Probably the most-commonly used pirogues in South Louisiana have flat bottoms, which are perfect for paddling across shallow mud flats. However, Joyce WMA requires a different approach.
“Round-bottomed pirogues are better because they’ll go through the grass better than the flat-bottomed pirogues,” Ricky Hano said.
The round bottoms will push the salvinia and swamp grass out of the way, instead of sliding up on top of it and getting stuck.
He also fixes a fishing seat in the pirogue to make it more comfortable for his long trips.
And he trades in his paddle for a pair of forked sticks.
“I take those forked sticks and just push myself along,” Hano explained. “It’s like skiing.
“It works a lot better than a paddle.”
That’s because the thick layer of salvinia and grass serve as obstacles for paddles, whereas the forks of the sticks simply push the vegetation down.
“When we see somebody in there with a paddle and pirogue, we know they’ve never been there,” Hano said.