[john-zablocki]

This is very helpful and much appreciated! Will hunt around for coordinates for the reefs. Do you know if those weirs on the east side of lake are open or not?

[john-zablocki]

Hey Jacob–I live in Lafayette and fish Vermillion Bay a fair bit. I guide fly fishing trips for redfish part time, so I haven’t been chasing specks lately. That said, a few suggestions to come to mind. It looks like a good strong falling tide Saturday, with low tide around 12:30. If I was out chasing specks, I would target drains and points. Drains like mouth of Shark Bayou or Bayou Pierre, or if you wanted to launch at Burns Point, you could hit up some of those good marsh drains just north of there, like British American canal or Yellow Bayou. I’ve also heard reports of people catching limits of specks at points in the Hammock.

If you want to target some reds/flounder, I’d try fishing the Blue Point shoreline from Bayou Pierre up to the end of the shoreline where it opens to Vermillion Bay. I find a lot of reds along the shoreline east of Bird Island Bayou at Marsh Island. If all else fails, you can hit up some of the crowded community holes (the Cove, Trash Pile, Avery Canal, etc).

[john-zablocki]

Thanks–am pretty excited. We just had offer accepted and are supposed to close May 6. House has boat lift, so I should be able to walk to the backyard and be out fishing in minutes.

[john-zablocki]

Hey Devin–wasn’t sure how to message or email you, so am just replying here. My wife, son and I are planning on relocating from Lafayette to Slidell this summer. We were looking at a few houses on Eden Isle this weekend.

If I recall, you live in Slidell. Was just wondering if you had any knowledge or thoughts on Abney Elementary? No worries if not but thought I’d ask.

[john-zablocki]

You da man

[john-zablocki]

Thanks, bruh. Helpful advice and much appreciated. Love the flies too!

[john-zablocki]

Thanks for the advice. We didn’t end up going to Wax, but instead launched at Berwicks and ran down Atchafalaya delta to Four League Bay. Poled the boat on shorelines and flats around Lake Chapeau and then made our way all the way out to the SW corner of the island. On the inside marsh the water was pretty dirty, and very shallow in many places. Saw a few reds sightfishing but was tough. Hit the west shoreline down to the southwest tip of the island with corks and found some fish there. Overall it was cool to explore but didn’t find as many fish as I have before on the other end of the island (Oyster Bayou area).

What time of year do you like fishing the Wax–the fall? Is the water clean enough for sight fishing?

[john-zablocki]

Right on. Much appreciated. My sense is that in many ways south Louisiana is a victim of its own abundance. It’s such a vast and productive environment that I think it creates this sense in people that it is limitless and can be managed that way. But it’s not. Six bowfishing boats hitting up the same ponds night after night can do some real damage. I hate to say it but I think people in Louisiana don’t realize what they have and what they are losing.

Re: sandbar city–I hear you on that. That’s my biggest concern with that run. That’s why am heading out Friday where it’s a rising tide all day in case we would get stuck in morning. I also carry an EPIRB, Satellite Phone, and VHF radio just in case.

Will let yall know how it goes!

[john-zablocki]

First, thanks for the prompt reply. Much appreciated. I was contemplating whether I may change plans and run out the Atchafalaya Delta rather than the Wax Lake Delta. It’s a much closer run to the west side of Four League Bay from the Atchafalaya than it is to the Wax. I’ve fished the east side of Four League Bay (e.g., Oyster Bayou into Bay Castagnier) running from Dularge, but not the west side. The east side was choked with redfish, so am eager to see what the west side looks like.

Re: Launch–
Am considering either launching at Calumet if we fish the Wax Lake Delta or the Jesse Fotenot Memorial Boat Launch on the Atchafalaya River south of Morgan City. Below is link to a quick and dirty KML file mapping out the two options.

https://earth.google.com/earth/d/1eMSGv_Rspqzo1FiN1Rr6cFAcul8k4Een?usp=sharing

Lastly, I don’t remember if I commented this before, but I think you did a really excellent job on the courses (I went through 101,201, redfish sight). And also appreciate very much your voice and advocacy on fisheries management in Louisiana. Your commentaries are very to the point and not conflict-averse, but at the same time thoughtful and measured in tone.

I don’t know if you fly-fish, but if you ever want to give it a shot, let me know and happy to have you as guest of honor in my boat.

-JZ