For coastal fly anglers looking for alternatives to reds and trout, July brings a variety of pelagic species to inshore waters.
You’ll find tripletail in Lake Borgne, where shrimp patterns will work near crab traps and bouys. In Pontchartrain, large jack crevalle will cruise shorelines. Any Deciever or Puglisi pattern on an intermediate sinking line will work.
And around Grand Isle, Spanish mackerel will cruise the surf and passes. Casting Clouser Minnows near the peak of a rising tide will likely hit you up with the “El Diablo.” A wire bite tippet is strongly recommended — unless you’re wanting to get rid of your fly collection.
By now, the streams in the Florida Parishes and in the Sabine Highlands have reached normal flow levels and should be clear. Spotted bass will be eating in the early hours, looking for poppers, woolybuggers and small clousers.
Bream action on oxbow lakes peaks this month. Fish will be suspended near structure, so a weighted fly like a Cap Spider, Jitterbee, or Crappie Candie set 2 to 4 feet under a strike indicator will be the ticket.
In Orleans and Jefferson parishes, the large Rio Grande perch — we call them “brainiacs”— were taking size 12 popping bugs in the morning. This is great fun on a 2 or 3 weight rod.