Trophy speckled trout and giant schools of redfish come to mind in April.  Reports of trout being caught usually begin in late March and get better as spring prepares to bloom.  If Mother Nature is on time, schools of mullet will thicken up and the brown shrimp can’t be far behind. 

By the time Q1 of the year ends, fishermen can be easily identified.  In April, our walk is slouched on cool, overcast days and brisk on warmer, clear days.  We often appear a bit anxious, making passes around any boat on a trailer, just to peek inside and see how it is set up.  If you can’t find us, look in the sporting goods stores.  Like generals planning a war, we walk the aisles studying the shelves, and plan our attack for the time when the speckled trout decide to invade.  Our conversations are focused on water temperatures, locations of clear water, and the date of April’s first full moon.  If the boat is in the backyard, increased piddling activity can be observed as we fix what we left broken at the...

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Even the Sportsman’s Paradise has a slow season. Now, our dip in the outdoor action is relative. Compared to many places, our slow season often beat other’s peaks. Our great outdoor action is to blame for our great outdoor love, which makes March a tough month for those with a passion for getting outside. 

       Of course, analyzing a problem is pointless without attempting a

solution and with a little effort I believe we can find many. For those whose attraction to the outdoors is easily pacified, this is show

season. Boat shows, sportsman shows, gun shows, and even home and garden shows are scheduled this time of year. They work like placebos prescribed to keep our cabin fever under control. 

       For those truly bitten by the outdoor bug, there are other options. The hearty sportsman can find huge bull reds in our coastal waters, from the edges of the Louisiana marsh, to the rocks at Fourchon and the island south of Cocodrie. If tuna and wahoo turn you on, the offshore fishing...

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If inshore anglers had to rank February as a fishing month, it would likely fall from its number two spot in the year to number twelve on the list. But, that doesn’t mean your rods and reels should be stored in the back of the garage or some dark corner of the attic. Despite inshore water temperatures hovering in the 40s, this is Louisiana, and we still have some great fishing choices inshore and offshore.

      February is a great month for Redfish, Drum and Sheepshead. Whether you blind cast, sight cast, fly fish or stick to the more traditional methods of popping corks and market bait, these “Polar Bear Fish” are a great choice early in the year for numerous reasons.

1.     Redfish, Drum, and Sheepshead aren’t as affected by the cooler water temperatures as speckled trout. These fish are as a hearty and active below the water as the nutria that live above them.

2.     The larger the fish, the more food they require. The need to eat keeps these fish active.

3.     Less bait means...

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               In order to stay afloat, a compulsory effect of the recession for many companies has been a concentrated and immediate focus on the bottom line. As a result, employers and their employees have felt the inevitable strain of extensive layoffs, chaotic restructurings, and difficult cuts and freezes in pay and benefits. But, as hopes of a recovering economy increase, and the anticipation and promises of a new year approach, executives, managers and business owners are turning their focus on the engagement and commitment of their employees. 

With the sudden changes and uncertainty employees have anxiously weathered this year, employee commitment has taken a hard hit; especially among top performers, according to a survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide. Employees have become dissatisfied as they are asked to do more with less, worry about instability, and often mistrust their employers.   

But, employee engagement is imperative to any and every organization no matter the size of the company...

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            We all know, and some of us are, the guy who buys the most horsepower (or perhaps a little more) than the boat is rated. Peak power and speed at any cost.

Often you will often find that slightly less than rated horsepower will give you 90% of the peak speed but a 20 -30% improvement on mileage. If you can run that engine at less than full throttle you gain even more. It’s the turtle and hare comparison.

I believe we often run our lives that way: A 110% effort at providing financially the most possible to ourselves and to our loved ones. But at what mileage cost to everyone involved?

You see where this pitch is going don’t you? You will benefit more by moderating your professional pursuits and prioritizing a little personal time. Doing something like… Fishing.

Very few experiences offer so much; fishing can be competitive, relaxing, solitary, or a party. You can share it with friends, family, associates, and children. Sometimes everyone on the boat shares the same experience,...

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There aren’t many months that offer the great fishing opportunities of December. The last month of the year is one of those largely under rated months for fishing in Louisiana. Our inshore fishery lights up as speckled trout, redfish and flounder make one last active move before the really cold weather of a new year sets in. Now, each of these species are moving for different reasons. If you understand their motivations, you obviously improve your chances of finding, enticing, and catching each one of these fish.

Speckled trout have become active in our December marshes in an effort to fatten up for the winter. These highly sensitive fish detect minute changes in water temperature and react to the warming and cooling trends of the season.  One of the speck’s favorite locations is often near a deep-water channel that opens to a shallow water bay or pond with oyster shell reefs nearby. This habitat allows the fish to move deeper when the water cools (deeper water is usually warmer) and...

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            A simple statement encompassing the passion of any American who loves fishing in Louisiana. Eight words I have shouted thousands of times with Capt. Barry Brechtel over the noisy outboard of our boat as we headed into the Louisiana marsh. One year ago this month Capt. Barry left us ahead of schedule, gone in seconds as he headed to Hopedale as he had for over twenty-five years in his “pursuit”.

