The Highway 1 corridor down to Grand Isle may provide more coastal kayak fishing locations than any other in the state. From Golden Meadow to Grand Isle, a trip down Highway 1 in Lafourche and Jefferson parishes offers endless opportunities for fantastic kayak fishing. While many of the launch areas are the same as those used by power boats, others are specifically set up for kayaks, and there is an endless amount of “combat” launches into secluded areas teeming with hungry trout, redfish and others.
Highway 1 runs through Cutoff, Galliano, Golden Meadow, Leeville, Fourchon and terminates at Grand Isle. The route provides access to a wide expanse of marshes, canals, pipelines, lakes, bays and ultimately, the passes of Grand Isle leading into the Gulf.
Many of these areas have commercial marinas, and some have dedicated kayak launches. The Kristen and Danny Wray free kayak launch behind the Wildlife and Fisheries complex on Ludwig Lane in Grand Isle is a popular access point for the back side of Grand Isle.
Public launches
One word of caution is there are many areas in Lafourche Parish that are claimed as private waters. As ridiculous as that premise is, Lafourche is known for vigorously enforcing trespass laws. If there are signs stating that the area is private, it is simply best to move along and avoid any hassle. Also, much of the area around the Port Fourchon facilities are off limits for security reasons. However, there is a public boat launch in Fourchon that provides access to large areas of legal fishing waters. There are also public launches in Golden Meadow and Leeville.
For the more adventurous and those who prefer more secluded areas, there are many roadside launch sites that offer quick access into areas that are less pressured by powerboats. A few precautions should be taken to make sure you are not parking on private property or parking in prohibited areas.
There are several marinas, launches, and bait shops along the way and at each end of Grand Isle. Live and dead bait as well as tackle and supplies are available. The whole area teams with trout and redfish as well as all of the other regular coastal species.
For summertime kayak fishing, it is hard to beat live shrimp. However, dead shrimp, live cocahoes, and a variety of hard and soft plastic lures all do the trick. While trout can be caught in many of these locations, they are generally more in the larger lakes and bays as well as the outer passes and beaches nearer the Gulf. In the interior marshes, redfish haunt the complex of shallow ponds and bayous. Filled with summertime vegetation, schools of hungry reds can often be found tailing and crashing bait. Experienced kayak anglers know that this can lead to consistent limits of fat Louisiana redfish.
Redfish
If the signs of redfish are not easily evident, look for splashes, nervous bait, feeding sounds or the tell-tale V-wake pushing along a shoreline. These signs all give away the fish’s location. For search baits, a popping cork with a live or dead shrimp is hard to beat. Cover all areas around the kayak before moving on.
Favorite lures for redfish are spoons, heavy-duty spinnerbaits, shallow-running crankbaits and wake baits. These can be fished at or just under the surface and help avoid any submerged vegetation. Also, a soft-plastic tail and jighead fished tightlined or under a popping cork is hard to beat. Later in the summer, the passes in Grand Isle are the place to be if you want to tangle with bull reds. While none can be kept, the fight alone is worth the trip.
Since much of the area is shallow, a 6-foot stake-out pole is a great way to quietly position the kayak where you want, without using a noisy anchor. A stout landing net helps get a big red under control without popping your line trying to haul him into the yak. Keep a ruler onboard or put measured marks on your yak to allow you to easily determine if the red is a keeper.
Speckled trout
If you’re looking for summertime trout, the areas on or near Grand Isle are hard to beat. Whether it is the sandy beaches, rock jetties or deeper passes, big trout hang in the more coastal areas due to summer spawning activities and the higher salinities. The same lures that work for reds also catch trout, but the live croakers, topwater lures and suspending hard baits are also proven to attract big trout.
Many of these area are secluded and fishing the passes or beaches puts you near large boat activity and open waters. While summertime weather is somewhat predictable, thunderstorms can pop up at any minute and there is no way to hide or run from them in a kayak. Stay weather aware and be prepared to take some quick precautions.
Most fishing rods these days contain carbon fiber. This material can conduct electricity and could prove dangerous in a lightning storm. If you find yourself in a thunderstorm, park the kayak and lay down your rods so they are not the highest target in an otherwise flat marsh. Better yet, take the rods out of the kayak and lay them down in the marsh a distance away until the storm passes and you can safely resume fishing.
Safety first
Cell phones are great to have, but should not be your primary means of communication. Many remote areas do not have cell service and many phones are not waterproof. Keep your phone in a dry box or special case designed to make it waterproof. A good precaution is to carry a small hand-held, waterproof VHF radio. A VHF can put you in communication with the Coast Guard, other marine traffic nearby, and also provides access to NOAA weather broadcasts. It is a good idea to keep one of these small radios attached to your PFD so it will be close at hand in the event its use becomes necessary.
The entire area down lower Highway 1 provides some great summertime kayak fishing opportunities. Pick an area and fish it multiple times to learn the best locations under the given conditions. The area is large and provides diverse opportunities to try out different locations all summer long.
