Every year, as we enter the summer doldrums, trout start to shy away from live shrimp. Old salts say it’s because their mouths get sore from being pierced by so many shrimp horns.[…]
During the months of May and June, most anglers get a hankering to fish outside areas where the specks are big and hit with more attitude than Tito Ortiz.[…]
The Bobo Hole, one of the most famous fishing spots on all the Red River, used to attract anglers like cows to a watermelon rind.[…]
For fishing the Biloxi Marsh this time of year, live shrimp isn’t an absolute must, but it sure makes life a lot easier.[…]
With all the physical changes taking place at the Red River, it’s nice to know that fishing patterns have remained pretty consistent throughout the years.[…]
Buz Craft fishes his grass-ripping technique with a stout, 7-foot rod and a 7:1 reel. Most scenarios find 15-pound fluorocarbon sufficient, but in heavier vegetation he’ll go with 65-pound PowerPro braid.[…]
H&M Fishing Charters (985-258-3632) has its roots in a time that predated inshore fishing chartes, Jules Bellanger said.[…]
Complementary to the grass-snagging tactic, burning Texas-rigged soft plastics over and through the grass can prove equally productive.[…]
Arthur Bellanger and his wife Anna Lee are officially the longest-married couple on Grand Isle. Now 83 years old, Arthur first appeared on the island “as a kid, building camps with my daddy.”[…]
Unless their customers request the use of artificial lures, the Bellangers habitually use live bait for speckled trout. They bring live shrimp and live croakers with them on every trip.[…]
In addition to the operational considerations of spinnerbaits, the aesthetics of the lure can also help your cause. For example, Johnston likes the Platinum Series Cyclone spinnerbaits, in part for their faceted blades.[…]
If you want to try fishing with big, hard swim baits but you don’t have the time, tools or expertise to tackle the task of making your own, you can purchase them online.[…]
• People new to the island should fish the beach and the rocks (breakwaters on the Gulf side of the island). Then venture farther from the island if the weather is good. A variety of fish can be caught at the rocks.[…]
Although a demure grub — maybe a little split tail or curly tail job — is the common choice for spinnerbait trailers, don’t hesitate to put some junk in the trunk.[…]
Herrmann invited me along on a fishing trip to test the big baits in a bass lake he likes to fish north of Lake Pontchartrain.[…]
• Hire a guide to learn the area the first time you fish it.[…]