Louisiana Sportsman

An angler shows a speckled trout hooked and landed on a Pencil Popper.

Pencil Poppers

September 13, 2019 Don Shoopman

This fisherman has been smiling ever since Cotton Cordell Lures downsized one of his favorite artificial lures for speckled trout: the Pencil Popper.[…]

David Herard, 7, shows off the West Division’s winning sheepshead, which tipped the certified scales at Hackberry Fishing Camp and Marina at 5.75 pounds. For his catch, Herard is set to receive a $1,500 Academy Sports & Outdoor gift card at the CCA awards banquet on Oct. 17 in Baton Rouge. (Photo courtesy of CCA Louisiana)

2019 STAR: ‘The year for youth’

September 12, 2019 Patrick Bonin

Young anglers figured prominently on the final leaderboard in many categories for the 2019 Coastal Conservation Association’s Louisiana STAR Tournament.[…]

This year, we've thrown a few nice specks in the mix on every trip. These were caught on our last trip on August 21.

World’s largest artificial reef lies just off the Louisiana coast

September 12, 2019 Ann Taylor

Speckled trout, mangrove snapper, redfish, and cobia flock to this rig graveyard, located only 6 miles south of Barataria Pass.[…]

One advantage of rigging a soft-plastic jerkbait with a nose hook? Most fish are hooked solidly in the corner of the jaw.

Nose-hooked soft jerkbaits

September 12, 2019 Chris Bush

Try nose-rigged soft-plastic jerkbaits when speckled trout aren’t responding to traditional offerings. It can be the difference between success and failure.[…]

Commission hears speckled trout stocks in trouble

September 6, 2019 Chris Berzas

The LWFC heard plenty of options from biologists involving speckled trout at its Sept. 5 meeting, but no changes in fishing regulations have been set yet.[…]

Guide Eric Olsen said he does plenty of moving while hunting for September specks out of Shell Beach.

A September speckled trout strategy for Shell Beach

September 5, 2019 Rusty Tardo

Capt. Eric Olsen of Saltwater Therapy Charters pounds the waters out of Shell Beach every day in pursuit of the speckled trout.[…]

On Thursday, Sept. 5, the Louisiana wildlife and fisheries commission will receive a presentation on a recently finalized stock assessment regarding speckled trout. A previous preliminary stock assessment draft indicated speckled trout stocks were overfished, and that recreational landings were at their lowest level when compared to earlier years. (Photo by Chris Berzas)

Commission to receive finalized speckled trout stock assessment Sept. 5

August 30, 2019 Chris Berzas

A presentation on the speckled trout stock assessment is to be discussed at the Sept. 5 meeting of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries commission.[…]

Trout limit changes for the Texas side of Sabine Lake

August 30, 2019 From News Reports

Anglers fishing in all of Texas coastal waters, including the Texas side of Sabine Lake, now have a 5 trout daily limit and a 15-inch minimum length limit.[…]

A speck-tacular day

August 26, 2019 louisianasportsman

Graydon Hall, his dad Mike Hall and grandpa Rudy Hall won first place in the Faux Pas Invitational 5 trout stringer category using Matrix Shad baits.[…]

Capt. Davey Miles with Cajun Fishing Adventures shows off a nice redfish just minutes before a bad storm forced him to leave Breton Island last Friday. The good news is the Mississippi River has finally fallen to more normal late-summer levels, which should mean solid fishing this fall downriver.

Plummeting Mississippi River setting up for solid fall fishing

August 22, 2019 Patrick Bonin

According to Capt. Davey Miles, a guide with Cajun Fishing Adventures in Buras, the plummeting Mississippi River is bringing in more bait and more fish.[…]

Lake Pontchartrain is low on saltwater, and low on speckled trout

August 14, 2019 Anthony Taylor

An abnormally high river has left Lake Pontchartrain low on saltwater and devoid of speckled trout this summer. Anglers are waiting for the fish to return.[…]

Biloxi Marsh fishing report

August 14, 2019 Anthony Taylor

Fringe bays and islands around Biloxi Marsh doing well when weather permits. Anglers must get to the outside early before winds increase.[…]

Charleigh Champagne, the 2 1/2-year-old daughter of Matrix Shad owner Chas Champagne, admires a huge speckled trout that fell for a Matrix Rip Shad.

Matrix Rip Shad targets the ‘tweener’ depths

August 13, 2019 Don Shoopman

The Matrix Rip Shad is a hard-body artificial lure, a jerkbait, that’s already a favorite of his and charter boat captains in Louisiana.[…]

It’s never too late for trophy Louisiana trout

August 13, 2019 Todd Masson

If you think the trophy trout train has already passed by, think again. Here are two places to target and several techniques to use.[…]

Speckled trout: Life in the fast lane

August 13, 2019 Jon Miller

Higher water temperatures in summer increase a trout’s metabolic rate and force it to feed four times more often than it feeds during the winter.[…]

Take notes on which lures worked this past year, and when, and put that knowledge to good use next time out.

What lures worked for you and when?

August 13, 2019 Chris Bush

To prepare for fishing the latter months of the year, you should look at the lures you used last season and consider why and where they were successful.[…]