Inshore Fishing

Outer limits

This is it: You don’t have to wait any longer.

The month we long for with impatient anticipation throughout the entire year has finally arrived in all its spring glory. […]

Inshore Fishing

Croaker Soaker

“I fish live bait — live croakers,” the 68-year-old says with conviction, as if looking for a challenge. “Using plastic can be a good way to find the fish,” he adds, seeming for a moment to soften a bit, “but when I find them, I throw croakers to catch more. […]

Catfish

Back to basics

Whether it’s blue catfish or channel catfish, Central Louisiana’s coastal bays in the springtime are teeming with both. Toss in the occasional flathead, and what you have is the skinning pliers Ictalurus Trifecta of North America.

From the Atchafalaya River to East Cote Blanche Bay, nearly every bayou, canal or unnamed tributary that empties freshwater is a potential location to drop anchor and tightline for catfish in this region. […]

Freshwater Fishing

Back to basics

Whether it’s blue catfish or channel catfish, Central Louisiana’s coastal bays in the springtime are teeming with both. Toss in the occasional flathead, and what you have is the skinning pliers Ictalurus Trifecta of North America.

From the Atchafalaya River to East Cote Blanche Bay, nearly every bayou, canal or unnamed tributary that empties freshwater is a potential location to drop anchor and tightline for catfish in this region. […]

Freshwater Fishing

No fancy stuff

Modern bass fishermen are known for their endless array of fancy and expensive equipment. Fishing with Jim Looney is like a throwback to a simpler time, a time when it seemed like any angler could be reasonably confident of catching bass. […]

Freshwater Fishing

The 14-inch minimum:

The 14-inch-minimum-size limit on all black bass — both largemouth and spotted — in the Atchafalaya Basin, Lakes Verret, Palourde, Fausse Point/Dauterive areas has been in effect since the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. […]

Contents

Stump field slabs

Every year during March and April, fishermen hammer Lake D’Arbonne’s shallow cypress trees and banks for spawning white perch (aka crappie or sac-a-lait). It’s a mad rush because you only have a few weeks to take advantage of the relatively easy bite. […]

Contents

Outer limits

This is it: You don’t have to wait any longer.

The month we long for with impatient anticipation throughout the entire year has finally arrived in all its spring glory. […]

Freshwater Fishing

Where to go

Lake D’Arbonne is located near Farmerville in north-central Louisiana, and there are several public boat ramps providing easy access to the stump fields in the Stowe Creek, Terral Island and Bear Creek areas of the lake. […]

Inshore Fishing

Tippets

Speckled trout have returned. Along wading areas like the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, Breton Island and Grand Isle, clousers and other baitfish patterns will be the ticket. […]