Louisiana Sportsman

July 8, 2026

Tyler Covington, left, and Brantley Tate, both of Walker, show a heavy five-bass limit at the weigh-in during a Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation tournament while fishing with the Walker High School Fishing Team.

Walker duo set to engineer bass success at LSU

July 11, 2024 Don Shoopman

Tyler Covington and Brantley Tate made a big splash in high school bass fishing and both will now fish competitively with LSU Bass Fishing.[…]

Toledo Bend Reservoir is named for a bend in the Sabine River near the dam. (Picture by Terry L. Jones)

A look at how Toledo Bend got its name

June 24, 2024 Terry L. Jones

Toledo Bend was chosen to name of the reservoir when the dam was constructed near Toledo, Texas, where the Sabine River makes a large bend.[…]

Russell Jones with Alabama Guide Services shows off a couple spotted bass he caught on an Alabama Rig holding swimbaits while fishing on the Black Warrior River near in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Photo by John N. Felsher)

Out of State Destinations: Black Warrior River

June 23, 2024 John N. Felsher

The Black Warrior River offers some of the best trophy spotted bass fishing in the nation. Visitors can also find loads to do in Tuscaloosa.[…]

Zoe Bayne holds an oversized check for $3,000 after finishing first in the 2022 State Bullseye Tournament. Also pictured is the Archery in Louisiana Schools state manager Chad Moore.

Haughton High School archer is on top of her game

June 18, 2024 Don Shoopman

Haughton High School archer Zoe Bayne turned in a dominating performance as a freshman in the 2024 ALAS State Bullseye Tournament.[…]

Time for some boat maintenance

June 16, 2024 Justin Adkins

Neglecting boat maintenance can lead to frustrating breakdowns and costly repairs, putting a damper on your summer adventures.[…]

Numerous species of fish fall for this artificial lure/live bait tactic. (Photo by Brian Cope)

Lure/live bait combo is deadly

June 1, 2024 Brian Cope

This artificial lure/live bait technique is deadly on numerous species of freshwater and saltwater fish.[…]

(Photo courtesy Florida’s Forgotten Coast Tourism)

Out of State Destinations: “Old Florida’s” Apalachicola offers diverse saltwater fishing

May 31, 2024 John N. Felsher

The Apalachicola River pours into Apalachicola Bay and creates a rich marshy delta. It holds tripletail, flounder and redfish.[…]

Launching a kayak from Highway 1 is a good way to access the area’s incredible fishing. (Picture by Terry L. Jones)

Bayou Lafourche

May 22, 2024 Terry L. Jones

The only way to drive to Grand Isle is by way of Highway 1, and it allows fishermen to access the area’s bountiful waters.[…]

Baylor Allen is pictured throwing a cast net. (Pictube by Ricky Aucoin)

The art of throwing a cast net

May 19, 2024 Ricky Aucoin

Throwing a cast net can be very beneficial to a fisherman for a multitude of reasons, including the savings from not having to buy bait[…]

Hunter Hamilton, left, and Tyler Morris, freshmen on the LSU-S Fishing Team, hoist the five bass that won the second Louisiana College Series B.A.S.S. Nation tournament in February at Bayou Black Lake.

Freshmen Hamilton, Morris making their mark on college bassin’

May 9, 2024 Don Shoopman

Hunter Hamilton and Tyler Morris, both freshmen at LSU-Shreveport, topped a 36-boat field of Louisiana college teams in February.[…]

A bite from a Lone Star tick can cause Alpha-gal syndrome, a red-meat allergy.

Do you have Alpha-gal disease?

April 18, 2024 Brian Cope

Alph-gal syndrome is a tick-borne disease that causes red meat allergy, and you might have it and don’t even know it.[…]

The best way to find an elk, if you’re hunting on your own, is to go out a week early before your hunt, after studying maps, documents, etc., to try to locate an elk to hunt on opening day.

Out of State Destinations: Western Elk

April 18, 2024 John E. Phillips

The best way to locate a spot to elk hunt is through a guide, but if you want to do it on your own, Andy Dyess of Madison, Miss., has advice.[…]

Lake Bistineau, or “Big Broth,” is a beautiful cypress-studded lake in northwest Louisiana. (Photo by Terry L. Jones)

The history of Lake Bistineau

April 14, 2024 Terry L. Jones

The Lake Bistineau State Park is a good place to stay when fishing or exploring Lake Bistineau, or “Big Broth.”[…]

Big bull reds like these caught by Brooke and Sam Allen will usually go for a big chunk of cut mullet or half a crab.

Spring redfish basics

April 11, 2024 Ricky Aucoin

April is a great time to get out to your favorite waterway and catch redfish. Live shrimp are one of the best baits to use.[…]

Sam Rachal, left, and Garrett Hooker consistently catch good-sized bass like the “hawgs” they are holding after a day on the water March 4, 2023, in an LHSBN tournament at Toledo Bend.

Bassin’ hot streak for Oak Hill fishing team

April 10, 2024 Don Shoopman

Garrett Hooker of Gardner and Sam Rachal of Elmer, both 17 and Oak Hill High School Bass Fishing Club team members, are riding a hot streak.[…]

Casey Eckhardt and her first Kansas whitetail.

Out of State Destinations: Kansas deer

March 22, 2024 Kinny Haddox

Kansas uses a lottery system. While the season is over this year, it’s time to start that procedure if you want to hunt for deer in Kansas.[…]