            As I reflect on the past year, I realize, despite the passion for fishing and love of the outdoors in my life, since Barry’s departure, I haven’t heard, spoken, or even thought about those precious eight words, “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Speckled Trout.”

            Change is a part of life, a year ago this month we had a different President, economic downtrends were only beginning to accelerate, Gustav had left a mess for most of the state’s coastal areas, the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal was a navigational waterway, and Capt. Barry was the author of this column.

...

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             The experience of a few “cool fronts” and we all get excited about fall. We think of turning leaves, the cooler weather, and Halloween’s scary events. Wow, did this year fly by. But in the rush to kick start Q4 of ’09 we often overlook one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts, THE FISHING.

             The tenth month of the calendar year is a messenger for much of our wildlife and fisheries. The light cool fronts that make their way to our state let nature know it is time to prepare for winter. Patterns in the animal and fish world change, and those who want to catch fish in Southeast Louisiana would be wise to do the same.

             Avid anglers often speak of transition fishin’ this time of year. A time when fishing hot spots along the coast and just off the coast begin to cool down, and the fishing inside the marsh heats up. The “transition” means a wealth of opportunity for anglers with smaller boats. The protected waters of the state’s interior marshes are a safe haven for the...

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 If there is a theme for fishing this month it would be "Variety." The Lake Pontchartrain basin is on fire with fish this month. September is a month when the water in the lake is often a little clearer than usual and the salinity rises enough to attract a long list of great fish.

               With a little good weather, you can watch hundreds of boats leave from many of Louisiana’s marinas and launches. Each rig is loaded with tackle, bait, and anglers sporting a healthy dose of motivated spirits. Yet, at the end of the day, only a small percentage of those boats come back with a full box of fish.

             Now I enjoy a good boat ride as much as anyone, but if catching fish is the goal, the more running you do, the less fishing you do, and more than likely, the less catching you do. Like most things in life, a little preparation before you leave for your fishing trip, can go a long way. In a short space let’s take a practical approach to catching more fish.

 

Info is Gold

 

            A wealth of information is out there. Each week the news channels offer fishing reports on television; mine is on WDSU Channel 6, Fridays at noon. There are many locally produced TV fishing shows offering a wealth of information. The BIGFISH TV show comes on Saturdays...

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For those who work outside, there are days in July when each breath seems to hold less air than the last, your eyes are blinded by sweat, and your body won’t keep the water you drink any longer than if you just poured it over your head.

  

But as the legendary angler Barry Brechtel would say, “Here’s the good news”.

There is a golden moment most July days, when those who love to fish can get on the water and catch a box of fish along with a phenomenal sunrise, without breaking a sweat.

This time of year, speckled trout and redfish are probably more cooperative than any other. Coastal fishing is accessible for just about everyone. From the bank, a small boat or the latest and greatest in Bay Boat technology.

  

The sun comes up early in July, with the real heat setting in just before noon. An angler leaving the dock at the break of dawn can get five or six hours of fishing done before the afternoon stifling, “is something burning”, take your breath away heat,...

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I wasn’t born in a boat, but it was one of the few moments in my life I didn’t spend in one. My father defined enthusiasm for hunting and fishing and started dragging me along right away. I have never gotten a straight answer on whether he took me because he wanted to, or if my Mom left him no other option.

  

Regardless, every Friday, we would pack up and head to Lee’s Launch on Highway 90 for a weekend at the Roseau Club. A 100+ year old “camp” that we loved and shared with friends and the resident critters of Rabbit Island. It was here I caught my first fish, shot my first duck, and had my first boat and motor all before the ripe old age of 7.

 

 At the time, my best friend Roger Lightfoot and I would fish in that 16 foot flat with a 7.5 horsepower motor all day long. The rule was to always stay in sight of the camp. Our eyes must have been much better than theirs as we seemed to always be in trouble for venturing too far away. We worked feverishly to out fish the “old men”...

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Louisiana summers don¹t let the cold season come easily. Winter fights its way into our state like a chain-smoker pedaling a one-speed bike up a steep hill. However, when the time comes for our return to the summer season, we generally experience something completely different.

Bounce would be a better term for our Spring season. We bounce from temperatures in the low 40s to the mid 80s. Barometric pressures are never steady, and a clear sky in the morning rarely guarantees it won’t rain by lunch. The careful observer might say, “Yes but what about the winds? Aren’t the winds constantly blowing in the spring?” Sure, the wind speed stays in the teens as we head into summer. However, choosing which direction they will come from can be like finding that certain something you put in a “safe” place so you won’t lose it.

For the avid angler, we bounce off walls with “spring” fever. We, who love the rod and reel, know that in April the fish are feeling Mother Nature’s urgings to breed and feed. We know the baitfish and shrimp that migrate to warm offshore waters in the winter are returning to the coast and bringing some fat fish behind them. We know the smaller Speckled Trout and Redfish that winter in the marsh for safety are now bravely traveling into open water to meet the incoming shrimp.  We know all of these things would mean great fishing, if the weather would just stay consistent for a few days, but it doesn’t. It bounces from one extreme to another.

...

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