Just Another Day on the Water in Delcroix, La

Minimalist or Maximus??

This year’s Minimalist Challenge, put on by Bayou Coast Kayak Fishing Club, turned out to be one for the record books.  With a record amount of anglers, a record amount of weight at the scales, and a record sell out time, anglers from all over Louisiana showed up at the public launch in Leeville to take part in what some call, the best little tournament of the year. 

The Minimalist Challenge is exactly what its name portrays; anglers show up with nothing but their rods, reels, and kayaks and then are given the lures they are allowed to use.  This year anglers received a topwater, by MirrOlure, and 5 soft plastics and jig heads by Matrix Shad, which according to every angler I spoke with, is the best combination of lures the tournament has ever had.

As 125 anglers sat floating in the holding area awaiting the blast off horn, the breeze slowed, hats came off, and the voices silenced as Bill Crawford began to speak.  Bill, also known as Revredfish, said a prayer to guide us all in our endeavors, to bless the fleet, and most all to recognize the passing of Capt. Kristen Wray.  Kristen was a pioneer to the sport of kayak fishing in and around the Grand Isle area.  Kristen and her husband Danny operated Calmwater Charters and were known to many as the founders and operators of the famed Ride the Bull kayak fishing tournament.  Kristen was instrumental in developing, growing, and educating many about the sport of kayak fishing in and around Grand Isle.  While Kristen lost the battle with cancer her memory will continue to live on.  At last year’s Ride the Bull tournament a kayak only launch was dedicated in the name of Kristen and Danny Wray, so the next time you venture down to Ludwig lane on Grand Isle to launch your yak in search of that catch of a lifetime, think about Kristen and all she’s done to aid in the welcoming of the yak community, because I know she will be looking down upon all of us in our little plastic boats. 

As the prayer ended and the horn blew, all you could see were little white lights moving in stealth throughout the marsh and down the main channels.  For the first time ever it seemed that the weather gods had shined down among the participants, the weather was perfect, cool, light winds, good tidal range, and perfect water conditions.  I knew the results were going to be ground breaking.

As I pedaled my Hobie back toward the launch, I could already see 50 plus people standing in line with weigh bags and ice chest.  This was a scene I haven’t seen in at least 4 years in the tournament.  Usually the winds are horrible, the water is low, and weight numbers for this event aren’t always good, and rarely ever great, but today was a new day, and based on the line, there were a lot of fish that were going to be hitting the scales. 

I talked with many anglers, some had beautiful reds and couldn’t find trout, some had limits of beautiful trout and couldn’t find reds, and then there was a handful of those that found the gold under the rainbow and were standing in line holding 5 fat red fish and 25 nice trout.  Now keep in mind that’s 30 keeper fish and likely another 20 to 30 throw back fish that didn’t make the cut, all caught on only 6 lures, talk about some plastics that can hold up to a challenge.

After hours of fish being weighed the results were finally in and only ounces separated the first and second place finish, and with a total 125 anglers and a total weight of over 1200 lbs. of fish, it’s easy to say that this is the most successful Minimalist Challenge to ever hit the books. Both first and second place had weights broke the 42 lbs mark, and second place only had 4 reds, but he did have a pile of heavy trout.  As tired as everyone was from a full day of fishing, I have to recognize the tournament director and weigh master, they both fished the event, they both caught fish, and they both worked tirelessly for nearly 3 hours at the scales measuring and weighing every fish that came in.  Without commitment and volunteerism like those that run the Bayou Coast Club, there is no way these events would be possible. Thank you guys! 

