Louisiana Sportsman

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June 1, 2026

Robyn Bordelon caught this nice bass in Bayou St. John near the bridge on Filmore Avenue. This great urban fishery sits in the heart of New Orleans and provides a welcome respite from city life.

Urban kayak oasis

May 10, 2022 Chris Holmes

With no motorboat traffic, Bayou St. John is a great, safe place for new and experienced kayak anglers alike.[…]

A bucket of live cocahoes was the ticket to building this stringer of nice speckled trout. Fished under a cork or on the bottom, they are almost guaranteed to produce a strike.

The other live bait

April 16, 2022 Chris Holmes

One way for inshore kayak fishermen to up their odds in April is to fish with the other live bait — cocahoe minnows.[…]

Grandaddy of the Kayak

March 18, 2022 Chris Holmes

Mike LaFleur of Baton Rouge went from fishing school to schooling fishermen. At 80 years old, he remains an avid kayak fly fisherman.[…]

Using jug lines tied off to a tree, Steven Savoy caught several big catfish out of the kayak.

Kayaks and catfish?

February 13, 2022 Chris Holmes

Kayak anglers are realizing that kayaks are quite suited for catfishing. Catfish can be caught in almost any freshwater river, lake or pond.[…]

Sheepshead are hard fighters, delicious, and can be easily caught around docks, pilings and rock piles using a simple bottom rig and piece of dead shrimp.

January kayak fishing jackpot

January 27, 2022 Chris Holmes

Sheepshead are hard fighters, delicious, and can be caught around docks, pilings and rock piles using a simple bottom rig and dead shrimp.[…]

Paddle up a winter redfish

December 23, 2021 Chris Holmes

A big, winter redfish can be a real opportunity — and a challenge — for kayak-bound Louisiana anglers this month.[…]

Get live shrimp ready

November 19, 2021 Chris Holmes

Fall has arrived, and so have the speckled trout. Areas where they were scarce in the summer are now jam-packed. […]

September is time for kayak cast and blast

September 3, 2021 Chris Holmes

Camouflage kayaks are available and ready to serve double duty as fishing and hunting vessels for a cast and blast this month.[…]

Summer kayak fishing = hot fun

August 6, 2021 Chris Holmes

With a little planning, you can safely and comfortably fish the peak of the hot Louisiana summer and catch some great fish, too.[…]

Kayakers can go farther, stay longer

July 9, 2021 Chris Holmes

Wendell Dietz built a small house boat in order to maximize his fishing time and extend his kayak fishing range.[…]

Capt. Eric Muhoberac tricked this nice red and others while drifting a plastic cocahoe tail under a popping cork. As the lure floated along the outside edge of the grass bed, the fish came out of the grass for the strike.

Kayakers can mix it up in Hopedale

June 20, 2021 Chris Holmes

The kayak-fishing habitat in Hopedale is as diverse as the available species. Hopedale is filled with a mix of fresh and saltwater fish.[…]

Trout start heading out to the coast and barrier islands in late spring to spawn, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find some in the coastal lakes and marshes.

May: A Kayak smorgasbord

May 14, 2021 Chris Holmes

While good kayak fishing can be had year-round in coastal Louisiana, May could be the best month for comfort and variety.[…]

Trolling with a kayak is a great way to fool speckled trout in the spring.

Don’t forget trolling as a spring kayak-fishing technique

March 26, 2021 Chris Holmes

Pedal power and trolling motors make trolling a winner for spring kayak fishing. It is fairly easy to learn and can be highly productive.[…]

For many decades, bass in south Louisiana were only found in freshwater lakes and canals having been driven from the coastal marshes due to saltwater intrusion. However, due to the effects of natural and man-made river diversions combined with hurricane protection projects, the waters are switching back to brackish and the bass have spread throughout the area.

Kayaking for green trout

February 22, 2021 Chris Holmes

Coastal kayak anglers have a relatively new, green target: largemouth bass, aka green trout can be caught alongside redfish and trout.[…]

When the water is cold and low, post-up where you can fish the outside turn of a bayou. The tide scours the bottom here and the water is deeper and concentrates the fish.

How to have successful winter kayak trips

February 8, 2021 Chris Holmes

If you’re cold, they’re cold. Adapt to changing conditions and fish accordingly. Look for deeper water and fish slowly.[…]

Sheepshead: Don’t overlook these fish

January 10, 2021 Chris Holmes

The most-underrated saltwater fish in Louisiana has to be the sheepshead. The good news for kayak anglers is that they are hard fighters.[…]