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Okay, I’m a little confused as to what conditions you were experiencing. If we can clear that up, I can give you better answers.
Thing #1
Which way was the water moving? Was it moving west to east (falling)? Or was it rising?
If it was falling you were set up ideally (correctly). But, given the debris on the west side of the Trestles, you can still fish the west side, just know you will need to use more slack (or even a heavier sinking weight) to fish the bottom.
If it were rising then you were 1,000% on the wrong side of the pilings.
Thing #2
How do you know you were reaching the bottom on your casts?
Thing #2.5
How often were you getting snagged? How many lures did you break off?
Thing #3
Lake Pontchartrain’s water movement can be fickle. That’s because uneven water levels after a significant wind event can cause it to continue to drain or fill, even when the tide is predicted to do something opposite. This is due to Lake P being so big and having such relatively small holes through which to drain/fill (Chef and Rigolets passes).
That’s why I want to be super clear on Thing #1.
Thing #4
Chas probably caught those fish somewhere else on the Trestles, he was just trying the area by you looking for his next fish.
He’s also in touch with every other single fishing guide/Lake P regular on the lake. I used to be a part of that circle but now keep to myself. If he sees me out there I will hear from him, especially if he’s struggling. lol
Chas is great, I love him, we are friends, but these days I mostly keep to myself and don’t really talk to anyone. I just apply my process and live/die by that.
Thing #5
Don’t take everything he does as gospel because there are non-fishing reasons he does what he does. For example, if he’s working his way down the bridge and there’s someone anchored in his direction of movement, he’s not going to work his way up to them, give them a high five, swap fishing stories then begin a seminar. He’ll go under the bridge, work past on the opposite side, give a friendly wave if he’s spotted, then continue on. Like the rest of us, he puts on pants one leg at a time and just wants to fish without being bothered.
FWIW, I do the same thing.
That and if there’s a million boats on the bridges he won’t bother fishing amongst the crowd. He’ll find fish somewhere else, even if the trout are really chewing on the bridge.
Thing #6
For me, personally (and apparently for Chas), the absolute best time to fish the Trestles is when the water is coming in, flowing east to west. This does not necessarily equate to a rising tide, for the reasons mentioned in Thing #3. When the water is rising (whether that’s due to gravitational forces from the sun/moon, wind or uneven water levels, the west side of the Trestles is best because now the pilings and debris are working with the direction of water movement.
You can still fish Hwy 11 in this condition, but I’ve found that Hwy 11 is most productive when water is falling out.
Thing #7
That wind you reported is not going to be enough to turn the tide around. It looks like you had a .6ft tide range that day, which is a good deal for the Trestles. A 10-15mph wind would have a more noticeable effect.
Thing #8
“A friend of mine limited out the past two days in his kayak there.”
I’m interested to know what he did different. I’m assuming you’ve debriefed with him to ascertain this.
Thing #9
Chas probably caught those fish spread out across pilings. He’d pick one up here and there. I doubt he crushed them in one spot.
