Louisiana Sportsman

This big roe-laden female bass was caught on a wacky-rigged Senko worm. After a couple photos, the fish was revived alongside the kayak and successfully released

February kicks off some great bass fishing

February 8, 2026 Chris Holmes

Don’t let February keep your kayak off the water. Fish days with milder conditions and there is a good chance you will wear the bass out.[…]

Coastal Louisiana has miles and miles of rock jetties. Used for erosion control and channel marking, this year-round fishing habitat can be especially productive during the winter.

Winter kayaking essentials

January 12, 2026 Chris Holmes

Winter is in full swing here in the Deep South, but thankfully, kayak anglers can still find a few days where they can have success and fish safely.[…]

Using a small assortment of hard and soft plastic baits slowly trolled behind the kayak, Eric Muhoberac was well on his way to a limit of nice speckled trout.

Trolling and drifting are excellent techniques for winter kayak fishing

December 21, 2025 Chris Holmes

Two techniques that all kayak anglers should employ this time of year are trolling and drifting. Kayaks make excellent platforms for both.[…]

Rock jetties quickly absorb heat from the sun and transfer it to the nearby water. A temperature change of just a couple degrees higher can trigger feeding along the jetties. Trolling or casting a popping cork are productive ways to catch trout along a jetty.

Trout anglers can enjoy comfortable kayak fishing this month

November 13, 2025 Chris Holmes

There is no better time of the year for kayak anglers to pursue limits of speckled trout across the coast of Louisiana than November.[…]

You never know where the bulls may be on Grand Isle. Travis Puls was fishing in the pass, but close to one of the rock jetties when he hooked this bull. Large schools of bulls travel all around the island and can be found nearly anywhere.

Bull reds on the beach

October 25, 2025 Chris Holmes

Grand Isle is a one-stop shop for bull reds right now and they can be found almost anywhere along the island.[…]

Celeste Valotta shows off some of the nice trout and reds that were caught on a recent mothership kayak trip to the Long Rocks out of Hopedale. This is a great summertime fishing area, but is out of reach for kayak anglers without the aid of a powerboat.

Kayak anglers can hitch a ride

September 14, 2025 Chris Holmes

If you are an angler with a kayak and a powerboat, you are missing out on some great fishing adventures if you don’t combine the two.[…]

This hand-sized bluegill is quite handsome and fought like a fish 10 times its size. Filleted and pan fried, they are some of the tastiest fish you can eat.

Take a back-to-basics kayak trip

August 11, 2025 Chris Holmes

A back-to-basics kayak trip every now and then reminds us of why we took up kayak fishing in the first place.[…]

While most marsh reds will be smaller slot-sized fish, don’t be surprised when that unexpected bull inhales your offering. Remember, the new regulations prohibit keeping any redfish over 27 inches.

Reliable redfish

July 7, 2025 Chris Holmes

Don’t let the brutal summer heat keep you on the couch. Kayakers can find some grass and seek out the redfish hiding within.[…]

Unique by its own nature as a live-weigh, catch and release bull red kayak fishing tournament, Ride The Bull also offers a costume contest. Perennial contestant and multi-time winner, Brad Valtierra travels from Texas and goes all out each year to participate.

Unique kayak fishing tournaments

June 16, 2025 Chris Holmes

Tournaments came naturally to kayak fishing, but many of these events have found unique ways to up both the competition and the fun.[…]

This post-freeze speckled trout was healthy and hungry. While photos and sightings of dead fish appeared across the coast, this early spring fish shows no signs of any adverse effects.

Steady spring fishing action

April 21, 2025 Chris Holmes

This is a fantastic time of year to kayak fish all across the state. While weather conditions can vary, there are generally more good days.[…]

This big female bass couldn’t resist a plastic worm dragged slowly near her nest. Spawning bass often have reaction strikes to protect their eggs from predators.

The best time for bass fishing

March 10, 2025 Chris Holmes

Nest fishing for bass, while controversial in some circles, can provide kayak anglers with a unique opportunity to sneak up on big fish.[…]

White trout school and hold deep during cold winter days. The red sores on this fish’s belly is a tell-tale sign that it was holding on the bottom. Dead shrimp or artificial lures on a drop-shot rig is a great way to load up on some hefty whites.

With colder temps, anglers should focus on deeper waters

February 18, 2025 Chris Holmes

Kayak anglers should consider chasing white trout. With colder water temps, they generally school up and hug the bottom in deeper waters.[…]

The Hopedale Rock Dam spans the width of the MRGO and has rocks along the bottom extending a couple hundred feet from the face of the dam. It is a great area for kayak fishing in the winter.

The Rock Dam in Hopedale is the ultimate winter fishing spot for kayak anglers

January 25, 2025 Chris Holmes

There are those places that seem to be just made for kayak fishing. The Rock Dam in Hopedale is definitely one of them.[…]

This small bass was released after falling for a slow-moving jig/plastic tail combo. Working lures slower in the winter and setting the hook anytime something feels different is the key to catching lethargic fish.

Get out, be safe, catch fish

December 13, 2024 Chris Holmes

Winter kayak fishing can be safe and productive as long as common sense is used in deciding when the conditions are right.[…]

Fall is a great time for trolling speckled trout. Trolling covers a lot of water and helps locate where the trout are holding. With the new reduced creel limits, trolling helps kayak anglers put together their 15-fish limit in short order.

Fall fishing is a kayak angler’s delight

November 24, 2024 Chris Holmes

Kayak anglers delight in the fact that trout and redfish have ganged up in the marshes and water temperature keeps them close inshore.[…]

Fishing with experienced friends or a kayak fishing guide is a great way to get a taste of kayak fishing to see if it’s for you. Grant Roberts had a blast and said he will definitely be back for more.

Introducing someone to kayak fishing

October 7, 2024 Chris Holmes

Capt. Eric Muhoberac guided two new kayak anglers, Sterling Scott and Grant Roberts, to the Myrtle Grove area to chase some redfish.[…]