Louisiana Sportsman

May 9, 2026

Tropical storms and hurricanes usually improve Gulf Coast fishing because of the influx of water with high salinity levels.

Louisiana’s tropical storm trade-off is great fishing

September 12, 2019 Todd Masson

Storms and hurricanes that go somewhere else along the Gulf Coast do a whole lot of good for the fishing in south Louisiana.[…]

David Herard, 7, shows off the West Division’s winning sheepshead, which tipped the certified scales at Hackberry Fishing Camp and Marina at 5.75 pounds. For his catch, Herard is set to receive a $1,500 Academy Sports & Outdoor gift card at the CCA awards banquet on Oct. 17 in Baton Rouge. (Photo courtesy of CCA Louisiana)

2019 STAR: ‘The year for youth’

September 12, 2019 Patrick Bonin

Young anglers figured prominently on the final leaderboard in many categories for the 2019 Coastal Conservation Association’s Louisiana STAR Tournament.[…]

This year, we've thrown a few nice specks in the mix on every trip. These were caught on our last trip on August 21.

World’s largest artificial reef lies just off the Louisiana coast

September 12, 2019 Ann Taylor

Speckled trout, mangrove snapper, redfish, and cobia flock to this rig graveyard, located only 6 miles south of Barataria Pass.[…]

One advantage of rigging a soft-plastic jerkbait with a nose hook? Most fish are hooked solidly in the corner of the jaw.

Nose-hooked soft jerkbaits

September 12, 2019 Chris Bush

Try nose-rigged soft-plastic jerkbaits when speckled trout aren’t responding to traditional offerings. It can be the difference between success and failure.[…]

Brett Preuett landed this whopping 8-pound + lunker on a recent “day off” from his fishing job on Caney.

Time to spoon feed Caney Lake lunkers

September 10, 2019 Kinny Haddox

Anglers like FLW pro Tyler Stewart and BASS pro Brett Preuett turn their attention to nearby Caney Lake near Jonesboro when they have time to fish for fun.[…]

This red snapper was caught by Missy Statum of Moss Bluff while fishing live bait.

Red snapper season closes with possible allowable catch remaining

September 9, 2019 Chris Berzas

The recreational red snapper season closed on Sept. 6. The Lafayette commissioner suggests secretary reopen red snapper season if available fish remain.[…]

Commission hears speckled trout stocks in trouble

September 6, 2019 Chris Berzas

The LWFC heard plenty of options from biologists involving speckled trout at its Sept. 5 meeting, but no changes in fishing regulations have been set yet.[…]

Follow falling water to great bream fishing

September 6, 2019 John Flores

According to Chris Black, owner of Bayside Tackle in Pierre Part, the Atchafalaya and Lake Verret water levels are finally falling, and bream are biting.[…]

Guide Eric Olsen said he does plenty of moving while hunting for September specks out of Shell Beach.

A September speckled trout strategy for Shell Beach

September 5, 2019 Rusty Tardo

Capt. Eric Olsen of Saltwater Therapy Charters pounds the waters out of Shell Beach every day in pursuit of the speckled trout.[…]

Cliff “The Cajun Baby” Crochet smiles as he holds a bass he caught on a double-bladed Santone spinnerbait in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Meet Cajun Baby’s favorite bass lures

September 4, 2019 Don Shoopman

Cliff “The Cajun Baby” Crochet plans to catch and release plenty of bass when he gets the opportunity to fish the Atchafalaya Basin with these lures.[…]

Tossing reds over the gunwale in Lake Borgne

September 4, 2019 Chas Champagne

Chas Champagne and his wife headed out across a rough Lake Pontchartrain and ended up in a slick calm Lake Borgne to sight fish for redfish.[…]

RTB kayak anglers gather at Wake Side marina for last minute preparations before the shotgun start of the tournament.

Kevin Schexnaider is champion of Ride the Bull 10

September 3, 2019 Chris Holmes

The Ride the Bull 10 Champion was Kevin Schexnaider of Erath. He caught his 26.8-pound bull just a few minutes after the tournament began.[…]

Guide Justin Bowles said redfish of all sizes have been biting this summer in Biloxi Marsh, and there’s no sign of a change coming.

Biloxi marsh redfish have never quit biting, guide says

August 30, 2019 Joel Masson

The Lake Pontchartrain Basin has had quite a unique year, but that’s fine with Capt. Justin Bowles, who targets September redfish in the Biloxi Marsh.[…]

On Thursday, Sept. 5, the Louisiana wildlife and fisheries commission will receive a presentation on a recently finalized stock assessment regarding speckled trout. A previous preliminary stock assessment draft indicated speckled trout stocks were overfished, and that recreational landings were at their lowest level when compared to earlier years. (Photo by Chris Berzas)

Commission to receive finalized speckled trout stock assessment Sept. 5

August 30, 2019 Chris Berzas

A presentation on the speckled trout stock assessment is to be discussed at the Sept. 5 meeting of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries commission.[…]

Trout limit changes for the Texas side of Sabine Lake

August 30, 2019 From News Reports

Anglers fishing in all of Texas coastal waters, including the Texas side of Sabine Lake, now have a 5 trout daily limit and a 15-inch minimum length limit.[…]

Crappie bite is exploding in Atchafalaya Basin

August 28, 2019 Anthony Taylor

Anglers are destroying the crappie on the spillway side of the Atchafalaya Basin right now according to pro crappie angler Bradley Felder and Clyde Folse.[…]