Glenn Schurr said the key to putting trout in the boat is pretty simple.
“I don’t really think it’s about the lure you use,” Schurr said. “Of course, it helps to be comfortable with your lure; confidence is important.
“Finding fish is the key to catching trout. Only 10 percent of the water holds fish. Only 10 percent of fishermen can catch fish. The big thing is to find fish. Every drop of water and every blade of marsh grass shows up on our E-card.
He said Standard Mapping Services digital maps help make it easier to get to trout-filled waters.
“It’s impossible to get lost. It shows you exactly where you are,” Schurr said.
Knowing where to go is a matter of networking, he said.
“Talk to other fishermen to get a feel of where recent successes have taken place,” Schurr said. “Marinas and tackle stores are full of information, and they have an interest in you catching fish — they want you to come back and launch at their marinas or buy baits from them.”
But the hard-copy Standard maps that have long been the go-to tool of Southeast Louisiana anglers still have their place.
“… (T)ake a copy of my hard maps and let (marina operators) mark on it with a Sharpie. Find that spot and mark it on the E-card map and hit ‘go to’ when you launch.”
Then it’s a matter of knowing how to pick the areas apart.
“When you get to the spot, you still have to use your head,” Schurr said. “Look where we are here: There is a big flat at the edge of the bayou’s mouth. The bayou channel is deep.
“Trout aren’t like redfish. Redfish will get in shallow and work their butts off all day. Trout are ‘in-and-out’ fish: They feed up on the edge of the flat and then move back into deeper water.”
