[nwtroutguy]

Just got back from a combo sightseeing/Redfishing trip to Lousiana. First couple of days was spent seeing New Orleans and being a tourist. Interesting place with lots of history. Bourbon street was kind of dirty so we did not stay very long in that part. If you like sweets, having a Beignet is for you. Piping hot out of the deep fryer loaded with powdered sugar. If you find yourself in NOLA ever, go see the WW II Museum. Lots to see and read about and very well done in my opinion. Swamp Tours were fun, informative and educational. Interesting to see the ecosystem and how the natives live and co-exist with nature down there.

Now for the fishing. Things did not look good( usual for late October) because of all the rains they had in August upstream on the might Miss. Water was high and off color and the fish were not dispersed like they usually are leading to a lot of searching. Everybody including the guide stated it had been challenging, but there were fish to be had. Went out with a guide named Captain Cash Moody. He knew the water and the techniques. The kind of guy that needed to feel you out a little bit first. ( as in, can this guy cast or is he full of B.S.) He just wants you to be honest. If you can't cast 40 feet, then tell him kind of thing. Anyway, with Dolphins all around on the first morning, we managed to find some Jacks busting bait. These were not just little guys. They were fish between 20 and 30 LBS feeding with reckless abandon. Using a 10 weight, I managed to hook one that was full of saltwater gusto and proceeded to take me into my backing 11 times because although my drag was set fairly tight, the golden rule is that you never adjust it while fighting a fish right. You pray that your backing knot will hold and that nothing goes wrong at the most critical moment. Which, of course, it did. Under the boat, hung up briefly on part of the prop that was out of the water and getting free from the guide. The kind of things that have your knees shaking. 1 hour later, we managed to tail it. Had to take a break as it wore me out. 22lbs on the Boca Grip. not 10 minutes later another Jack with a solid hook up. We managed some Reds the first day, small, but very high quality.

Day 2: Same conditions. Mid to upper 80's, high humidity. We launched at Hopedale and went a little further south to possibly some cleaner water. It worked and the Jacks and Reds were busting bait like you see on TV. So reckless, that you could pole right up to them within casting distance and hook up. The kind of stuff flyfishing dreams are made of and only happens to other people seemingly. Hooked nice 22 LB RED and then a 22 LB Jack. Amazing how quickly these fish rip through the surface in harmony with Reds and Dolphins and re-appear 100 Yards away. We found another bait ball and hooked into a fast moving Jack on a Pole Dancer. I looked down in horror to see my fly line in a figure eight around the rod handle. Too late. the fish was running at warp speed and broke off 30 LB test. Shit!! Switched rods to one geared up with a Redfish fly and watched a Redfish of sizable proportions proceeded to flare his gills and go for the eat. WOW!! To watch the eat was incredible. We managed then to find a school of Black Drum and managed to hook and land one that was 30LBS. Once the tide changed about the 7 hour mark, the fishing really dropped off, so we called it a day.

Summary: Cancelled the 3rd day due to a north wind. 2 days of tough water conditions with some very quality fish landed. Not quantity this time. These are in order.

I apologize for the first couple of pictures. Click on the JPG link to turn around. I have not quite figured out why my MAcBook is doing this.

Anyway, I have to say that I am now addicted to fishing for Jacks. Incredible power pound for pound where you just have to battle it out with predatory fish.

Enjoy!!

 

[LCnSac]

Those fish are exceptional! I've fished a lot in Florida and never come close to a jack that size--I can only imagine what that fight was like. This is good info as I've never actually fished in LA, just some boating. Nice work! Is there a preferred season in LA for either? I know early spring is the time for the better jacks on the east coast of Florida.

 

[Thrasybulus]

Great job! Sounds like you had a good trip and got to fight multiple species too.

 

[BN2FSH]

Nice report. I love fishing down there. I usually go in December and we never see jacks.

 

[chrome/22]

I've caught some Jacks on conventional gear & they are tough customers. Fantastic red fishing, sound's like a great way to spend a fall day.

How much was the guide per day, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[nwtroutguy]

LCNSac,

From what I was hearing and learning, the water was a little warmer than usual and the preferred season for jacks is in the summer and a little earlier in the fall. The guide told me that 20 to 30LB Jacks are pretty common due to the abundance of baitfish. A far as Redfish, typically when the water cools off a little beginning in October the fish spread out as opposed to schooling up. It just happens that the water was high and little warmer than usual which made the quantity hard, but the quality was definitely there.

Chrome/22: The standard rate was $ 600.00 a day. A little steep compared to a day on the river for Salmon, trout or Steelhead.

 

[Olive bugger]

Wow, those are some big fish. Thanks for sharing. Enjoyed the pictures. NO is a fun place. Like you said, lots of history.

