Live shrimp, croakers are key
On a trip late last week with Capt. Jakamo Laboureur, live bait was the ticket at the rigs in Breton Sound for some pretty nice speckled trout.
Laboureur, with Jakamo South out of Shell Beach, said live shrimp and croakers under popping corks, sliding corks, Carolina-rigged or free-lined will be effective all summer long.
On the islands, he said the bite has been a bit more sporadic in the early going.
“So far, it’s here today, gone tomorrow,” he said. “But when they’re there, they’re there … They definitely have some good fishing at the islands this year.”
We caught most of our fish free-lining live shrimp at the Holy Cross rig. And we also reeled in six pompano on the day. But be prepared for plenty of teeth: Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and sharks were seemingly ever-present, so bring lots of tackle and be ready to re-tie often.
