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Grand Isle is a perennial favorite because it’s a consistent producer, but there is so much water around the barrier island that fishermen can get overwhelmed. Here are some options to consider.
1) The bridges of Highway 1.
The ditches and bridges of the highway to Grand Isle provide arguably the best saltwater bank fishing opportunities in the state. While redfish are the most common species caught from the highway’s shoulders and bridges, skilled anglers take large number of speckled trout, as well as black drum and channel mullet.
Most famous for its speckled trout catches is the old Highway 1 bridge across Caminada Pass to the island. While most of the bridge has been demolished, sections at the two ends have been preserved as fishing piers. The best trout fishing from the bridge by far is done at night under lanterns suspended from the bridge by a rope. The ideal tool of choice is an old-fashioned cane pole, which can be used to quickly swing tender-mouthed speckled trout up to the angler.
2) Elmer’s Island beaches.
The beaches of Elmer’s Island can be fished by wading from land or by boat. The warm-weather months, April through August, are prime time to fish for speckled trout. Catches of bull redfish can be made during August and September when the animals hang nearshore during their annual spawning period. Vehicle access to the beach is available during daylight hours from Highway 1.
3) Grand Isle beaches.
Grand Isle beaches offer fishing very similar to the beaches of Elmer’s Island. Grand Isle beaches have two mentionable drawbacks when compared to Elmer’s Island.
Vehicles aren’t allowed on the beach, so access points are somewhat limited. Most beachfront property is built-up with privately owned camps. Because all motor-vehicle parking is located behind the beach dune levee, anglers often must walk a significant distance to and from fishing, a challenging proposition when lugging a full stringer of speckled trout.
The other issue with fishing Grand Isle beaches is that water-sports activity, particularly the use of personal watercraft, is high there. Speckled trout are easily spooked in the shallow beach waters they like to feed in.
4) The Caminada Pass bridge.
The pilings of the Caminada Pass bridge hold significant numbers of speckled trout. Anglers usually anchor upcurrent from the bridge and allow the boat to drift back toward the bridge so that they can fish the upcurrent side rather than the down current side.
Tides can be very strong here. The stronger the tide is running, the nearer to the bank most anglers fish. Fish usually congregate at some sweet spot between the waters with not enough current near the bank and waters with too much current nearer the center of the pass. Most anglers fishing the bridges from a boat use live bait.
Discover five more can’t-miss locations in the June issue of Louisiana Sportsman magazine, now on stands. Or download a digital edition and read the article right on your computer or smartphone. Subscribe to ensure you don’t miss a single information-packed issue of Louisiana Sportsman.
This article is part of the Land of Options feature in the June issue of Louisiana Sportsman. Digital editions can be downloaded right to your computer or smartphone.
Be sure to subscribe to ensure you don’t miss a single information-packed issue of Louisiana Sportsman.
