BoldWater and Saltyshores

We snuck a half day trip in before Derek Redwine from BoldWater and Sam Root from Saltyshores had to be at the airport.

After a big hearty breakfast at Penny’s and picking up our Po Boys for lunch we were off to the Louisiana Marsh. The wind was still honking pretty good but we persevered. Both Derek and Sam got some nice redfish on fly. Sam shot a lot of incredible video and pictures. I’m excited to see how it comes out.

Before it was time to pack it in and get these guys to the airport Derek said he would pole me up the next bay. It didn’t take long to find a victim, at first I thought it was a decent redfish siting on the point. As I fired off the fly a big tail hit the surface, and a couple strips and an enormous Black Drum face engulfed my fly. I think Sam got the bite on video. After that we took some pictures and headed for the barn.

Derek and Sam said the check in at the airport was quick and painless. The next few days it looks like I will have some good weather for my charters.

If you want to hit up some Big Louisiana redfish call me, the fishing will continue to get bigger and better for the next few months and I still have some openings.

Fishing the Louisiana Marsh

Started the day off catching a few reds on jig.

BoldWater gets a nice redfish on Fly.

Sam Root gets a good redfish on fly

Louisiana redfish

My 40 pound black drum on fly

A couple celebratory beers and we are off!

BoldWater and Saltyshores in Louisiana

Today I fished with Derek Redwine from BoldWater and Sam Root from Saltyshores. We were suppose to make a trip of it yesterday but the passing of hurricane Ida did not allow it. Today I’m afraid was not much better with winds in excess of 25 miles per hour. We fished in the IPB which did remarkably well in the gail force winds a bit wet but to be expected in these conditions. It took us awhile to find some fish do to the fact the water was so dirty and the wind kept everything stirred up. We managed quite a few redfish and even a few unexpected events.  Derek caught a redfish literally under the bow of the boat after thinking the red had refused his first offering. Later Sam throwing his new Loop Opti 9 wt. caught a nice double header with Derek. I played assist on a couple  multiple hooks ups today as well. All and all we had a great trip looking forward to another one tomorrow.

Sam Root red on fly

BoldWater Derek Redwine with a nice redfish

Me and BoldWater Derek with Louisiana Redfish

BoldWater with Louisiana Redfish

Uptown angler, Leland Fly shop and Travis Holeman

Went out today to have a guides day off with Capt. Travis Holeman. We got the opportunity to fish with former Uptown Angler manager Hunter Heumann and the present manager of Leland Fly Shop, MJ Jones. Leland Fly Shop is one of the biggest outfitter in the U.S. and won the retailer of the year in 2009 at the fly tackle retailers show. Leland is located in San Fransisco and has a great online presence in the fly fishing community. This was MJ’s first time fishing the Louisiana marsh so we wanted to make sure we showed him a great time. We got to the first spot and MJ was up first, we went up into a pocket that I have been fishing this past week and MJ landed a nice 12 pound redfish on fly right off the bat. After that we were going down a couple deeper edges and he got a few shots at some monster reds but the fish weren’t acting right and we didn’t capitalize. Travis was able to sight fish a 25 pound redfish on convetional gear and when I was getting ready to pull the fish out of the water with the Boga Grip the fish shook loose and came off the hook when he landed back in the water, bummer. This would have been a good redfish to take a picture with. We made a move to our next spot and it was my turn to get up on the casting platform of Travis’s Lake & Bay bay boat. We saw a fish immediately when we stopped cruising down the shoreline. I made a cast and threw the fly a little behind the fish, I picked back up and threw another cast about a foot in front of the red and made one strip and it was over, another nice 15 lb. redfish on fly. We messed around for a little while longer before the wind picked up and the scum sky came in. We ended up landing 4 reds on fly and a few more on conventional. We also got a dozen or so nice speckled trout to take home for dinner. Another great day on the water and it was a ton of fun sharing the day with Travis, Hunter, and MJ. Tight Lines!

Solid redfish on Fly.

