Rough Weather on the Marsh

We have had a rough week of weather out on the Louisiana Marsh. With Rain most  of the week we have had to cancel a few trips. The days out on the water have still been good. Big redfish and black drum are still around and we are getting shots at them .The pattern has been a little off since the hard freeze we had a month back but the fish have moved back in and we are putting them in the boat. Keep and eye out for Fly Water Expeditions airing on the Sportsman’s Channel and Sun Sports with Shallow Water Angler TV in the next few weeks. We caught some monsters despite the cold conditions. Here are a few pictures, Tight Lines!

The Louisiana Marsh was on fire today!

We had an incredible day on the water today in the Louisiana Marsh. Great weather and monster redfish and black drum roaming everywhere on the flats. We landed 7 redfish on fly today all over 25 pounds with the two biggest being 30 and 38 pounds and this doesn’t even include the numerous other black drum we caught. The fish were pouncing on the fly as soon as it hit the water and we were taking advantage of their aggresive behavior. These are the days that make the marsh shine and show that is a great fly fishing destination.

Salty Shores Fly fishing in Louisiana

I have Sam Root from Saltyshores.com in Louisiana with me. We have been searching for large redfish on fly but the weather is not cooperating. Sam has taken some good pictures but we are hoping to have a break in the weather and catch some big reds on fly. I will keep you posted.

Picture of my new East Cape Vanatage

Killer red fishing

The past two days were incredible on the Louisiana marsh. I had Travis from Atlanta the first day and Hunter the 2nd day. Travis wanted to go for some big guys so our plan was to fish big fish water. I can’t tell you how many 5-10 pound fish we didn’t even cast to becaue we didn’t want waste time fighting them and have a monster swim by the boat. We ended up landing 15 fish with the biggest being 19 pounds and we had our shots at 30 pounders.
Hunter and I went out today and got after it. We landed a 22 pound redfish and a 31 pounder on fly. We also had 4 double headers on smaller fish in the 8-10 pound range and had a few other shots at some giant redfish. The Louisiana fishing is on fire right now,Tight lines!

Shy redfish

We had great weather again today and I had Taku and Raneigh in the boat from New York. Both of them great fly casters and they were both members of the Golden Gate fly casters club when they lived in San Francisco. The fishing was a little tougher today maybe due to the fron that will be coming through tonight. There weren’t as many fish on the flats and the redfish that were there were nipping at the fly and a little spooky, the fish wern’t acting like Louisiana redfish today. We still managed to get a few shots at some monster redfish in the 25- 30 pound range and Raneigh landed a nice 19 pound fish on fly as well as a few other 8-10 pound fish. Even though the fishing was slow we still had a great time out on the water. Tight Lines!

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

Redfish and Fly Fishing, Hopedale

Fly fishing for redfish, Today started at Penny’s Cafe in Violette, Louisiana. We had a great breakfast and picked up sandwiches for the day and it was off to fish for redfish. The weather man called for 5-15 knot winds with tons of sun. If you added the 5+15= 20 he would have got the wind right and we had scum sky (clouds) for most of the day. We launched out of Hopedale, LA in hopes to go look for some bigger redfish on the outside. The clouds weren’t going to help but we went anyways. The water was high and pretty clean, we started seeing fish right away. I had Jeff and Bob today and they were ready to sight cast to some nice redfish on fly. We got into the small fish early with the fish ranging from 8-10 pounds and they were feeding heavily on the outgoing tide. We put 6-7 fish in the boat in the first two hours of the day. As we got a little sun we went further out and got some nice fly fishing shots at fish in the 25 pound range and landed 5 fish that were 13-17 pounds with one double header which included the big fish of the day. We ended up with 12 redfish on fly today and the big fish are going to continue to move in.

Another good Louisiana Red Drum

We fished the 10 weight G. Loomis one piece Crosscurrent Pro 1 with a Tibor Riptide reel. A great setup for the bigger redfish, this makes it easier to thrown the big crab flies we throw at these beasts. Back at it again tomorrow and monday. Tight lines!

Another fatty redfish on fly.

Double reds caught while fly fishing.

Double header redfish

Fly fishing for redfish just doesn’t get any better then fishing the rich, productive, clear waters of Louisiana.

Give me a call to check available dates.

Rates

407-538-0770

Capnd13@gmail.com

Greg Dini
3021 Joseph St.
New Orleans, LA 70125

I look forward to having you on the boat!

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 fishing accommodations

Often I’m asked a lot of questions from first time anglers visiting Louisiana. Hopefully I can answer some of the most common questions here in my Fly Water Journal.

Fishermen can fly right into New Orleans International Airport. Rental cars are available at the airport and the drive is only 20 minutes to downtown New Orleans. There are endless places to stay down town. Most of my anglers will stay at the Hilton or the Ritz Carlton but there are tons of them if you do a quick google search for places in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.

What I like to do is pick up my charters in the morning around 6 am, I will bring them to breakfast at Penny’s Cafe in Violette, LA. We get good food and will pick up sandwiches for the day there.

The best time of the year to fish for a trophy redfish is October through March but the fishing is great year round so I don’t want to pigeon hole myself into those months only. If you want Louisiana seafood you will definately be able to get fresh Blue crabs and oysters if the time of the year is right straight off the oyster boats where we launch. I’m sure if you wanted to ship some home I can help you find a way or you can check a cooler in at the airport. If anglers would like to keep a few fish they can but I recommend they keep only slot size fish; 16-27″.

There are literally tons of fun places to hang out at night in the french quarter; Pat Obriens, etc, etc.

Some good restaurants while you are in Louisiana: Dickey Brennans steak house, Acme Oyster house, Brennan’s Sea Food, G.W. Fins, Drago’s Oysters and seafood, Antoine’s Restaurant and many I have yet to discover. I hope if you are coming to fish with me that this helps you prepare for our fishing adventure.