Hurricane Isaac caused fish kills on many of the prime fly-fishing freshwater spots in Southeast Louisiana, from Belle River and Bayou Black eastward to the Blind River and Bayou Lacombe.
However, most of the fisheries in the Florida Parishes remained intact. The flood waters have receded, and streams like the Comite, Amite, Tickfaw, Bogue Chitto and Pushepataw should have excellent spotted bass action this month. Try poppers and woolybuggers around fallen trees and cut banks.
The storm didn’t adversely affect areas north and west of Opelousas. So expect the usual fall run of crappie to begin this month in lakes like Cotile, Bundicks, Anacoco and Sibley. Make sure you have crappie candies and fluff butts in your fly box.
Down on the coast it’s prime time! Cast a weighted clouser or shrimp pattern set 30 inches under a VOSI, and you’re likely to catch specks and white trout anywhere in the marsh. On overcast days, expect some topwater action for trout using Pete’s Popper, the Rabid Dog or Skipping Bugs.
After a cool front, the north winds will drop tide levels, giving fly anglers fishing from canoes and kayaks great shots at sight-casting to reds, drum and sheepshead. Yes, in cool water, the goats eat flies well. A wide variety of flies will work, but if the bite gets tough, pull out the old reliables: crab patterns and spoon flies.
It appears Isaac pushed a lot of bull reds back into the marshes, based on reports so far. Better have at least a sturdy 8- or 9-weight rod with a disc drag reel in case you have a run-in with a “Redzilla.”
Stocking of rainbow trout renews this month in two tailwater rivers just north of Shreveport: Mountain Fork near Broken Bow, Okla., and the Little Missouri near Murfreesboro, Ark. Early in the season, olive or black woolybuggers are all you need.