 

[LCnSac]

$600 a day, and it's not clear whether he supplies the gear. That's pushing it in my experience in Florida--I think my guy is at $500 and provides everything, but it may be the standard in the Miss drainage there. I always remember being quoted $1200 per day multiple times in Turks and Caicos--for 5-6 hours--walking the beach. That is an LOL to me, maybe some people pay it. I've found you don't always get what you pay for with guides as they often seem to price fix for their particular region. Some even admit it after you get to know them

 

[BN2FSH]

The guide I fish with in Louisiana charges $600 per day for the boat, and two of us split it. He poles us around all day and without him we would be nothing when it comes to redfish. He is worth every penny. He provides water and ice, but most importantly he knows where the fish are. I wish I could do it more than 6 days per year, but it is a long way for me to travel.

Here is a photo of a 33# fish caught at the last possible minute on the last day in 2014. Last year I caught a 40# redfish and we got 27 over 25 pounds in 6 days, plus smaller fish. It is well worth the money.

 

[LCnSac]

So, all in, about a $3000 trip, each. Not bad, and those are great fish. Do you fish 6 days to ensure finding some fish, or just want to stay that long? I did silvers in Alaska for 5 days and after about 75 all about the same size I was just praying they'd get off the hook, but I'm a little on the ADHD side that way.

I wonder if one could do the same thing on the Texas coast, or is Louisiana better? Sounds like you are in the Mississippi proper? I do love the LA bayous. Great pics, thanks.

 

[nwtroutguy]

$ 600 is a little steep...admittedly. He did provide beverages and ice, extra rods and flies. Not the lunch that I am accustomed to, but it is different situation.Just like BN2FISH states, I would not have known where to even start with these fish except our water. It makes it nice if you can see where they are busting bait, but that is not always the case. My opinion is that any money spent on the guide, especially a good one, is always worth every penny.

 

[nwtroutguy]

The guide I fish with in Louisiana charges $600 per day for the boat, and two of us split it. He poles us around all day and without him we would be nothing when it comes to redfish. He is worth every penny. He provides water and ice, but most importantly he knows where the fish are. I wish I could do it more than 6 days per year, but it is a long way for me to travel.

Here is a photo of a 33# fish caught at the last possible minute on the last day in 2014. Last year I caught a 40# redfish and we got 27 over 25 pounds in 6 days, plus smaller fish. It is well worth the money.

Born 2 fish: nice fish!! This was a first time for me with this kind of fishing and I absolutely loved the jacks. They are so incredibly strong.

 

[freestoneangler]

Awesome! I fished Louisiana before Katrina and it was a hoot. The guide navigated through a maze of flat grass islands and at one point I said to myself "if this guys keels over of heart failure, I'll never be seen again".

Watching schools of Red's come into the little bays created by the islands and push shrimp up along the bank was cool. Caught a number of Red's in the 7-12 lbs and a few Bull's up to about 30 lbs. The little guys were much more fun IMO... Bulls just sounded and sulked. Also caught quite a few Sea Trout. I think my fee was around $400... bring your own lunch and drinks.

 

[BN2FSH]

So, all in, about a $3000 trip, each. Not bad, and those are great fish. Do you fish 6 days to ensure finding some fish, or just want to stay that long? I did silvers in Alaska for 5 days and after about 75 all about the same size I was just praying they'd get off the hook, but I'm a little on the ADHD side that way.

I wonder if one could do the same thing on the Texas coast, or is Louisiana better? Sounds like you are in the Mississippi proper? I do love the LA bayous. Great pics, thanks.

We fish 6 days because in December we could get bad weather and fish no days. If I book for 6 we usually only miss one and we might have less than stellar conditions on another. All of our fishing is sight fishing, we don't cast unless to a fish, so we need sun and not much wind. I would stay longer if I could but my buddy only wants to fish 6 days. He lives down there and can go anytime there is good weather. We fish in the marshes on the west side of the river down near Port Sulphur. Some days we will go 75 miles to find fish, fish certain spots, or to find sun. It is my understanding that fish in LA are much bigger than Texas. FYI, silvers were pretty much a no show in much of Alaska this year. Last year I caught 150 and this year 0.

 

[LCnSac]

Great to know, thanks for the detailed response. Really need to do this.

 

[BN2FSH]

Oct and Nov are the prime months, but if the weather is good Dec and even Jan are incredible. If you are going to go, you need to line up a good guide well over a year in advance. I can give you a few names.

 

[Mems]

Aloha Phil, who dat is sum nice reds. You should ask me where to eat down there. I grew up with the Brennans and the Dickies. Glad you guys had good weather. Black drum, I hope you got that one with a crab. Don

 

[BN2FSH]

Mems, here is a photo of a 46# black drum caught on a Rich Waldner's terminator crab.

 

[Mems]

Dat's a fine drum. Notice how red drum and black drum look similar when they get over 30lbs. The black drum loose their stripes and the girth they have as juveniles. Their teeth are very human like as well. Thanks for the pig photo Phil.

 

[BN2FSH]

And boy do they have slime!