Inshore Fishing

Louisiana Saltwater Series Fishing Tournament stops in Slidell

The next stop in the Louisiana Saltwater Series Fishing Tournament circuit is this Saturday (July 23), with participants launching out of Slidell, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced.

This redfish catch-and-release trail, developed by LDWF in conjunction with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, is designed to promote conservation of the state’s saltwater resources.[…]

Breaking News

Body of 12-year-old thrown from boat found in Lake Borgne

The body of a 12-year-old Mandeville girl thrown from a boat during an Shell Bayou accident Saturday (July 16) was located today (July 19), the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported.

The body of Samantha Vinturella was found shortly after 11 a.m. in Lake Borgne about five to six miles from the original boating crash incident site, the LDWF news release reported.[…]

Breaking News

Charter boat accident sends three to the hospital, U.S. Coast Guard says

The charter boat Looney Tuna took on water and capsized this morning (July 12) in Southwest Pass south of Venice in an accident that resulted in three people being medevaced by the U.S. Coast Guard, the agency reported.

The report of the incident was received by the Coast Guard about 8:50 a.m., and a Southwest Pass station pilot boat reportedly rescued the six passengers aboard the 36-foot boat, the Coast Guard reported.[…]

Inshore Fishing

Pontchartrain Basin fishing options

Unless you are strictly a freshwater angler, the opening of the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway has definitely altered your fishing plans for the summer. On May 9, the Corps of Engineers began opening the bays of the spillway to divert some of the rising river water into Lake Pontchartrain, and from there into the Gulf.[…]

Inshore Fishing

Seaplane makes fishing barrier islands a breeze

I’m not a huge fan of flying, but when Capt. Theophile Bourgeois invited me and Louisiana Sportsman editor Todd Masson to fly with him in a seaplane out to Gosier Island to wade-fish for speckled trout I knew I would have to cast my fears aside, especially after Bourgeois texted me pictures of the trout he had been catching.[…]

Contents

The Spillway Effect

Unless you are strictly a freshwater angler, the opening of the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway has definitely altered your fishing plans for the summer. On May 9, the Corps of Engineers began opening the bays of the spillway to divert some of the rising river water into Lake Pontchartrain, and from there into the Gulf.[…]

Inshore Fishing

Five men cited for illegal fishing on Pointe-aux-Chenes WMA

Five Houma-area men were cited Monday (June 27) for alleged illegal activity on Pointe-aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported.

Agents cited Tony Vaughn, 27, of Montegut; Craig Vogel, 25, of Houma; and Jamie Theriot, 31, of Houma for not abiding by WMA rules and regulations after agents allegedly observed the men crabbing on one of the WMA dams after legal sunset.[…]

News Breaker

Donaldsonville gun club, three men fined $34,810 for baiting dove field

The Palo Alto Rod and Gun Club and three Donaldsonville men on June 24 pleaded guilty to Migratory Bird Treaty Act violations in Federal Middle District Court in Baton Rouge, and were ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Riedlinger to pay a total of $34,810 in fines and assessments for the violations, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries reported today (June 29).[…]

News Breaker

23 billfish tagged, released in 39th New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament

The 39th New Orleans Invitational Billfish Tournament was held out of Venice last weekend (June 17-18), and a total of 23 billfish were caught, tagged and released by the 24 participating boat crews.

This tournament is regarded as the tournament that put Gulf of Mexico big-game fishing on the map and inspired the many offshore tournaments being held currently across the region.

The fleet found a beautiful rip-line about 54-miles southeast of South Pass and conditions that were conducive to great fishing.

[…]