Early February Sac a Lait

Sac a Lait in January Video

Bayou Bienvenue Mixed Bag

I decided to take the boat out a mild cold front had passed through the night before and the NW winds were draining the marsh. This was a perfect day to go to the hot water canal if that still existed but there are multiple deep areas that hold fish in the winter. We launched a little after sunrise and headed out to find some redfish the plan was to find some reds early then go back for the trout. We started off in the Mrgo at one of the larger drains with nothing so we decided to move up on the spot where the rocks line the bank. We drifted the rocks and Cody was able to hit a barely undersized red we fished around the area a little longer but nothing. We relocated to another spot where we had a deep drain going into a dead end that was blocked off we tried jigging but the wind and current made it difficult to feel the bite so after 8 minutes we were off to the next spot. This was another deeper area that I have had a lot of success in the past. We anchored up and began jigging slowly on the bottom I quickly had a hit but lost the fish on the way up. We stayed and jigged and I received another hit  I set the hook and began cranking. The fight was no runs just head shakes I thought it was a large lethargic trout but when I got it to the surface I could see the dark silhouette of a flounder. We continued in this spot with a bunch of short strikes and Cody was able to land a barely 12 inch keeper trout. Soon after we got impatient and left to look for more reds. We probably could have stayed and put together a decent box but that is not my style I like to look for greener grass when I am fishing. Sometime that works and other days its a regrettable decision. But I am not fishing for food so if I am not catching what I am aiming for I will got out and try to locate those fish and expand my knowledge.  We went on the hunt back into some deeper bayous hoping the low water would pull the reds out of the ponds. The rocks lining lake Borgne were completely visible and one of the spots I wanted to try was inaccessible so we ducked into a plan b. There was water movement and bait fish and shrimp were being chased. I sent in a gulp shrimp to a point where the bait was being scattered and my line went tight. Originally I thought it was a smaller red but it turned out to be a decent bass. That was the only fish we could pull out even though the bait kept getting scattered. It was getting late so we decided to try the wall on the way in but nothing was biting so we called it a day. All we did was prove that fish can be caught on bad weather days and if we would have hunkered down in a spot we could have put a decent box together.

Searching for Sac a Lait in Bayou St.John

Kayak Fishing Leeville in January Video

Bayou Bienvenue Rat Reds

Lets Go Fishing Boat Repair Videos are Over

Fishing Goals for 2017

My Brothers First fish of the year came in 30 degree temps

2016 was an amazing fishing year I fished 7 states and caught multiple new species and personal bests.  Looking forward to 2017 I want  less variety in my fishing and dedicate significant time to try to scratch two goals off my list.

2017 Goals
My main fishing goal of the new year is to catch a 7+ pound Speckled trout. My ultimate speckled trout dream is to break 30 inches and 10 pounds but I figure I should start smaller with a 7 pounder. A fish in this weight class in Louisiana is pretty rare but I know they are swimming in my favorite fishing spot Lake Pontchartrain right now.

During the summer when the speckled trout bite slows down I plan to hunt down another elusive fish in lake Pontchartrain the tarpon. The tarpon like the Jack Crevalle and sharks come in to the Lake Pontchartrain basin in the warmest months of the year chasing the Mullet and schools of Pogies. My plan is to avoid the jacks and hook up with their more prestigious running mate.

If you have read this blog you know that if i am not in Lake Pontchartrain I am probably fishing a kayak tournament. Most tournaments I have done very little prefishing but this year my goal is to make the top 10 of every tournament I fish. My online research is already as robust as can be I spend hours reading articles, forums,reports and scouting maps but I haven't put much time into getting out there and really testing my findings. Some tournaments I would have done much better if I could have eliminated areas before wasting valuable time in an unproductive area.  I know that prefishing is going to play a huge part in  making the jump up to the top ten.

Finally one of my 2017 goals was to get a boat. Well I got a head start and got a boat the second to last week of 2016.  I have been working on it getting it in shape to fish hard this year. I am planning on participating in a couple 5 trout stringer tournaments during the summer. Some of these events draw the best trout fisherman of the area to compete and Im eager to put my skills to the test. I have a little lower expectations for these tournaments than the kayak events but this year just being a participant will be enough.




 Finally My last Goal is to host a Lake Pontchartrain Jack Crevalle Tournament. The popularity of the fish has grown in the last few years in the lake and with so many guys chasing them there should be some stiff competition during the event.