Louisiana Redfish - Photos courtesy of Sam Root and Mark B. Hatter

Posts tagged: crab

Fishing in the Louisiana Marsh

Louisiana Marsh, The vast Louisiana marsh is located in the south eastern portion of the state. It accounts for thousands of miles of seemingly endless shorelines, flats, bays and ponds where redfish take up their residence year round. Located 40 minutes from downtown New Orleans, anglers from all over get the opportunity to fish the most prestigious redfishery in the world. The redfishing is great year round but depending on what time of the year it is determines where we will fish in the marsh. In the spring and summer we dedicate our time to the duck ponds on the interior marsh looking for those big slot, to just above slot redfish. During the fall and winter months we concentrate on the Biloxi marsh which is a 20 minute boat ride from Breton Sound Marina located near Hopedale, Louisiana.

marsh

This area has some of the biggest redfish around with world record fish possible on every trip out to the marsh. These fish cruise shorelines in 1-3 ft of water searching for as much food as they can find to fatten up for the winter months. The redfishes main diet this time of the year is crabs, snails, shrimps and the flies that we throw at them. An average fish this time of the year is 20 pounds but fish exceeeding 40 pounds is also in the deck of cards. Red fish aren’t the only target we fish for in these waters. We also get the opportunity to fish for monster black drum as well. These fish are mixed in with the redfish and can grow in excess of 60 pounds.

36 pound Louisiana Redfish

36 pound Louisiana Redfish

We pole around in technical skiffs in gin clear water in search of these monsters of the flats and with the Louisiana marsh being so big you never have to worry about seeing any other boats fishing your spots. You truely are in God’s country when you are out there. With only a handfull of boats that sight fish for these beasts on fly, the fish get very little pressure and when presented a fly or lure correctly they have no problem coming over to it and inhaling your presentation. It isn’t uncommon for these fish to get you well into your backing providing a sight fishing experience of a lifetime. When weather cooperates you can expect to have shots at monster fish all day long and an average day for big fish can be anywhere between 5-10 fish with exceptional days landing upwards of 20. This truely is the land of giants. I invite you to come share in this incredible fishery and enjoy everything else this great state has to offer.