I can’t help but think about the passing of Capt. Kristen as I put this piece together.  I have stayed many nights over the years with Kristen and Danny at their home in Grand Isle talking about strategies, locations, family and life in general and I have to believe that with years of foul weather for this particular event, that Kristen, likely sitting in a yak upstairs in the sky, had something to do with the perfect conditions that fell upon us that day. You will be missed by many, but forgotten by no one

Winners of the MC 9 took home over $2900 and weighed in over 1200 lbs of fish

Steve Lessard 1, Steve Neece 2, Clayton Shilling 3, Kevin May 4, Josh Reppel 5, big fish Josh Reppel, Leopard red Wayne Lobb

Fast Trout Action in Nasty Weather//Video

In the Final weeks of December, I had the opportunity to host good friend and great angler Craig Dye, of Last Cast Productions, down in Delacroix, la.  As a kind gesture Craig went home and made a short clip of what the day was all about.
Conditions were in the lower 50s and a strong north wind was blowing along with a  1.2 foot falling tide.  We caught everything on Matrix Shad and Rockport Rattler jig heads and Live shrimp. We didn't have to travel far from Sweetwater Marina to get into the action and we finished off a 50 speck limit before 9 am.  From specks we moved on to some shaded sight fishing, but as you can see in the video, Craig was successful. Just click the pic below to get started on a 2 minute clip of a lot of fish.



Until Next Time,

Stay Safe & Catch1

Get ready for January and the Minimalist Challenge?????

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have waited way too long for the waters around south Louisiana to reach the 50 degree mark, but it’s finally here.  In the first week of January, over two nights, the water temps dropped from 66 to 51 degrees in some parts.  That drop is what many of us in the kayak community have been waiting for.  Days where you don’t have to leave an hour before the sun, where you can chase trout all day rather than redfish, and where you have to remind yourself to drink enough water, because you’re not sweating like you did on Christmas day. 

If you are chasing trout, now is the time.  The trout transition into our interior marshes started over a month ago, but the congregation of trout has been minimal.  You could go out there and drift flats popping a cork, but the nonstop action has been minimal.  Well, with the water temps now in the normal range for where they should be, there shouldn’t be any problem finding schooled up trout.  Whether you are jigging the draining marsh into Bayou Terre aux Boeufs or finding deep canals down in Leeville, the action should be hot.

The easiest way to fill your bag this month is to find an area where the marsh is draining into a deeper canal; this is an easy location for stacked trout.  Another good saying I heard years ago that has held true when waters reach the low 50s is “when the water gets colder, fish over oysters.” I am not exactly sure where I heard that saying, but it holds true when the water temps drop.

Get ready for low tides, cold weather, and some fun camaraderie.

If you are fishing this month’s Minimalist Challenge down in Leeville, your best bet for pulling off a win is to fill your bag with a limit of reds and then chase your trout second.  If you can find some clean water around Lake Jesse and some redfish on the way, then you are likely going to be in the running for some money.  Lake Jesse has been producing some good numbers of speckled trout lately with jigs and plastics and corky style lures. If you decide to go south for the tournament, don’t be scared of the graveyard area, it’s a deep area with lots of snags, but it holds some beautiful fish this time of year.  From Paddle Palooza to last year’s Minimalist Challenge, there have been a lot of winning fish pulled from the vicinity and if you don’t know where it’s at, just look for the sunken barges and boats off the west side when driving across the Bridge to Fourchon.  There are also some solid areas to fish north of Leeville on the West side that have some deep canals with flats on each side that are covered with oysters.  You will likely find some of the hometown favorites scouring this area on tournament day and pre-fishing.

If you are staying local this month, Hopedale Lagoon is the place for steady trout action, that is if the water continues its colder temperatures.  There are oysters spread out throughout the lagoon and a channel in the middle that you can follow by the crab trap bouyies.  I am a big fan of jigging matrix shad and quarter ounce or 8^th ounce jig heads in the “goon” but trolling works well too.  You can also usually find a solid bag of reds along the eastern shoreline using spinner, spoons, or gulp under a cork.

Shell Beach is also another hot location this time of year for the kayaking community.  As duck season comes to an end there is a lot of marsh areas between the intracoastal and lake Borgne that hold a lot of red fish, but don’t forget to hit the mouths of the canals you use to enter the marsh as they sometimes can hold a pile of speckled trout.

