Grand Bayou Dularge is full of big, hungry redfish throughout March
That unmistakable feeling of being connected via fishing line to an underwater Volkswagen — or so it seems — whenever you fight a bull red, appeals to many anglers before the height of the spring speckled trout season gets under way in late March and early April along the coastline in South Central Louisiana.
If you want to do battle with bull reds and the bull drum that also bite in the same locations, several areas offer the opportunity in March, according to Bill Lake of Houma, who owns Dularge-based Bayou Guide Service. Lake spends a lot of hours in Marsh helping fishermen get their hands on redfish weighing an average of 18 to 30 pounds.hat unmistakable feeling of being connected via fishing line to an underwater Volkswagen — or so it seems — whenever you fight a bull red, appeals to many anglers before the height of the spring speckled trout season gets under way in late March and early April along the coastline in South Central Louisiana.
“It’s a very good month for bull reds. We catch most of them in the deeper passes,” he said. “Bull reds are loaded up in there because of the deeper water, and they can live in there year-round. In March, we still catch them in 10 to 15 feet of water. They get active and eat. There’s plenty of mullets and crabs. We always catch a lot of drum with them. The drum and bull reds are in the same places.”
Lake said the most-consistent spot for bull reds is the mouth of Grand Bayou Dularge, where it meets the Gulf of Mexico. Bull reds are prevalent in the deep water, feeding on mullet and crabs, noting the key is to position the boat and anchor in one of the many cuts at the mouth of the bayou. Set up upcurrent in 10- to 15-foot depths and cast downcurrent into 20- to 25-foot depths.
His bait of choice is a Carolina-rigged mullet or crab on a No. 9/0 hook under a 3-ounce weight. With the prospect of hooking up with bull reds weighing 30 pounds or better on any cast, Lake goes prepared. He uses an 80-pound monofilament leader tied to 30-pound monofilament, he said.
Lake pointed to several other places that are home to bull reds in March, among them Bayou Grand Caillou and the southwest corner of Sister Lake.
