Artificial baits such as Wedgetails effective tools for redfishing action.
These were rather big “school” reds. Slot reds in the upper limits, really!
And they were all over Big Lake – particularly, the largest, potbelly portion of Calcasieu Lake extending from Turner’s Bay southward.
“I like the looks of those gulls sitting over there,” said angler and Egret Baits designer Ken Chaumont of Lake Charles when glassing an area in Turners.When we arrived at the birdy location, Chaumont started by throwing glow/chartreuse Wedgetail Mullets on ¼- ounce jigheads.
After catching four dinks, the angler changed to a ½- ounce head to be sure to get through the smaller fish.
“The reds are schooling along with larger trout below the dinks,” Chaumont explained. “Just give me a little more time and we’ll get to some good fish.”
It didn’t take long.
“Ohhhhh, that’s a red,” said Chaumont as he set the hook and his rod responding with broad wavering arcs.
A few minutes later, Chaumont’s pink Fish Grip hoisted aboard a redfish between 8- and 9- pounds.
“That’s what we’re after,” he said.
Moving into the marsh south of Hebert’s landing via the weir, we turned out attention to catching the marsh-flats reds on spinnerbaits.
Casting the Bayou Spin, a rather long-shanked spinnerbait sporting a gold thumper blade with a chartreuse Wedgetail Mullet attached, Chaumont set the hook on another good fish.
“Ooooh son!” exclaimed Chaumont, as the brute fish made runs with the drag chugging and fluorocarbon metering out by the yards.
A couple of minutes later Chaumont again gripped an 8-pounder for photos and the unhooking chores.
And later, as the sun moved on top of us, Chaumont changed his lure to a glow/chartreuse suspending Kick A Mullet.
“They should start liking this now,” he said.
He cast near a point and it was slurped up by another hard-fighting red that looked like a rubber stamp of his last two refish.
This pattern of catching Big Lake’s fall reds will continue according to the angler.
“They’re either schooling with the trout or they’re cruising the edges of the marsh,” Chaumont said.
“And you know what’s so great about this? Fall is just getting started,” he said.
Cutline: Ken Chaumont of Lake Charles show his spotty marsh Big Lake red – and 8- pounder taken on a glow/chartreuse Kick A Mullet.