Louisiana Sportsman

December 7, 2025

Southern flounder are a prized inshore fish wherever they are caught.

Species spotlight: Southern Flounder

December 24, 2020 Brian Cope

The southern flounder is a flat, oval-shaped fish and it is the biggest of the flounder species found throughout the Atlantic and Gulf.[…]

Species Spotlight: Speckled trout

October 23, 2020 Brian Cope

Speckled trout are inshore gamefish that are popular among recreational anglers along the Gulf Coast and the eastern seaboard.[…]

Species spotlight: Tarpon

September 20, 2020 Brian Cope

Most anglers have far fewer chances at tarpon than other fish. Along the Gulf Coast, they usually appear in late spring or early summer.[…]

Tripletails are commonly found floating just under the surface around buoys of all kinds or junk.

Species spotlight: Atlantic tripletail

August 21, 2020 Brian Cope

Tripletails have rounded dorsal and anal fins that extend back almost to their tails, giving them the appearance of three tails, hence their name.[…]

Species Spotlight: Flathead catfish

July 23, 2020 Brian Cope

Flathead catfish make a big splash wherever they show up. They are highly adaptable to a wide range of waters and can live in very harsh conditions.[…]

The majority of red snapper harvested from the Gulf of Mexico are between 2 and 7 years old.

Species spotlight: Red snapper

July 2, 2020 Brian Cope

Red snapper are large snappers that are most often found near reef habitats, livebottom habitats, platforms, shipwrecks and artificial reefs.[…]

This yellowfin was caught about 45 miles south of the South Pass of Venice by Maurice LeBlanc of Cecilia in mid-May.

Species spotlight: Yellowfin Tuna

June 9, 2020 Brian Cope

Yellowfin tuna swim throughout all the tropical and subtropical oceans of the earth. These big, bluewater fish are fun to catch and quite tasty.[…]

This largemouth bass weighed just shy of 8 pounds and bit an artificial soft plastic lizard on the outer edge of standing vegetation. (Photo by Brian Cope)

Species Spotlight: Largemouth bass

April 23, 2020 Brian Cope

Bass are the nation’s No. 1 gamefish because of their existence in such a wide variety of water types. They also eat just about anything.[…]

Most wahoo have black-blue vertical bars the length of their bodies.

Species Spotlight: Wahoo

March 24, 2020 Brian Cope

Wahoo are among the fastest fish in the ocean, are hard-fighting, and are also one of the tastiest. That’s why they are highly sought after by anglers.[…]

The author shows off a nice channel catfish that will make somebody a great meal.

Species spotlight: Channel catfish

February 6, 2020 Brian Cope

Channel catfish are known as the smallest of the “big three” species of catfish. The average size is about 16 inches, or 1½ pounds, but they can grow much larger.[…]

Black crappie (left) and white crappie (right) are often caught in the same bodies of water. They’re similar, but different.

Species spotlight: Crappie

January 18, 2020 Brian Cope

Crappie are one of the most popular gamefish among anglers in America. Many anglers don’t realize it, but crappie come in two varieties: black and white.[…]

A dark “teardrop” marking below the eye of a flier differentiates it from other members of the sunfish family.

Take a flier on this bream

September 24, 2019 Brian Cope

The flier, Centrarchus macropterus, exists sparingly throughout America, but it can be found in big numbers in certain bodies of water.[…]

African Pompano

August 1, 2019 Brian Cope

African pompano (alectis ciliaris) are saltwater fish that are usually caught in deep, offshore water around wrecks and artificial reefs.[…]

Species spotlight: Sheepshead

July 9, 2019 Brian Cope

Sheepshead are sought after by many anglers for their sporty fight as well as their tasty table fare. Most succesful anglers devote a lot of time to them.[…]

Ethan Cox shows off a chunky warmouth caught on ultralight gear in a millpond. Warmouth are often overlooked or misidentified by fishermen.

Species spotlight: Warmouth Sunfish

June 6, 2019 Brian Cope

Warmouth sunfish are one of the lesser-common panfish species. They are fun to catch and tasty table fare, but are often misidentified by anglers.[…]

Species spotlight: Swordfish

May 2, 2019 Brian Cope

Swordfish (Xiphias gladius), often referred to as broadbills or broadbill swordfish, are highly sought-after by offshore anglers around the world.[…]