No matter where you go this month make sure to dress heavy, dress dry, and always have a spare set of clothes tucked under the deck in a dry bag. I know it can seem like a hassle, but if you happen to fall in, it will be the best thing you take with you.  Being in 50 degree water with air temps in the 40s is not a recipe for a good time, it’s a recipe for disaster.

Until Next Time,

Stay Safe & Catch1

 

 

 

 

December to Remember

 

While fall fishing took a little longer than usual to kick in this year, the recent string of cold fronts have definitely had the trout on the move and their transition into our interior marshes is now in full force.  While they have been showing up in low numbers in their usual winter spots, the fall areas have been on fire throughout the gulf areas of the state, it seems every person I talk to is slinging limits of yellow mouths over the gunnels every day.

This month I had the opportunity to get on the water with some local superstars, in their own minds of course, and pick their brains about different topics that they are passionate about.  As I arrived at Rigolets Marina an hour before the sun was set to rise, I was met by Ranger Pro and local guide of In & Out Charters, Capt. Bubby Lamy, and General Manager, third generation owner of Double D Meat Co, Josh Stogner.   These are two individuals that want nothing more than to succeed in everything they do, whether it’s putting fish over the rail for clients, or making sure that your family is getting the best country smoked sausage there is, these guys are not only good at what they do, but they are proud of it.

Capt. Bubby is a native of south Louisiana, a family man, a father of three, an inspiration to many, and a captain that strives to make sure you’re smiling the entire day on the water.  With over 30 years of experience fishing the waters of Louisiana mixed with a personality so entertaining it’s contagious, you can’t help but have a good time.

Josh is also a native a south Louisiana, a family man, a father of two, and a provider to many of us throughout the country when it comes to the best smoked sausage around.  With more years of experience in the processing industry than he wants to admit, being the third generation of the family owned Double D Meat Co., Josh has worked long and hard to perfect their meats and grow their business into a national sensation to taste buds, all while carrying on the family traditions and values that his previous generations started nearly 50 years ago.

With the sky still black and the wind beginning to blow, Capt. Bubby pointed the bow of his Ranger Bay 2510 south and let loose on the 300 Yamaha horses and we were on our way.  The throttle stayed steady until we made it to our first destination, “the wall”.  As we arrived at the large locks, it was a sunrise of great proportions, the sun was shining on the tugs pushing the barges along the ICW, the tips of the Paris Rd Bridge or “green monster” were shining, and for a minute it seemed that everything stood still.  But just as I was attempting to take a few pictures I was reminded by the comical captain that it’s now fishing time.  We made our way to the back corner section south of the gates and nosed our way slowly closer to the wall, Bubby and I were jigging Matrix shad in Lemon Head and Limbo Slice, while Josh was Carolina rigging live shrimp.  Within minutes Josh was hooked up and it didn’t take us long to figure out it wasn’t a trout as the drag was screaming off the reel.  Josh hooked into a gorgeous redfish that did everything he could in his attempt to elude the net, he made runs around several crab pot buoys, of which we had to unwrap by hand while Josh continued to fight the beast, and after what seemed like 10 minutes, we finally had the first fish in the boat.  During this time a couple other boats had pulled up and started working the back corner of the area.  As we high fived and took a few pictures, we were quick to get back to the task at hand.  Within minutes there were trout flying into the boat from every direction.  After 10 or 15 yellow mouths in the box, Capt Bubby decided to make a move, his sights weren’t set on just catching trout, he wanted to catch big trout, and so with that in mind, we cranked up and moved to another section of the wall about a mile or two away.

As we arrived at location number two, there wasn’t a boat in sight. Bubby positioned the boat along the wall in an effort to set us all up working a small ledge in 27 feet of water, and as expected, the trout began flooding the floor of the Ranger Bay.   These trout were all keepers and a little bigger, but still not what Bubby was looking for.  After about 30 minutes and another 20 trout bubby decided it was time to move again, but this time he gave us options.  Bubby looked at Josh and asked him if he had ever sight fished reds, and with as straight a face as one can have, Josh simply said. “Nope, but I’m open for anything.”