Louisiana Black Drum on Fly

Back at it again today on the Biloxi Marsh. Another day of nice conditions, a little breezier today then the past 3 but we still found a ton of fish. We went to the outside today to go search for some big redfish and started off by catching a few nice 6-12 pound fish on fly. We were throwing a purple and tan cran fly that I have been tying for the past few years and the fish were jumping all over it. After we messed around with the little fish we fished some deeper shore lines to look for the big boys. We got 2 shots at big redfish today and one was a freaking stud. The fish was tailing in about 2 1/2 ft of water and we could see him from a ways off. When we got closer I could tell he was a huge fish, I estimated him to be between 35-40 lbs. Craig made the shot and the fly landed 2 ft in front of the fish. The fish started to track the fly and then it all went wrong. My pushpole hit and oyster and made a loud screetch and the fish bolted, oh well. We still had a great day on the water landing 14 redfish on fly and one monster 25 lb black drum. I’m back out on the water again tomorrow to do some fun fishing. Tight Lines!

Louisiana Black drum caught on fly

Releasing a fly caught black drum.

Fishing on the Inshore Power Boat

Redfish are still eating the fly very well in the Louisiana Marsh. Here’s some pics from Nov. 5th’s trip aboard the loaner Inshore Power Boat.

Big Louisiana redfish on fly

Had a guides day off and went out on the water with good friend Capt. Gregg Arnold. Weather was perfect, tons of sun and clean water. We landed the first monster redfish of the day within 5 minutes of shutting the boat down. We spotted the fish in about a foot and a half of water. I made about a 50 ft. cast with my Sage Z-Axis 10 wt, the fly landed 3 ft. to the left of the fish and he came over and gobbled it up. Got him to the boat and he weighed in at 30 lbs. Greg was up next and got a few shots at som 15 pound fish that he hooked and they got off. We polled up into a little gut off of a big bay and I spotted a nice fish tailing up on the shoreline. Gregg made a perfect cast, one strip and he was on. Landed him and he was a rspectable 25 pounder. We messed around a little while longer and caught another 22 lb. fish and I got a 20 pounder. We ended the day with Gregg landing a 26 pound Black Drum on fly. A great day on the water and fun pulling on some monster Louisiana redfish. Tight lines!

Fat redfish on Fly!

Flyfishing for Louisiana reds

I had Tim and Jeff in the boat today who came with a group of guys that Captain Al Keller had put together. We had an East Cape Caimen day with Al just getting his new Caimen two weeks ago, the fish didn’t have a chance. The water was high and dirty in most places today on the Louisiana marsh from all the rain and south winds we got from the front that just came through. The  redfish weren’t in their normal haunts and had pushed way back into the duck ponds that normally dont have much water in them. We still managed to find gin clear water and plenty of redfish were caught on fly. Al and I are both back at it again tomorrow on the search for some 40″ redfish. Tight Lines!

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.

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

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.

Louisiana Marsh fishing on fly

Incredible Louisiana Marsh Redfishing, another great day on the water with Clayton and Mack. We went out with high expectations from the day before and with the beautiful weather that was called for; winds 5-10 and tons of sun. We stayed on the inside today to fish for the fat pond redfish. We pulled up to the first marsh point and we were greeted with a school of 25 red fish sitting in a cut and ready to eat or flies. Mack was first up and landed a nice 9 pound red drum and while he was hooked up other reds were following his fish. I yelled to Clayton to get his rod out and when he stripped enough line off the real he threw his crab fly in and was hooked up with one of the three double headers we had today. The redfish were happy and ready to feed, many of the fish we had to dig the fly out of their crushers. The redfish averaged 7-9 pounds and for those of you who don’t know about Louisiana redfishing, these 9 pound fish were only 26″, super fat. The big fish of the day was a nice 12 lb slob and we ended the day one upping our previous day, 28 redfish on fly, all sight fishing. Another epic day of redfishing in the Louisiana marsh. Tight Lines!

Pair of redfish on fly

Redfish on crab fly.

Louisiana Marsh redfishing

I fished today with Clayton and Mack. We were out on the water by 7:30am and looked forward to having great weather with tons of sun. The water was super clean in the Louisiana marsh today and the redfish were crawling all around the boat. Both Clayton and Mack came to fly fish and they played paper rock scissors to see who got up on the bow first. The fish were tailing, backing and pushing down the shoreline on a true feed. Both the guys were throwing crab flies and the fish we’re pounding them as soon as they hit the water. We landed 17 redfish by lunchtime and ended with 27 fish over all including one Gar. The Louisiana redfish were averaging 6-8 pounds and the big fish of the day was a nice 10 pounder. This was a great day on the water with two awesome anglers. The fall redfishing is on fire right now and is only going to get better. I have both of these guys again tomorrow and we are going to look for some 40″ redfish. Tight lines!