Crappie/Bream
Tippets
This month, redfish enthusiasts welcome the return of thick grass in coastal ponds. The grass not only attracts small crabs and baitfish, it also maintains clarity. And that means great sight-casting opportunities.[…]
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Freshwater Fishing
Guess who’s coming to dinner?
Having spent a lifetime eating my way across the watery landscape of Louisiana, I’ve eaten a lot of fish that were delectable, a few fish that were really close to inedible and quite a few fish that were good if you knew what you were doing in the kitchen — and bad if you didn’t.[…]
Bass Fishing
Tip of the day
Rickey Lee never buries the point of the hook into the body of his creature baits to make them weedless. Rather, he shoves the hook completely through the body and allows the hook point to lie in the groove on the bait’s body.[…]
Bass Fishing
Salvinia is tough on motors
Salvinia causes more than fishing problems. When running and approaching a drift line of the floating weeds, boat operators should keep a sharp eye out for barely floating logs disguised in the plants.[…]
Bass Fishing
Salvinia, salvinia and more salvinia
Rickey Lee sounded worried the night before the trip.
“Man, man, man, the salvinia (pronounced ‘silvania, north Louisiana style) is as bad as I’ve seen it. I tried to fish the middle of the lake today and only found one spot I could get in to. […]
Bass Fishing
The right dropshot outfit
Bassmaster Elite pro John Crews is so exacting with his dropshot tackle that he helped Cashion Rods design one to his specifications.[…]
Bass Fishing
Maximum motion tempts prespawners
In the early round of Toledo Bend’s spawn, much of your success will come from targeting prespawners and those that have started moving into the bedding areas.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Two quick lessons
When it comes to finding crappie on trees, concentration and patience are important. But nothing can make up for experience.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Mind your minnows
If you want to stay on Rick Hill’s good side, just mind your manners. Or, to be more exact, mind your minnows.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Louisiana isn’t a level playing field
Horace Greeley was an 1860s farmer who heeded the call to “Go west, young man” because he saw the fertile farmland there as an ideal place for people to succeed.[…]
Sidebars
Pick out the right dog
There are no officially recognized breeds of squirrel dogs. It seems that members of every breed, from pit bull terriers to Chihuahuas, can be trained to tree squirrels.[…]
Sidebars
Good training makes for a good squirrel dog
According to Joe Shumaker and Terry Fletcher, squirrel dogs need to be worked three or four times a week from October through February.[…]
Sidebars
Damp, cloudy and gray — perfect day
Since squirrel dogs hunt by scent, and game scent dissipates quickly in hot, dry weather, damp, cloudy conditions are preferred.[…]
Sidebars
A perfect start for young hunters
Boredom, a common affliction of young deer and duck hunters, is never a problem when hunting squirrels with dogs.[…]
Crappie/Bream
Tippets
By now, most of the “rainbeaux trout” that were stocked in ponds across the state have been harvested. But there’s still plenty left to make for some exciting action. […]
Inshore Fishing
Cold weather considerations
Locating winter fish can be challenging, so the last thing you want is to squander an opportunity by allowing the elements to negatively impact your comfort and functional ability. Venice guide Capt. Anthony Randazzo offers these tips to prevent such frustrations.[…]