That’s all it took, you could see the excitement on Bubby’s face, he was like a kid on Christmas morning, and I just knew what lied ahead for Josh was going to be an experience he would never forget. 

As we arrived in the middle of nowhere, all you could see was crystal clear water and marsh grass for miles.  Bubby and Josh got in the front of the boat and I climbed up the T top and was perched like a bald eagle searching for his next meal.  Bubby knew these waters well and was able to almost point out the fish before we could even see them.  With matrix shad hooked up to spinner blades, the flash and thump was too much for these reds to resist.  First it was one red here and one red there, and then it was schools of reds cornered in the back of ponds.  Once Josh got his bearings and understood what to look for and where in the column the reds were swimming, it didn’t take him long to get in on the action landing his first sight fished redfish.  Within a couple of hours there were three limits of quality redfish on ice and I’m pretty sure some of the stories throughout the day will be recalled and shared for years to come.

Running a business is never easy and running a family business can have added consequences and pressures being you’re becoming part of something that is bigger than you, and the last person you ever want to let down is your own family.  So with that in mind, I asked Josh how he became involved in the family run Double D Meat Co, when did he know he wanted to continue the family tradition, and what keeps him motivated? Without hesitation, Josh quickly responded, “As a teenager I worked at the plant during my summer and Christmas breaks from school, so I knew at that time I wanted to stay in the family business when I graduated. I’ve learned a lot from my Dad Mike and Uncle Tillman, two of the greatest all around men I know, who trust me to run the family business just as Grandpa Dutch trusted them. We strive every day to continue to produce a high quality product that our loyal customers love and we continue to treat our customers as friends. Whether we are called D&D, Two D’s or Double D it gives us a sense of pride when we hear customers say they grew up eating our sausage and in their eyes there is no other. We’ve been blessed and try to help the community whenever we are able.”

Double D has been serving our community for 48 years strong and has always had a family atmosphere over the last 30 plus years I’ve been going there.  They can ship to anywhere in the U.S. by request and can be found at all of your local and major food chains.  As for their processing operations of wild game, I don’t drop my deer of anywhere except DD in Bogalusa, and now when you drop off your venison you can even enter your deer by weight into their big buck competition to win a wide array of high end prizes.

I did an article earlier this year on Double D Meat Co and the myth of whether or not you get your own meat back after you drop it off.  Well we already dispelled that myth, and getting to know Josh and seeing who he is as a person says a lot about the family touch that is put into their products, and based on the success of their company, the quality of their meat, taste of their meat, and the instilled family values that Josh portrays, there is no question why they have they have been dubbed, “Home of Country Smoked Sausage.” 

Quotes

Josh, what did you think about the trip? “It was a great day of fishing; Sight fishing from an elevated position was a 1st for me but won’t be the last. Any day on the water fishing with good people is a good day but putting fish in the boat makes it a great day. “

Capt Bubby, what did know about DD Meats? “Double D is my favorite smoke sausage, I’ve tried the rest now I eat the best, Double D Smoked Sausage.”

Capt Bubby, what is it that draws you to chartering and to fishing in general? “Although fishing is about catching fish for most people, it’s not everything. It’s the friendships and the enjoyment you have trying to catch them that’s everything.”

