Devin
Forum Replies Created
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As for business: there have always been ups and downs. It’s just part of the game. Do this long enough, whether that’s operating a marina, selling bait, selling knowledge (what I do), marine assistance (SeaTow), fishing lures (Matrix Shad), guiding, etc. and you will eventually have highs and lows. It just is what it is.
LAFB has been here for them and I’m proud to say that it has successfully weathered them. We’ll see what the future holds.
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Man, great post. I’ve got some thoughts on this because I’ve been thinking about the same thing.
“the shrimp guy was complaining”
Sounds about right. lol When they stop, something’s wrong. lol
But seriously. Yeah, sales were up across the board inside the realm of Louisiana inshore fishing during COVID. Remember, the governor famously said that everyone could go fishing as an acceptable COVID-safe pastime. The masses of people are generally too afraid and stupid to make any decisions for themselves, so when he said that, they took that as his blessing and ran with it.
Well, now COVID is over and people can go back to whatever they did before.
But there’s more, we also got slammed by a major hurricane (Ida) and the economy took a downturn at about the same time. Oh and WW3 was kicking off. People just don’t have spending money like they used to (though I do think that is changing, as consumer confidence has risen). Things could be recovering, but even as people get their spending money back, they may not go fishing.
Fishing is an expensive, giant pain in the ass. Think of all the things you’ve got to have just to hit the water and even then it’s no guarantee you’re going to catch fish. You really have to be cut from a different cloth to love fishing.
You can have all the right equipment and make all the best decisions on a day with the best conditions and still get your ass kicked. That doesn’t happen in other pastimes. People want something a little more predictable and within their control. I don’t blame them, and most people are better off golfing, bowling, or whatever.
Now, I could be wrong, but I’m willing to bet the economy in Louisiana lags behind everyone else. Louisiana isn’t exactly a bustling metropolis where people are knocking kids out of the way to live and work here. Even California people avoided Louisiana in their exodus. LOL
But there’s more: I’ve talked to others within the inshore industry here, and we all agree that since the last few years there has been a decline in business due to more people fishing less, or getting out of the game altogether.
There are better economic opportunities elsewhere, and that draws Louisianans out as well. With an aging population, inshore anglers are growing old and getting out of the game.
This is bad for inshore business, but the bright side is that it could be good for the fish. The fish are the rockstars in this. Without the fish none of this is worthy. So maybe with less fishing pressure we will see the fish get space to breathe, breed, make more, and arrive to their former glory.
You hit it on the head: is this the end of the Armada?
Well, there will always be the Armada because there has always been one. But it will be less mighty. You will still get pestered at community holes, just not as much as before.
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I saw this again in the Slidell Independent, the locks/sills/whatever proposed being put in at Rigolets and Chef Passes.
Man, that’s really gonna F up the shrimp migrations in and out of the lake.
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Depending on how they construct it, they could very well accidentally build a couple new community holes. Or a new place for fish kills if deep water cannot flow. It just depends.
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Right now would be a good time to learn/study. It’s the tail end of summer and while the fishing isn’t the toughest (like it can be in February/March) it is not the best. Fall will bring better fishing and that’s not the time you want to be learning the hard way.
Otherwise, it sounds like you had a good day exploring.
Yeah, blindcasting is productive. It works. I’d just rather sight them.
Inside 101 and Sight Fishing Mastery there are videos detailing what to look for in satellite imagery to find good grassy ponds. Don’t rush through that content. Take time to pay attention and learn it the easy way now before the fishing gets good.
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Hey Ricky, welcome to the forum. It’s that time of year when things are a little slower being the tail end of summer and all. But there are fish out there. It will get better with fall and something is telling me with the river coming down that it’s gonna be a dynamite fall. Can’t wait to see what’s out there.
Thanks for posting an intro!
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Those are great questions for which I do not have great answers. I’ve always done it myself and have never had to dispose of a boat. Is the trailer worth anything? You can probably haul the boat to a landfill and dump it off for a $100 or so.
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I really haven’t heard much either, but haven’t had a chance to talk to the guys who would know. I am guessing there’s information out there, I’ve just had a lot on my plate. Bottom line is that Louisiana would benefit immensely from being a little more proactive and putting fish back in the water, but asking the masses to do that amounts to peeing in the wind.
Fishing has still been good enough and people are having fun, but the overall trend is a decline over the years and that really bums me out.
But I remain optimistic, especially with speckled trout. They’re just so fecund and will bounce back if given some room to breathe. The river is acting right, too. That sure does help. So hopefully the freeze wasn’t so bad and we will have an a-m-a-z-i-n-g fall!
Not that the summer was bad, we had some really good reports in here. I have no idea what’s been posted by guides and on social media in general, but I’m sure there’s good and bad.
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No, it’s not the same as a red tide. It’s just extra algal growth due to sunshine and warm temps. It’s a plant. It grows under those conditions and isn’t the end of the world every time that the media has trained us to believe.
It’s just that, in my experience, fishing doesn’t tend to be great in those locations that have too much algae. Just go somewhere else.
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After reading their About page, I’m sold. I would give them a chance.
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The Generac/Starlink investment that I made this year will ensure all storms stay away, strictly due to Murphy’s Law. lol
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My buddy who is a guide in Delacroix just bought one. I saw it the other day and it is a friggin battleship. The deck is so spacious, simple and to the point, and there’s plenty of room for a couple large coolers, perfect for food/drinks and icing down fish properly.
It really is just a straight fishing machine. The capped hulls are pretty, but I am over scrubbing gelcoat for the rest of my life. I don’t see myself getting into another capped hull unless I could find a really good deal on one.
But right now I’ve got a few pokers in the fire that must be tended to before buying a bay boat. All in good time. Can’t wait!
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That’s what I’m saying! Smarter, not harder!
Hey, did the drum have any worms in them? How were the fillets?
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Ha ha ha ha ha! No, Contenders are nice, but not my jam. Next boat will probably be a Blazer 2400.
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“I guess my hopes are that I can pull out a better class of wary fish on heavily pressured spots like HWY 11 or the MRGO rocks.”
Yeah, I think you can do that. Only to a point, you will eventually maximize your presentation, but I think you can do that.
Of course, keeping in mind that the real state record trout was caught on a friggin sparkle beetle. lol
