Louisiana Sportsman

September 1, 2026

Large, healthy trout like these can be found in the deep holes along Hwy 1 during the wintertime. (Photo courtesy Gary Burghardt)

Fish you can bank on

December 16, 2023 Terry L. Jones

Large speckled trout can be found bank fishing the deep holes along Hwy. 1 between Leeville and Grand Isle during the wintertime.[…]

Sam Jenkins selected a black skirted buzz bait to target a hungry bass patrolling water spilling from a drain into the Tchefuncte River. (Photo courtesy Sam Jenkins)

Tchefuncte River puzzle

December 14, 2023 Nick Vaccaro

Working the river between fronts and identifying the bait of choice will make a December day of fishing the Tchefuncte River more enjoyable.[…]

Bill McCarty unhooks a redfish he caught in the lower Atchafalaya River below his hometown of Morgan City.

Diversify your fishing

December 8, 2023 Don Shoopman

Morgan City outdoorsman Bill McCarty knows you can catch some hefty redfish while fishing the lower Atchafalaya River near Morgan City.[…]

Mark Ray of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and the author know if the water comes up 3- to 4-feet before January, bass like these can be caught on Carolina-rigged Flukes around inside grasslines at Toledo Bend.

Mild temps will have Toledo Bend bass anglers clocking in

December 7, 2023 John Dean

Even on colder days at Toledo Bend, take note that a 2- to 3-degree bump in the water temp can boost bass fishing success.[…]

Crankbaits like this one trick hungry largemouth right now. (Photo courtesy Todd Knight)

Try West, Middle Pearl for fall bass fishing

November 20, 2023 Nick Vaccaro

With fall upon us, Slidell angler Todd Knight targets the West Pearl and Middle River for a consistent bite waged by largemouth bass.[…]

Capt. Don Maille of Peter’s Nets Charters with some speckled trout.

Hopedale fishing is hot

November 16, 2023 Rusty Tardo

According to Capt. Don Maille of Peter’s Nets Charters, the keys to finding speckled trout this month are birds, reefs, and moving water.[…]

Capt. Lloyd Landry finds speckled trout stacked up in the interior lakes this month. (Photo courtesy Lloyd Landry)

Dularge anglers won’t have to run as far for keeper speckled trout

November 16, 2023 Joel Masson

Capt. Lloyd Landry welcomes November with open arms. He finds speckled trout stacked up in the interior lakes of Dularge this month.[…]

A bone-colored Whopper Plopper fished around grass beds called up this nice-sized bass hooked and boated by Mike Randolf.

Toledo Bend thrills

November 10, 2023 John Dean

The fall bite can’t come soon enough on Toledo Bend. It’s past time for the topwater bite to thrill so many bass anglers.[…]

Raceland Bassmaster Elite angler Tyler Rivet grew up fishing for sac-a-lait and bass in the Bayou Black area.

Bass or crappie on Bayou Black

November 7, 2023 Don Shoopman

Raceland Bassmaster Elite angler Tyler Rivet grew up fishing for sac-a-lait and bass in the Bayou Black area.[…]

John White enjoying the redfish action in Venice.

Venice fishing heats up as the October temperatures bring relief

October 5, 2023 Nick Vaccaro

While the oppressive temperatures drop and we move into October, Venice fishing not only heats up but continues to sizzle.[…]

Bill McCarty caught these in the Bayou Black area, where he’ll target them as often as possible in October, when the sac-a-lait fishing gets even better.

Marsh sac-a-lait

September 30, 2023 Don Shoopman

Bill McCarty is dreaming about cooler days and putting sac-a-lait in the boat, either from the Bayou Black area or Bateman Island.[…]

With hydrilla returning en masse to Toledo Bend, good-sized bass like this one will fall for topwaters more and more as water temperatures fall in October.

Fall on the Bend

September 30, 2023 John Dean

With hydrilla returning en masse to Toledo Bend, good-sized bass fall for topwaters more and more as water temperatures fall in October.[…]

Kade Thomas of West Monroe shows how productive Ouachita River catfishing can be this time of the year.

Ouachita River catfish offer anglers a good summer alternative

September 5, 2023 Kinny Haddox

Ouachita River catfish offer anglers like Josh and Kade Thomas a good summer alternative to chasing bass and crappie.[…]

Delacroix trout can be caught on soft-plastic lures this month fishing the areas on the edge of Black Bay.

Delacroix’s September specks

September 3, 2023 Joel Masson

Although it may not be at the very top of his list, Delacroix fishing guide Capt. Jack Payne finds great speckled trout action this month.[…]

Randy O’banion of Zwolle, a buoy tender for the Sabine River Authority, holds a 5-plus pound bass he caught at night on Toledo Bend. O’banion was beating the heat to catch 13 bass, including two over 5 pounds, while fishing a plum apple Ol’ Monster Worm around ledges in 7- to 15-foot depths.

Stick to vegetation, docks and offshore for Toledo bass

September 1, 2023 John Dean

More and more bass (and crappie) are being caught at Toledo Bend at night by folks who want to beat the heat.[…]

According to Capt. Bill Lake of Bayou Guide Service, some fair to good speckled trout fishing should be in Pelican Pass in September.

Late summer speckled trout fun at Pelican Pass

August 31, 2023 Don Shoopman

According to Capt. Bill Lake of Bayou Guide Service, some fair to good speckled trout fishing should be in Pelican Pass in September.[…]