Devin
Forum Replies Created
-
“To make a long story longer, I did grind long enough to catch 4 nice trout and 3 flounder.
But my eyes were opened to the give and take of “community holes.”
Yeah, that’s not bad given the circumstances. The experience/learning curve is better, though.
“On the one hand, there is a reason why they are “community holes.” Fish are there.”
Fish are there (at times) and it’s easily found.
“Friday, even I could tell the fish were pressured. And even I could see why.”
Also consider that a lot of those fish leave the water in an icebox bound for Slidell, Kenner, wherever. If they’re frying in someone’s kitchen, then you cannot possibly catch them. There’s enough people out there that they all only need to catch a smattering to have an effect noticeable enough that the good fishing dwindles. Just go somewhere else.
The trout are eating up on every cast somewhere else. You just have to find it.
“And hopeful that I can how to find some of the other fish.”
Exactly. But this is what will probably happen if you don’t change anything: you will get the urge/time to go fish and, when you do, your paleolithic brain is going to resort to the easiest conclusion: go back to where you left them. Stick with what’s familiar. What I provide here is:
1.) advice to ignore that impulse, even fight it
2.) go somewhere else
3.) how to go somewhere else
This will take extra bandwidth. You will have to think. I cannot do this for you and your exact needs, but I have provided the over-arching information and process required.
With that said, I would consider making a drive down to LA-1 and launching somewhere there, or even going to Hopedale Marina and staking out the Rock Dam. Traditionally over the last 8 years or so it seems there’s always a kayaker who nails a hammer trout at the Rock Dam, like an 8 pounder, during spring.
I would also look hard at getting into redfish ponds and sight fishing. It could be as easy as going south down those rocks on the Lake P shoreline that heads towards NOLA.
-
I saw that! Can’t believe they made something that big. The price tag isn’t bad, either.
But my current boat is paid off. But it’s also getting old. Do I get a new boat? lol That’s the battle I put up with.
I really like the Xpress X21. I could go to a bigger boat, but just don’t have anywhere to put it, but then I could build a new garage and now you see where this rabbit hole goes. I’ll just crawl out and get back to work. lol
It is nuts that Tracker is making something with a better fit/finish.
-
“had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting the owner who couldn’t help but tell me I was apparently doing everything wrong in his eyes”
All of you here know me well enough that I am going to be fairly amiable and understanding with people, but all I can say is “fck that guy!” I really enjoyed that marina a lot more when Glenn Sanchez ran it and it was called “Breton Sound Marina”. I’ve caught more fish out of there than Pat Turner (current owner) has looked at and the years I did I never once saw him there. Never saw him guide out of there. Never saw a report from him, nothing.
And then out of the blue here’s this guy putting a finger in my face, asking “first time here?” as I’m trying to launch the boat as I have done for twenty frikkin years, then another ten before that with my father. Like, wtf?!
I heard that one of the Campos sparta-kicked him in the water years ago. lol That must’ve felt great.
“I wanted to stop along the way and fish some of the shell banks on the west side of the MRGO”
Yeah, those can be productive. Try topwater or a cork.
“I drifted some Oysters in Athanasio and didn’t catch anything.”
That’s more or less been my experience. It looks so good in every way and I keep waiting for it to turn on into a 50-100+ trout kinda day but have yet to see it happen.
“I will play Captain Hindsight and say I should have never left the rock dam.”
Then how would you know about everything else?
As always, great report, thank you so much for sharing it!
-
bumping this to the top because that area turns on during spring
-
Guys, these are great questions. I know they are answered in 101 and Spring Fish Location.
Because if you don’t know that knowledge, then what else are you missing? Probably some other critical foundational knowledge that’s really needed to find and catch fish.
I know it’s a lot of “work” to have to sit and patiently watch and pay attention to these videos. But even if you did that three times over it would still pale in comparison to the amount of time I’ve spent on the water, the amount of gas burnt, batteries drained, boats stuck/unstuck, break downs, ripped off lower units, tears of joy, disappointment, heartbreak and a lot more.
-
I’m sorry to hear it was a grind, but honestly I would be skipping anywhere YouTubers are posting videos and whatever community holes prone to be overrun anyway.
Surely there are fish somewhere else.
Either way, thank you for posting a report!!
-
I would look hard at the MRGO south of the Rock Dam, Lake Anathasio and the east shoreline of Lake Borgne.
-
-
Thank you for showing us how it’s done. That’s what I’m talking about. Just get out there and hit it with what you’ve got.
Great report, thanks for posting!
-
No, but what I would do if I were in your shoes is the exact same thing taught inside 101: pick out a bunch of spots based upon the conditions and fish them all, write a report, then go back based upon what I learned on the previous trip. Rinse and repeat for long term success.
I’d also use this forum for feedback on fishing spots that I actually plan to fish and routes that I actually plan to run.
Or risk reinventing the wheel on each fishing trip.
-
It’s a soft mud bottom now, I’m sure he hit something metal.
-
“The only thing that made me feel better was during the LDWF survey, the agent showed us his logs, almost everyone had a 0 marked next to it. Said one or two other people came in with 5 fish. Tough day.”
It’s that time of year. Some days will be great, others not so much.
-
Def just go around the Rock Dam. Plus you’ll have all that stuff you can fish on your way down.
I’m sure you’re already out there. Good luck.
-
Look, you have good questions and I’ll try to make this as simple as possible: go outside and look at the trees. Do you see some greening over with new leaves? I’m sure you do. At least, in southeast Louisiana that’s what I am seeing now. Now look again. Is every single one of them greened over with new leaves? No.
Some trout will go do the next thing sooner than others. Some later.
It’s easy to get wrapped around the axle over specific numbers. Don’t do that.
-
“I know for a fact no one had live shrimp at the marinas.“
Those same people are just going to fish with Gulp, dead shrimp or soft plastics.
“So, why do all those boats sit there for hours catching nothing?”
Because they don’t know what to do.
“Is it just a hope that the fish will turn on?”
Yes. That and a lack of know-how and, sometimes, a complete unwillingness to learn that know-how.
“Is it because some random person said they limited out in 20 min on Facebook?”
Yes. And they don’t know why or how.
-
“The phenomena of the boats camping out at the Trestles is the 8th Wonder of the World.”
Yeah. Like everyone should be obligated to…say, after umpteen trips there, go find fish somewhere else. Just out of principle.
One of the things of doing this fishing stuff professionally that wears on me is the same ol’ thing every year. I just cannot stomach doing the same predictable thing as easily as I once could. I am terribly bored with it. lol I don’t understand how people do it.
“The trestles has been getting hammered since October. It will always be a great fishing spot because of what is there, but my goodness the pressure has just been non stop the last 5 months.”
That’s pretty normal, but I’d say the pressure is certainly more consistent than what it was 20 years ago, because of spot lock trolling motors, better GPS units and smart phones.
It’s really wearing on me. I just wish people would give it a break.
