Louisiana Sportsman

Louis Laville of Baton Rouge caught this 4 ½-pound bass in June while fishing with John Dean.

Nighttime is the right time at Toledo Bend

August 16, 2018 John Dean

Getting bites during the heat of the day in August could be a challenge for bass anglers at Toledo Bend.[…]

Navigation buoys mark the river’s barge channel and for obvious reasons, are located outside the ends of toppled wing walls. King stressed that it is dangerous to operate a boat on plane between any buoy and the shoreline.

The big challenge on the Red

August 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

The Red River system has lots of bass —and it has big bass. Catching fish isn’t the biggest challenge that visiting anglers face. It’s navigation.[…]

Clipping packs of commonly used hooks onto a carabiner keeps the terminal tackle at easy reach.

Tackle organization bolsters efficiency

August 15, 2018 David A. Brown

Wherever you hunt largemouth bass, opportunities can rise and fall quickly, so preparation is paramount. An important element of your readiness is the organization of, and easy access to, your terminal tackle. Hooks, weights, swivels, etc. all need to remain conveniently reachable, lest you miss your chance.[…]

This bluegill taken by Greg Babin may be small, but could be a big winner in a species-related contest.

Tippets

August 15, 2018 Catch Cormier

August is the last full month of “SweatFest 2018,” the festival nobody likes to celebrate. While a combination of hot water and high tides make for tough fly fishing, late summer does offer a few unique opportunities.[…]

Jay Stone with Duck Commander landed this crappie by fishing some of the many flooded Coke-bottle size stumps on the Ouachita River.

Louisiana crappie fishing getting national attention

August 15, 2018 Chris Ginn

Having fished crappie tournaments all over the nation, Ronnie Capps has seen more energy for the professional side of crappie fishing the last couple of years than he has ever seen in his entire 30-year fishing career.[…]

A jig is a very effective spotted bass bait because it casts well and quickly reaches bottom.

Keep the party going

August 15, 2018 David A. Brown

Spotted bass are an aggressive, competitive lot; but even a robust school sees peaks and valleys in its feeding. When this happens, you certainly have the option of giving them a rest and returning later. However, Bassmaster Elite pro Gerald Swindle would first try a little spot stimulation strategy.[…]

Pogy prudence

August 15, 2018 David A. Brown

Prior to a recent mangrove snapper trip, Capt. Ross Montet loaded up with fresh pogies he cast-netted in the West Delta. He started in open water, but found he was chasing fast-moving schools that were outrunning his net in the 10- to 12-foot depths.[…]

Pizzolato nets every fish — no exceptions.

A crappie hot dog

August 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

Very few people can tell you the exact day they got serious about fishing, especially one with 70 years tucked under his belt.[…]

This chunky 3-pounder couldn’t resist a white swim jig and trailer after it struck at and missed a black Spro frog on the previous cast.

Frog follow-ups

August 15, 2018 Kinny Haddox

Frogs can’t do it all by themselves. But fishing frogs in combination with other lures is the most productive plan of attack. That’s especially true when a bass blows up on a frog, but misses it. When that happens, Tyler Stewart has three very specific baits he follows up with.[…]

The tapered end of a wooden chopstick makes a perfect cork peg for Dave Pizzolato because it floats.

Tip of the day

August 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

Dave Pizzolato discards the plastic pegs that come with his corks and replaces them with the tapered tips of wooden chopsticks. “If the peg comes out, plastic sinks but wood floats,” he grinned.[…]

Tyler Stewart is busy landing largemouths in the heat of summer on a topwater frog.

They built a better frog

August 15, 2018 Kinny Haddox

Frogs are becoming more popular fishing lures because they are a more realistic representation of a real frog, said professional fisheries biologist Mike Wood. In other words, they’re building a better frog.[…]

Pizzolato exclusively uses Salter’s Jiggin’ Poles. Note how close he has taken his boat to the pilings he is jigging.

Pizzolato’s Top 7 tips for Old River

August 15, 2018 Jerald Horst

1) Learn to tight-line. Using a cork doesn’t allow fishing to be done deep enough to fish the 12 to 14 feet needed on the most important fish-holding structure — piers and pilings in front of camps.[…]

Big bass like this one have helped Tyler Stewart make a big splash his first year on the FLW tour.

Stewart’s an angler to keep an eye on

August 15, 2018 Kinny Haddox

You might say that motocross’s loss is bass fishing’s gain.

The largemouths might not like that, though. If you’ve paid attention to pro bass fishing this year, you know why.[…]

Rio Grande chichlids are an invasive species that has spread throughout the southeast. They are beautiful and tasty little creatures, but they compete with native fishes and therefore, by law, cannot be returned to the water alive after being caught.

Be on the lookout for Rios

August 15, 2018 Chris Holmes

Rio Grande cichlids are an invasive species that has spread throughout the metropolitan New Orleans area. Found in fresh and brackish areas, they are becoming a more common catch by anglers fishing for bream and sunfish. Rios are more aggressive at defending their territory, and the concern is they could possibly totally displace native bream. […]

New gear reviews

August 15, 2018 Chris Holmes

Reel Steady Rod Stabilizer

Designed to add stability to heavy offshore fishing rods, the Reel Steady is a great addition for kayak anglers who need all the help they can get. Be it snapper or tarpon, fighting these bruisers from the seated position of a kayak makes handling heavy rods even more difficult.[…]

Kaleb Kellum hoists a feisty bream while his dad, James, looks on. A simple cane pole and a box of worms are all that;s necessary for a great day of catching some hard-fighting panfish.

August’s Best Bets

August 15, 2018 Chris Holmes

Saltwater

Where: Grand Isle: Caminada Pass, Barataria Pass and Elmer’s Island beach

What: Bull reds and jack crevalle in the passes, and trout on the beach[…]