Speck action expected to pick up
Capt. Sean Thornton (504-388-4535) said it’s seemed like the speckled trout had the air let out of their tires because they were a no-show after this winter’s big freeze, but May should have prime speck action back on track.
“The trout got scarce everywhere after the deep freeze, but May is when they spring back and get active all over the big fringe bays,” he said. “We’ll fish Mud Lake, Bay Cray, Hackberry Bay and Barataria Bay, and we’ll look for the usual signs that indicate fish are present. Clean water, current lines, bait activity, and the absolute dead giveaway — seagulls diving.
“Yes, there will be lots of small trout under the birds, but you’ll have lots of keepers mixed in with them, and you’ll have plenty of rod bending action catching fish, especially using lighter tackle.”
Thornton said to fish your favorite soft plastic baits in either white or green about 18 inches under a popping cork.
“If I don’t see birds, I’ll focus on points, cuts, islands and structure, and you always want to fish a moving tide, whether rising or falling,” he said.
Thornton said the redfish bite has stayed consistent, and May will yield plenty of fish in areas like Little Lake, the rocks along Bayou Rigolettes, the points and cuts in Bay Round, “and if the water is high enough to get up into the marsh ponds, go, because the reds will be in there,” he said.
“I also expect you’ll be able to catch some nice reds in the Pen this month, though you might have a harder time taking home a limit.”
For bait, Thornton said he’ll fish the reds with dead shrimp under a cork, beetle-spins, gold spoons, swimbaits, and for an awesome thrill, topwaters in bone or chartreuse.
