Down in Delacroix, Capt. Ron Broadus, aka Captain Ahab, recently came back to the dock with limits of speckled trout, near limits of redfish, several nice flounder and some very happy customers.
“It was a fantastic day on the water, the kind we’d like to see much more of,” he said.
To be sure, the past year has been a tough one for Delacroix anglers, especially those who like to chase specks. The river got high and stayed high, sending a steady deluge of nasty water through the Mardi Gras Cut that kept the whole area inundated. The double opening of the Spillway didn’t help matters any, either. Fresh water so diluted the salinity that the trout pretty much vanished. Thankfully, the redfish never skipped a beat, but freckled fish became so scarce some wondered if they’d ever return.
“And then, we get a banner day like this when the trout show up, and it seems like things are getting back to normal,” Broadus said. “The only problem is, this action has been sporadic. Great action today can be followed by a tough day tomorrow. It makes predicting what to expect very difficult.”
Where to fish
But here’s what Broadus (504-914-6063) said he hopes will happen in July.
“I hope the river will fall enough that we’ll see some saltier water,” he said. “I hope the east winds will push some good Gulf water up into the big bays, and loads of shrimp along with it, because where the shrimp are, the trout are, too. If we can get that combination of a low river and some good east winds, then the trout will show up in good numbers in Black Bay around the islands and structures, and the big fringe bays will teem with shrimp and the fish that eat them. Oak River Bay, Bay Lafourche, Lake Campo and Bay Gardene will all be hotspots at the various reefs, structures and marsh islands that dot them.
“Typically, now is when we would head outside to Stone Island and all the surrounding islands and structures, over to Battledore Reef, Iron Banks, the Wreck and even on out to the rigs in Breton Sound and Breton Island. But this time last year, we were forced to focus on redfish, solely because of the sheer volume of freshwater inundating our prime trout habitat. This year should definitely be a better one for trout, and we’ll still have a great year for chasing reds.
Redfish
“If reds are your target, stay inside and fish the close-by lagoons and lakes. Lake Lery, Spanish Lake, Lost Lake, Sun Lagoon, Grand Lake and all the inside waters have been productive. The lakes have a lot of grass, and the reds are on the edges of it and around points and in coves that aren’t all grassed up. Market shrimp under a cork is the go-to bait, but spinnerbaits, spoons and soft plastics will entice them as well. For trout, live shrimp under a cork is the key, but soft plastics will provoke them to bite also.”
Broadus’s favorite plastic colors are lemonhead, chartreuse, and natural shrimp colors.
