Field Notes
Make Gulp “jerky” for longer lasting lures
Berkley Gulp products have certainly earned a spot in my tackle box.[…]
Fishing
Inshore Fishing
Marsh Man Masson vid: Strengths, weaknesses of 3 main fishing-line types
Go into a tackle shop, and you’ll see rows and rows of fishing line in various strengths and diameters. Because of that, figuring out what is right for specific situations can be overwhelming.[…]
Bass Fishing
Three patterns to catch False River bass
False River in Pointe Coupee Parish was once one of the premier fisheries in the state, part of the Quality Lakes system stocked with Florida-strain bass. And then in the late 1990s, things just fell apart — siltation and water clarity suffered, and the fishery became a shade of its former glory.[…]
Bass Fishing
Basin low, bass gearing up for spawn
Muddy water greeted me and Bassmaster Elite Series angler Cliff Crochet on Friday (Jan. 26) as we turned off the Intracoastal Waterway and headed deep into the Atchafalaya Basin — and water levels were at rock bottom.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Inshore insights: When does an angler become great at fishing?
Here in Louisiana we have really good inshore fishing.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Marsh Man Masson vid: 8 best baits for speckled trout right now
Winter is an underrated season for catching speckled trout, with many anglers pining for the warmer waters and more-aggressive fish of spring and summer. But I love the season, and I’ve got eight lures that I always use this time of year.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Marsh Man Masson vid: This lure overcame brutal conditions
Some days fish will hit anything. An angler could literally pierce a cut rag on a jighead, and lure a strike from a ravenous speckled trout or redfish. Other days, however, it seems like every element is working against anyone who has the audacity to put a boat on the water. On those outings, it’s crucial for anglers to pinpoint a lure the fish just can’t resist.[…]
Columns
Lost & found
I don’t recall exactly who said it, but a famous outdoorsman once quipped that he had never actually been lost — but there had been times when he hadn’t known where he was for a few days. […]
Inshore Fishing
Inshore insights: Top 3 things to do between casts
No one likes losing fish, especially if it can be easily prevented.
So here are a few things I do between casts to ensure my efforts on the water aren’t wasted.[…]
Bass Fishing
Marsh Man Masson vid: The tough Tchefuncte
With a couple hours to kill, my son Joel and I took on one of the toughest fisheries in the state — the Tchefuncte River — in search of bass and crappie, called sac-a-lait locally.[…]
Field Notes
Inshore insights: Keep a stocked dry bag onboard this winter
Be prepared with a dry-bag filled with clothes in case you or someone else goes overboard during a winter fishing trip. […]
Inshore Fishing
Inshore insights: Don’t be a one-trick pony
If you want long-term success, you can’t be a “one-trick pony” — someone who can only catch fish one way. […]
Bass Fishing
Square-bills are killer in the basin
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Cliff Crochet talks about throwing square-billed crankbaits for bass in January.[…]
Field Notes
Save money, prevent backlashes by spooling less line on baitcasters
Prairieville angler Adam Cook uses fluorocarbon on almost every reel he owns. The fact that it virtually disappears under water is a huge factor.[…]
Catfish
New gear reviews
Kayaks are increasingly seeing double duty as great waterfowl hunting boats. While some kayaks are available in camouflage, the vast majority come in solid, often bright, colors. But Yak Gear has solved the problem of hiding you and the ‘yak from a duck’s great vision.[…]
Columns
January’s Best Bets
This little lake in the Kisatchie National Forest near Alexandria is a hidden gem for kayak anglers. Motorized boating isn’t allowed, so the 46-acre lake doesn’t get much attention from bass anglers that fish in power boats.[…]