[LA_Fiddler]

With the water that clean, you must have been disgusted! Your experience matches mine.

Two weeks ago I put Grand Isle on my report but i was really up north https://www.lafbelite.com/forums/discussion/grand-isle-10-12-and-10-13/

I was likewise baffled at the lack of shrimp, birds, and thus specks. Mullet everywhere and the few trout were deep (but nice sized)

They should be in little lake and north by now. I just haven’t seen it happen yet. I did see one good report from 3 bayou bay this week.

My theory is the freeze was really bad in Barataria, and we haven’t gotten a hard north wind to pull shrimp out of the marsh. Wednesday and Thursday next week looks like the first big north wind, so I’m hoping that gets it started.

[LA_Fiddler]

Welcome! Good luck taking the grandkids out – Kids having success is the best feeling.

[LA_Fiddler]

Scanning rigs and rock jetties is how I use mine for the most part, and I’ve had success. I’m still old school so im scared to get close and scan rigs I’m about to fish out of fear of spooking trout.

It is also really good for scanning for shell bottoms. Drive over mud then drive over oyster reef and the difference is really clear.

I find you have to get closer than you think to the structure to get a good picture. Also keep a consistent slow speed and avoid turns. I don’t loop around a rig so much as I make straight passes next to it.

• This reply was modified 1 week, 1 day ago by  LA_Fiddler.

[LA_Fiddler]

I use google earth and the Lowrance. When I’m out and about, I’ll drop a pin on a good spot. After I go out, I’ll drop a pin on a location that was good and clean up the name using the following:

R – OCT – Trout

F – APR – Reds

S – MAY – Trout

Rising/Falling/Slack tide – Month – What I caught. You can put notes in google earth that mention wind or tide range or whatever. Sync the spots to the GPS and you’re good. When you search you can search for just the R spots, or just the F spots.

What you end up with a is a smattering of spots that produce at different times and it helps me visually see where I can expand.

I used to track peak bite with solunar and water clarity, but I realized that the conditions changed to much to make that worth anything. Its too hard to know when the water is gonna be clean at specific spots, and I won’t decide to stay home based on peak periods or moonphase. A general knowledge is good, of course, but as a matter of logging I didn’t find it useful.

• This reply was modified 1 week, 4 days ago by  LA_Fiddler.

[LA_Fiddler]

I also drop a pin on every deep hole I find, then try to work them off the list to see if they hold fish from time to time.

[LA_Fiddler]

Shoot I’m too lazy to launch the boat without spot lock, but yall went without even a hand control.

Mad respect.🫡

[LA_Fiddler]

Good report thanks. Co-incides with my experience this weekend re: early bite

[LA_Fiddler]

What’s happening with the motor?

[LA_Fiddler]

My favorite jigging rod is a 6’6 Falcon HD. MH Fast tip. I use it with 3/8 or heavier jigheads.

My second favorite is an old All Star Classic 6’7 – MH Mod Fast – Tend to keep it spooled with a 1/4 oz or lighter.

I buy the Lew’s LFS Speed Spools (they’re usually 100, but they go on sale a couple times a year for $70.

[LA_Fiddler]

I have an older fixed mount ICOM IC-M422 and a 4′ whip antenna, which is the bare minimum.

For Grand Isle, I don’t think most people need it unless they fish east of 4 bayou pass or obviously if they go to the rigs. I do a lot east of 4B, so I definitely needed one.

I initially had a handheld, but the whole reason to have one is to get a distress call out, so I did the fixed install. Fixed mounts have much higher volume than handhelds.

My old Lowrance GPS used the NMEA 1083, which allowed you to connect two wires from the GPS to the ICOM, and the red distress button would broadcast the GPS location when pressed. This is great to teach the kids in case something happens to me they can hold down the red button.

So my ICOM has been good. I’ll probably buy an M-330G this winter so I can get my GPS function back on it. Internal GPS is the way to go.

[LA_Fiddler]

Low key jealous of that white trout. Catching a 17″ speck is one thing, but a 17″ white trout gets me irrationally excited.

I caught a 15″ in the other day and it was like hitting the lottery.

[LA_Fiddler]

Those are the NOAA Government Charts.

There are several apps that use them, but I use INavX – It was free or really cheap and can download all the NOAA charts and do track lines on them as well. Really useful for new water.

• This reply was modified 1 week, 4 days ago by  LA_Fiddler.

[LA_Fiddler]

That’s how I’ve always looked at it too. Other people I fish with are really loose with measuring and I’ve always been terrified to come up 1/32nd short.

[LA_Fiddler]

👆 This right here

[LA_Fiddler]

Thanks!

Last year I killed the trout in September mostly fishing a summer pattern, and missed most of October and November with hunting.

Haven’t fished a proper fall pattern in 2 years and I’m ready for it to get going.