Steve Smith is the ultimate teacher. The back of his business card is emblazoned with “Things to know before you go!!!!,’’ followed by directions to four information sources to make successful Vermilion Bay area fishing trips on your own.
Here are his Top 4 sources of information:
1) Anglers can get a daily satellite image of the area from http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu/modis-today, which provides aerial photographs allowing fishermen to see what the water looks like.
According to Smith, the imagery is clear enough that water dirtied by wind or Atchafalaya River discharges can clearly be seen. This is especially important for Gulf waters south of Marsh Island, and can save anglers a long trip for nothing.
However, Smith cautions that cloud cover can interfere with the satellite’s imagery.
2) Check the Atchafalaya River state by visiting http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=lix&gage=blrl1.
There is general agreement amongst Vermilion anglers that river stages above 10 feet at the Butte La Rose Gauge produce muddy river discharges that interfere with successful speckled trout fishing.
Generally speaking, and with a lot of variation, river levels fall below 10 feet between June and August and rise above the magic number as early as December or as late as March.
3) Salinity and water levels, found at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=07387040.
Smith uses this site primarily for monitoring salinity, an important issue in an area heavily influenced by fresh river water. Higher salinity levels are the better for speckled trout fishing, with a bottom threshold of 4 parts per thousand.
4) Call 888-701-8992 to reach Dial a Buoy for real-time data (as well as forecasts) on wind speed and direction from a buoy located three miles south of Marsh Island.
Winds are often dramatically different over water than what an angler is experiencing at his home on land.