Fishing Hotspots
Slow but steady
August can be a slow month for speckled trout fishing, but in the Dularge area this month, local guide Capt. Marty LaCoste expects it to be really good.[…]
Year: 2018
Bass Fishing
Nighttime is the right time at Toledo Bend
Getting bites during the heat of the day in August could be a challenge for bass anglers at Toledo Bend.[…]
Bass Fishing
Tackle organization bolsters efficiency
Wherever you hunt largemouth bass, opportunities can rise and fall quickly, so preparation is paramount. An important element of your readiness is the organization of, and easy access to, your terminal tackle. Hooks, weights, swivels, etc. all need to remain conveniently reachable, lest you miss your chance.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Pizzolato’s Top 7 tips for Old River
1) Learn to tight-line. Using a cork doesn’t allow fishing to be done deep enough to fish the 12 to 14 feet needed on the most important fish-holding structure — piers and pilings in front of camps.[…]
Bass Fishing
Four seasons of the Red
The Red River Waterway system offers a huge array of bass habitats, including stump fields, backwater lakes, the original river’s banks, rock piles, log jams, reeds (cut grass), oxbow ridges and shorelines, as well as lily pad fields that have bounced back after the floods.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Tip of the day
Dave Pizzolato discards the plastic pegs that come with his corks and replaces them with the tapered tips of wooden chopsticks. “If the peg comes out, plastic sinks but wood floats,” he grinned.[…]
Crappie/Bream
A crappie hot dog
Very few people can tell you the exact day they got serious about fishing, especially one with 70 years tucked under his belt.[…]
Sidebars
Pogy prudence
Prior to a recent mangrove snapper trip, Capt. Ross Montet loaded up with fresh pogies he cast-netted in the West Delta. He started in open water, but found he was chasing fast-moving schools that were outrunning his net in the 10- to 12-foot depths.[…]
Bass Fishing
Keep the party going
Spotted bass are an aggressive, competitive lot; but even a robust school sees peaks and valleys in its feeding. When this happens, you certainly have the option of giving them a rest and returning later. However, Bassmaster Elite pro Gerald Swindle would first try a little spot stimulation strategy.[…]
Bass Fishing
Frog follow-ups
Frogs can’t do it all by themselves. But fishing frogs in combination with other lures is the most productive plan of attack. That’s especially true when a bass blows up on a frog, but misses it. When that happens, Tyler Stewart has three very specific baits he follows up with.[…]
Bass Fishing
They built a better frog
Frogs are becoming more popular fishing lures because they are a more realistic representation of a real frog, said professional fisheries biologist Mike Wood. In other words, they’re building a better frog.[…]
Bass Fishing
Stewart’s an angler to keep an eye on
You might say that motocross’s loss is bass fishing’s gain.
The largemouths might not like that, though. If you’ve paid attention to pro bass fishing this year, you know why.[…]
Fishing
Tippets
August is the last full month of “SweatFest 2018,” the festival nobody likes to celebrate. While a combination of hot water and high tides make for tough fly fishing, late summer does offer a few unique opportunities.[…]
Crappie/Bream
New gear reviews
Reel Steady Rod Stabilizer
Designed to add stability to heavy offshore fishing rods, the Reel Steady is a great addition for kayak anglers who need all the help they can get. Be it snapper or tarpon, fighting these bruisers from the seated position of a kayak makes handling heavy rods even more difficult.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Be on the lookout for Rios
Rio Grande cichlids are an invasive species that has spread throughout the metropolitan New Orleans area. Found in fresh and brackish areas, they are becoming a more common catch by anglers fishing for bream and sunfish. Rios are more aggressive at defending their territory, and the concern is they could possibly totally displace native bream. […]
Crappie/Bream
August’s Best Bets
Saltwater
Where: Grand Isle: Caminada Pass, Barataria Pass and Elmer’s Island beach
What: Bull reds and jack crevalle in the passes, and trout on the beach[…]