News Breaker
208-pound tarpon breaks Grand Isle rodeo record
They say records are made to be broken — and it finally happened at the 90th Annual International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo.[…]
Fishing
Bass Fishing
Marsh Man Masson vid: Crankbaits and more deep in the Louisiana swamp
This time of year, falling river levels serve as Mother Nature’s Kirby to suck bass out of their hiding places way back in Louisiana’s legendary swamps. The fishing is often downright epic.[…]
Field Notes
Inshore insights: Keep your tackle tangle-free
Rod socks and hook bonnets are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to prevent your rods and reels from becoming a tangled mess.[…]
Catfish
Three cited for allegedly shocking fish on the Ouachita River
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited three Columbia men for allegedly shocking fish on the Ouachita River in Caldwell Parish.[…]
News Breaker
LDWF: Red snapper harvest edges up to 506,000 pounds
Through July 15, Louisiana’s recreational anglers have harvested slightly more than 506,000 pounds of red snapper — or 68 percent of the state’s annual private recreational allocation of 743,000 pounds.[…]
News Breaker
Marsh Man Masson vid: How do various topwaters look, sound to speckled trout?
Catching trophy-sized speckled trout on topwater lures is no less exhilarating than hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to win game seven of the World Series. There’s just something about hearing the staccato rhythm of a clacking plug being interrupted by a cupped slap and frothy explosion. It turns the knees to jelly.[…]
Inshore Fishing
St. Bernard man cited for alleged crabbing violations
Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries cited a 65-year-old St. Bernard man for alleged commercial crabbing violations on Monday.[…]
Fishing Tournaments
20th Faux Pas Lodge Rodeo set for July 26-28 in Venice
The 20th Annual Faux Pas Lodge Rodeo is set to kickoff Thursday morning out of Venice Marina, but if you’re not registered yet, unfortunately you’re out of luck: Registration is closed for this year.[…]
Fishing Tournaments
2018 Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo cranks up Thursday
The International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo — billed as the oldest fishing tournament in the United States — will get underway Thursday, July 26, at sunrise.[…]
Fishing Hotspots
Three keys for Shell Beach specks
Capt. Johnny Nunez, AKA the Fishing Magician (504-239-3159), was born and raised in Shell Beach and has spent his life pulling fish of every kind from the surrounding waters. When Nunez speaks, fishermen listen — and he told me the keys to speckled trout success this month are rocks, reefs and rigs.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Marsh Man Masson vid: What’s biting on the rocks? Apparently everything
Daily west winds mean the outer bays are rough and muddy and the interior marshes are lower than the average politician’s ethical standards. So South Louisiana anglers could do a whole lot worse right now than finding stretches of protected rocks and catching whatever will bite.[…]
News Breaker
LDWF: Red snapper landings at 407,000 pounds
Through July 8, recreational offshore anglers have harvested just over 407,000 pounds of red snapper, according to the LA Creel program with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
LDWF schedules August drawdown on Henderson Lake
In conjunction with St. Martin Parish Government, the town of Henderson and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will be conducting a drawdown on Henderson Lake beginning in August.[…]
Fishing Hotspots
Rip lines provide lots of options out of Venice
Summer is in full swing, and that means rip lines and red snapper.[…]
News Breaker
Marsh Man Masson vid: Catching redfish after wicked west winds
Westerly winds have been as much a part of the South Louisiana fishing scene this summer as humidity so thick you can almost drink the air while you breathe it. Winds from that direction empty the marshes in a lot of areas, and can make usual hotspots drier than fine red wine.[…]
Field Notes
Sight-fishing support
If Matrix Shad lure owner Chas Champagne is cruising through marsh and duck ponds sight-fishing for reds — but doesn’t actually spot any fish — he’s typically keeping a close eye out for two other reliable indicators of reds in the neighborhood.[…]