News Breaker

Fishing

‘Operation Dry Water’ targets drunk boaters

June 22, 2011 From News Reports

Louisiana enforcement agents will be on the water in force this weekend (June 24-26) looking for those operating boats under the influence of alcohol, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced.

The push is part of “Operation Dry Water,” and is an effort to lower the number of alcohol-related boating accidents in Louisiana.

Any boat operator verified to have a blood alcohol content of .08 or more is considered drunk understate law, and will be arrested for operating a boat while intoxicated, LDWF said.[…]

Inshore Fishing

With spillway closing, Lake Pontchartrain enters next phase

June 18, 2011 From News Reports

Last Saturday (June 11,) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began closing the Bonnet Carre spillway. Closing 20 to 30 bays per day (river stage permitting), the structure may be entirely closed in a couple of weeks.

With the closure comes the next phase of impacts to Lake Pontchartrain. Lake users are asked to contact the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation if they happen to encounter anything out of the ordinary so the foundation can track locations of events.[…]

News Breaker

Rig worker lands possible state-record mangrove

June 7, 2011 Todd Masson

Offshore oilfield worker Marty Trahan thought he had caught the fish of his life last summer when he landed a 31-pound red snapper, but Trahan cranked up a fish Monday (June 6)that may propel him into Louisiana’s fishing immortality.

While between shifts on a platform in South Marsh Island 128, Trahan and some other workers decided to kill time dropping baits to the myriad fish in the aquarium-clear water beneath them.

“We were on one side catching red snapper, and I told the guys, ‘I’m going to go catch some mangroves,'” Trahan said.[…]