Features from April 2019
Double-digit bass have been caught each and every month so far in 2019 at Toledo Bend, and action really ramped up during the first week of March.
The engineers who designed all of the well heads, tank batteries and oil rigs that dot the state’s near-shore waters probably never thought once about all the fish that would be drawn to their structures.
Predicting tides is an exact science that isn’t exactly exact.
Although springtime is when most anglers forget all about the inside bayous and target super-charged specks in the open bays, many fish remain in interior waters to feed on baby croakers.
In most places you’ll fish, the desirable fishing hotspots and the underwater hazards you may have to traverse to get to them are two entirely separate things. But in Louisiana’s inshore and nearshore waters, the two are often one and the same.
John Storey, Warren Ostarly and Mike Gettle hunt hogs with dogs year-round, but in February, they lay the hammer on swine in the Bogue Chitto and Pearl River Wildlife Management Areas.
Why do bigger bass bite best at sunrise and how to make the most of it.
Scientists can’t believe what’s happening to South Louisiana marsh bass. Anglers could be in for double-digit catches in next few years.
From fishing, hiking, boating and birding to passing the time like it’s standing still - these Louisiana State Parks are worth visiting.
Oilfield canals and budding cypress trees are a hard combination to beat for sac-a-lait fishing in this Stephensville freshwater honey hole.
Whatever your preference, you’ll find artificial shrimp comprise a highly versatile lure family well deserving of prime space in your tackle tray. Here’s a handful of ideas for their use.
Columns - April 2019
- Without a doubt, the most contentious fisheries management issue in Louisiana today is about how red snappers are being managed.
- Here's how kayakers can find hungry bass and redfish skirting the waters of the muddy Mississippi.
- Recipes for Deep Fried Deviled Shrimp Eggs and Ay Yi Yie Crawfish Pie from Mikey Legendre, creator of Ay Yi Yie Cajun Seasoning.
- The Skip Shad is the latest in ultra-natural, lifelike products from LiveTarget Lures.
- The bowfin (Amia calva), whose more common name is mudfish, is a close relative of the gar. Its stout body and long dorsal fin, which covers almost three-quarters the length of its body, give the fish a snaky or eel-like appearance.
- The double-wheelie blade sharpener is inexpensive, fits in your palm and only takes seconds to use.
- Below the surface twitch baits provide the perfect hybrid capability for those finicky spring topwater trout.
Outdoor Updates - April 2019
- The results of the latest Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries study on speckled trout was surprising to some, but not shocking to most coastal fishermen.
- The U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship, the largest event of its kind in the fast-growing sport of bowfishing, is coming to Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City in April.
- Corey Harwell got a late birthday present with this 10.50-pound largemouth bass out of one of his favorite fishing holes, Caddo Lake.
- The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is seeking private landowners and farmers from throughout the state who would lease their land on opening day for dove hunting.
- Thousands at this year’s Louisiana Sportsman Show and Festival enjoyed checking out the Big Buck wall. It was full of racks of antlers hunters brought to the show’s Big Buck Contest.
- Eric Hebert, Alex Negulescu and Chris Negulescu caught a massive 328.4-pound broadbill swordfish out of Venice.
- Capt. Tommy Pellegrin of Custom Charters out of Houma said March and April are prime months to put some pompano on ice.
- Port Eads Marina, located at the southernmost point of Louisiana and the last stop before hitting the Gulf of Mexico, has closed indefinitely.
- Trophy tuna are finally showing up on the lumps and the good news is they should remain there for the entire month of March.
- Even though the Bonnet Carré Spillway on the Mississippi River continues to pour out the remnants of a long, wet winter, the speckled trout bite should still be much better than it was in 2018.
- Scientists dispute findings by Dr. Frank Bastian, an LSU researcher, that he has discovered a cure for chronic wasting disease, coined by popular media as “Zombie Deer Disease."
Field Notes - April 2019
- Certain bottoms or fishing situations call for one style or anchor over others. Here's some advice on which one is right for you.
- The engineers who designed all of the well heads, tank batteries and oil rigs that dot the state’s near-shore waters probably never thought once about all the fish that would be drawn to their structures.
- Although springtime is when most anglers forget all about the inside bayous and target super-charged specks in the open bays, many fish remain in interior waters to feed on baby croakers.
- Why do bigger bass bite best at sunrise and how to make the most of it.
- Whatever your preference, you’ll find artificial shrimp comprise a highly versatile lure family well deserving of prime space in your tackle tray. Here’s a handful of ideas for their use.
Hot Spots - April 2019
- Here’s a list of nine hotspots for April sac-a-lait hand-picked by one of the most experienced anglers on Henderson Lake.
- Delacroix has become the unofficial redfish capital of Louisiana. Its fertile marsh is teeming with hungry redfish, and at times fishing for them can almost seem too easy.
- John Dean is maintaining a positive attitude and looking forward to late March and April to restore the order to bass fishing on Toledo Bend.
- The keys to catching crappie from Lake D’Arbonne at Farmerville in April.
- The good thing about the bass bite right now is that the fish are in a post-spawn pattern and they are active in the shallow water of Lake Bruin.
- Guide reveals top 3 areas to fish …