Lacoste changes his approach based on the water temperature
November is a fantastic month to fish speckled trout in South Louisiana. In order to maximize his success rate, Dularge guide Capt. Marty Lacoste said playing the specific weather every day is crucial for success.
“If it’s a warm November and the water temperatures are mid-to-upper 60s and in the 70s, then the trout are going to be in the lakes still — under birds, on reefs and mouths of big bayous dumping into the lakes,” he said.
Some popular lakes to fish around Dularge include Lake Mechant, Lake Decade and Jug Lake.
When fishing these larger bodies of water, Lacoste said he strongly prefers a falling tide.
“I like a falling tide; that’s what is pushing the shrimp out the marsh,” he said.
To mimic these shrimp, Lacoste throws a variety of baits under a popping cork, but his favorite is one he recently discovered.
“I just got turned on to these Marker 54 Shrimplets,” he said. “It’s unbelievable. There are days where they won’t hit anything, but you put that on there, and they are eating it up.
“It’s outfishing everything I’ve seen.”
Sometimes in the lakes, Lacoste will fish a ¼-ounce jighead tightlined, but the trout can be picky, and every day is different according to Lacoste.
“If they’re feeding on shrimp, there are certain times where they only want it under a cork,” he said. “I prefer to fish tightlined, but I may be trying both to see what is working.
“You have to fish and figure out what they want.”
Deeper water
November can also have some cold days, and when that happens, Lacoste switches gears.
“If the water temperature is in the 50s, those fish are going to be in the canals and bayous in deeper water,” he said.
When fishing this way, rather than drifting, Lacoste likes to pull up to a canal and stay in one spot.
“When the water gets cold and, say, you’re in a bayou, and you have good current, you want to be stationary,” he said. “It’s hard to catch them when you’re moving.
“A lot of times you’re throwing that bait out, and you’re letting it drift in the current. It’s basically swimming with the current. Those fish will come and hit it.”
The lure he likes to use is a green hornet Matrix Shad on a ¼-ounce Deathgrip Jighead. Dularge anglers are famous for throwing double rigs, but Lacoste said this isn’t the time to do that.
“You have to fish it slow, so a double rig, you’re constantly getting hung up, and the single just works better,” he said. “We throw the double rigs in the summer or under a big flock of birds. Other than that, once the water gets cold and they move into those deep-water locations, we switch to single Matrix Shads.”
