right in front of that first treble hook.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
Bait care essential to crappie-fishing success
When crappie are feeding, they might hit a jig or a skirted hook, but everything tastes better with a Missouri (aka Arkansas) minnow on the back.[…]
Bass Fishing
Make fish attack topwater lures
Often you’ll find fish tracking your topwater for considerable distances before striking. Some will wake like a rising submarine or even boil under the bait in a test run.[…]