Louisiana Sportsman

September 1, 2026

Ron Castille holds a chunky bass caught during a January trip on the Sabine River. His fishin’ buddy, Glenn Granger, is in the seat on the front deck.

Target Sabine River bass

January 3, 2025 Don Shoopman

Ron Castille of Lake Charles has been putting bass in the boat for many years from one of three public launches along the Sabine River.[…]

The late Harold Ensley, center, host of “The Sportsman’s Friend” fishing show, and his friends show off two ice chests stuffed with crappie following a trip four decades ago with the author at Toledo Bend.

Crappie time at Toledo Bend

January 2, 2025 John Dean

There have been some extraordinary crappie catchin’ days on Toledo Bend, where huge balls of shad congregate when the water temperature drops.[…]

Travis Brown of Woodworth with a beautiful pair of Red River crappie.

The Red River is a winter crappie hotspot

December 8, 2024 Justin Adkins

The Red River offers some of the best opportunities for winter fishing, and Travis Brown has mastered the art of catching these crappie.[…]

In the winter months, you’re not looking for a lot of bites, you’re just looking for a big bite. (Photo courtesy Hackberry Rod and Gun)

Wading for Calcasieu Lake specks

December 7, 2024 Don Shoopman

Many speckled trout, including some big ol’ yellowmouths, have been caught at Calcasieu Lake for many years during December.[…]

Blake and Lakelynn Devine of Devine Sportfishing Company with a big winter tuna.

Colder temperatures mark big Venice tuna

December 2, 2024 Nick Vaccaro

Blake and Lakelynn Devine of Devine Sportfishing Company seize the moment to provide charter trips yielding big Venice tuna this month.[…]

Those who focus on bass fishing in December and January will be rewarded.

Winter bass fishing on Toledo Bend

November 30, 2024 John Dean

The Magnum Rat-L-Trap triggers bites at Toledo Bend as big bass start showing up this first month of winter, if not before.[…]

Capt. Marty Lacoste regularly puts clients on speckled trout in the lakes around Dularge in November.

Switch things up for Dularge trout

November 14, 2024 Joel Masson

Dularge guide Capt. Marty Lacoste said playing the specific weather for speckled trout is crucial for success this month.[…]

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Logan Latuso, right, and his father, Robbie Latuso, both of Gonzales, sacked up this big five-bass limit after a great day of fishing in the midsection of the Atchafalaya Basin.

Atchafalaya Basin bass ready to feed

November 9, 2024 Don Shoopman

The specific areas that garner most of Logan Latuso’s attention in the Atchafalaya Basin are from Bayou Long to Murphy Lake and Cross Bayou.[…]

YouTuber Ty Hillman with a skinny water redfish.

Biloxi Marsh bonanza

November 1, 2024 Rusty Tardo

In November, Ty Hillman said he’ll be hunting both redfish and speckled trout in the lakes and ponds of the Biloxi Marsh.[…]

Jameson Knoll, 12, of Marksville reeled in this 7.23-pound Toledo Bend bass that measured 23 inches long.

Toledo Bend bass on the move

October 31, 2024 John Dean

Target the back of creeks for bass until water temperatures cool across the rest of Toledo Bend and the main lake comes into play.[…]

Coast Boullion smiles as he holds a 7.30-pound redfish he caught on the Mermentau River during a trip with his mother, Laikin Boullion, and his maternal grandfather, Ricky Canik, during the 20th annual Cameron Fishing Festival.

Returning to the Mermentau River

October 3, 2024 Don Shoopman

Vince Theriot of Coastal Guide Service shared his advice for fishing on the Mermentau River above Grand Chenier.[…]

The author caught this 3-pound class bass while working a white hollow body plastic frog, a Stanley Pop Toad, in and around hydrilla beds at Toledo Bend.

Tips the scales in your favor at Toledo Bend

September 30, 2024 John Dean

John Dean said that froggin’ and droppin’ are the best ways to put bass in the boat this October at Toledo Bend.[…]

Capt. Owen “Big O” Langridge with a redfish caught on big plastic minnows in Venice.

The best month for Venice bull reds

September 5, 2024 Rusty Tardo

According to Capt. Owen “Big O” Langridge, you can catch bull reds all year round in Venice, but in September you’ll catch a lot more of them.[…]

Keo Khamphilavong likes to “tightline” a lemon head Matrix Shad on a ¼-ounce leadhead when he’s fishing deeper reefs and reef points along the Gulf side of Marsh Island. (Picture by Photo by Don Shoopman)

Target trout on reefs below Marsh Island

September 2, 2024 Don Shoopman

Keo Khamphilavong starts looking for speckled trout in Vermilion Bay around The Cove, the Hammock and Blue Point in September.[…]

The author takes a selfie with a 4-pound class bass that bit his new creation, a “deep Neko rig,” a 7 ½-inch long Senko he punched in hydrilla in 10- to 13-foot depths on July 20 at Toledo Bend.

Try a Senko in September at Toledo Bend

August 30, 2024 John Dean

Hydrilla beds stacked like they are now around Toledo Bend are thick enough and spread out enough to hold the fish.[…]

Capt. Jonathan Sanchez caught this 2 ½-pound trout while tightlining a glow Matrix Shad in Bay Eloi.

How to tackle Hopedale this summer

August 3, 2024 Rusty Tardo

Capt. Jonathan Sanchez, a charter guide in the Shell Beach and Hopedale area, shares his plans to fish for speckled trout in August.[…]