Columns
Panko Trout
Private chef Tracy “T.L.” Bayles used a lot of Panko bread crumbs when he cooked in restaurants, and now likes Panko so much that he seldom uses other bread crumbs.[…]
Bass Fishing
Sportsman TV tonight at 6:30 on CST: Bassin’ in the Basin
Watch Cox Sports Television tonight at 6:30 as host Greg Hackney heads into the Atchafalaya in pursuit of some nice Basin bass.[…]
Columns
Does the moon really matter?
As regular readers of “Happy Trails” have come to know, I am a trail/scouting camera fanatic, and use the data I derive each season from my web of cameras to tell me when and where deer, and bucks in particular, move on my personal hunting property.[…]
Bass Fishing
Scouting trip ends with another Toledo Bend 10-pounder
On Friday morning, Danny Hicks of DeRidder had plans to prefish an upcoming tournament on Toledo Bend.[…]
News Breaker
Louisiana to open 2014 recreational red snapper weekend-only season this Friday, Feb. 21 in state waters
Louisiana’s weekend-only red snapper season will open up this Friday, Feb. 21 at 12:01 a.m. until further notice, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.[…]
News Breaker
Tragic murder inspires Paradis hunter to create charitable program
Nathan Verdin’s love of hunting began at a young age when he shot his first deer as a 9-year-old. When a cousin was killed and another became disabled after an accident, Verdin turned to hunting to ease the pain.[…]
Bass Fishing
Lafayette angler lands 10.54-pounder in Hausen Bay at Toledo Bend
Tommy Melancon and his fishing partner Trey Hebert headed out early Sunday morning to pre-fish an upcoming tournament at Toledo Bend.[…]
Fishing
LDWF reports record low for boating fatalities in 2013
Only 13 boating fatalities were reported in the state for 2013 by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, a record low since boating statistics started being recorded in 1974.[…]
Columns
Stand up and fish
After three days of northwest winds, the winter cold front left the water in Fourchon only inches deep and muddier than the Mississippi. These conditions don’t build high expectations.[…]
Fishing
If you want to go where Tony went
The marshes of Terrebonne Parish are huge, and offer endless fishing opportunities. Like the fingers of a hand, five major bayous extend toward the Gulf of Mexico from Houma, easily the largest town in the parish.[…]
Inshore Fishing
Sheepshead make great table fare
I’d venture that a rig-caught winter sheepshead actually beats a deep marsh redfish as table fare. The saltier the water, the better tasting the fish.[…]
Inshore Fishing
How to prepare fish
The key to filleting sheepshead is using a sturdy-bladed boning knife and cutting over and around the thick rib bones by going into the fish from the top rather than from behind the gills.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
Homemade crappie rig box
Bobby Murray loves a hot crappie bite, and he likes to be ready to maximize every opportunity he gets. Suffice it to say, he has plenty of tackle bags to carry all the hardware and baits he needs, but Murray has developed a simple but effective system for keeping key items at close reach.[…]
Freshwater Fishing
Tackle tips for crappie fishing
Notwithstanding his penchant for simplicity, Toledo Bend guide Jerry Thompson has given much thought to certain aspects of his terminal tackle and rigging.[…]
Bass Fishing
Tandem-rigged baits serve targeted purposes
How quick are you on the follow-up cast? Can you reel up the first rod, grab a different one and drop a new bait at the point of a missed strike in, say, 10 seconds?[…]
Bass Fishing
Other dynamic duos
Hollow Body Frog and Buzz Toad: Similar to topwater hard baits, a Spro Bronzeye Frog or a Snagproof Ish’s PHAT Frog can bring out the beast in a bass, but the aggression doesn’t always equal a connection.[…]