 

 

When plagued with rain, wind, and muddy waters, open up the history book

 Fishing in south Louisiana is well known for the phrase that lines most of our local license plates, "Sportsman's Paradise", due to the many species that lie within our coast lines, from quail to deer, Tarpon to Tuna and Speckled Trout to Largemouth Bass, there is an abundance of game that people travel thousands of miles to experience.  But recently, we have been under an aerial attack of constant rainfall mixed with high winds and muddy water. And while many parts of the Louisiana coast have continued to produce great numbers of specs and reds both inshore and off, you have to really pick your days wisely and most of all safely. 
Over the past several weeks I have been following schools of redfish throughout the marshes of Delacroix, La.  And while it usually seems easy to just launch your boat or kayak and begin catching reds within minutes, this past weekend was a completely different story. 
Most recently, I have spent my time within a 10 mile radius of my launch location, and every day I ventured out I was able to quickly get on some good action.  Clear and shallow water site fishing around vegetation that was matted up on the surface, like a field of 3 day old cut hay, seemed to be the ticket.  The thick grass was keeping the water filtered and it was almost like fishing in an aquarium.  There were many times where the fish weren't tailing above the water, but with the clarity being what it was, we could see the fish in pods up to 50 to 70 yards away glowing in the sunlight.  It was weeks of nonstop action, and easy numbers for clients.  Sometimes we would go just half a day and easily see over 100 redfish.
And then just when you began thinking you hung the moon, a 25 mph south east wind blows in and shakes it all up.  On one day the water levels were normal and the next they were two feet higher, all the grass matts were now below the waters surface, the 12 inches of water we were catching them in was now 3 feet deep, and what seemed like an army of redfish the day before, quickly turned into a popular hunting ground that was cleaned out by a forest fire.  There wasn't a redfish to be found for miles. 
After about 5 stops in the normal hot spots and only landing a few specs and bass where the reds were supposed to be.  We finally decided to make a move to deeper water.  It wasn't deep to most, but when you have been fishing 10 inches to 3 feet all day, moving into a fast moving canal with a point on it and a drop off from 3 feet to 11 feet, that's what we consider deep.  We ended what started out as an extremely slow and frustrating day with a box full of redfish in less than an hour.  Now, the question is why?  Why did these fish move out of the shallows?  All of the bait in the world had been blown up and into where the fish were the day before, but on this day with water levels were two feet higher and they were all gone.
What was it that made them move and congregate into deeper water, and were we catching them coming back into the shallows, or were we catching them congregated in the deep? It's a little bit of that "chicken and the egg" question.
Now, it's never uncommon for fish to move on a daily basis, and staying ahead of that pattern is what really separates the consistent anglers from the not so consistent ones.  We have all fished with people that swear by an area, because last time they fished it they caught a million fish, but when you show up with them you catch nothing, and they give that dumbfounded face followed by, "I don't know what happened, they were here last time???"
This is a great opportunity for a teaching lesson, nothing major, just the simple things like: what time of year was it, what were the conditions, falling tide or rising tide, south wind or north wind, before a front or after a front?  These are just some simple questions that you need to ask yourself before venturing off to ones honey hole, or better yet your own honey hole.  Get a journal(or what I refer to as "the history book"), record the same information time and time again, and within a year, you will already have a good idea of what to expect next year.
Redfish and trout, along with hundreds of other species,  can be very predictable if you understand and follow the patterns.  Keep an eye out on the forums and local fishing magazines, document where the reports are coming from and pin them on a map.  Over time, you will notice that year in and year out the same patterns and transitions begin to arise.  Sometimes they may be a week or three ahead of or behind schedule, while other times they may be spot on.  If you take the time to read books, like Trout Masters for example, you can learn a lot about the habits of fish, and more important than learning their habits, is learning what causes those habits.  Knowing this will keep you ahead of the fish and following their transition before they even make it, like spawning salinity, when do they spawn, where do they spawn, where do they hold before a spawn, the forage hatch, is it shrimp or pogies this month, big shrimp or small shrimp, what does a north or south wind do to certain areas in terms of clarity, salinity, and temperature.  It may take a little homework, but if you document it as you live it, you will always have it as a quick reference, and the next time your buddy says, "lets go hit my honey hole," you can quickly respond with a few questions or possible suggestions that could make your day on the water a lot more enjoyable.


Until Next Time,

Stay Safe & Catch1