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| Specktacular fishing in the city limits. |
18 December 2006 |
| Last Saturday I was driving to a client for work and took the scenic route along Shell Beach drive. Looking out over Lake Charles, I could see birds working and 1 or 2 boats under them. Knowing it would be a while before I had the opportunity to get on the water, I opened my cell phone, called Capt. Devin Palomino and gave him the report.Wednesday afternoon Devin called me with a report that he had slayed the specks that morning. After a brief conversation with Danny Williams, we decided to play hookey from work the next day and fish.Thursday we launched at first light, or make that first fog. Visibility was zero, but the specks didn't care. We started out throwing spinning tackle to get a feel for how deep the fish were. After putting 15 fish in the box, we switched to fly rods. A sinking lines counted down for about 10 seconds was the most productive method. We ended up catching about 40 specks, averaging around 16 inches, with a few up to two and a half pounds.Sunday we returned, along with Danny's son Seth. With 3 of us in the boat it wasn't practicle to fly fish so we stuck with spinning rods. There were a lot more boats on the water, but everyone behaved and gave each other room. There was no reason not to because there was enough fish for everyone. The action was fast and furious on specks, and even a few gulls that made the mistake of trying to intercept a Nortons Sand EEl in flight.The fish in Lake Charles would be very accessible to anyone in a kayak, just watch out for boats, and wear a strobe if it's foggy. |
| Ron Begnaud |
Lake Charles |
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| red hot |
18 December 2006 |
| I travelled down the bayou early Friday expected the fog to burn off fairly quickly. Well it didn't but that was good news and bad. The good news was little to no wind with dead calm clear low water. The bad news was the sun never came out but that ended up not making a difference. The reds were everywhere on the banks usually giving themselves away with ripples. I had landed 10 nice ones by noon and was chasing one right after the other. This was one of the best days I can ever remember and it has followed some of my other besr ever days- I am seeing more reds than ever lately in the last 5 years. The speck action was slow again but managed 7 keepers under a vosi. One fellow said he had done well on big specks in the pits a couple of days earlier, but I did not see anyone doing much today. |
| JeffM |
golden meadow |
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| Cajun Sleigh Rides |
18 December 2006 |
| Tis the season... for yakfishing the marsh. So when buddies Joe, Steve, and Mike made plans for the weekend, decided to join in. Low tide and low winds gave us optimism for spotting backs and tails. I was hoping for a few specks as well. We went down Friday night to beat the fog, and early Saturday am we hit the marshes past Fourchon, where the crowds were sparse. Unfortunately so were the fish. Didn't spot an exposed back or tail all day. But thanks to gin clear water, I did see a good number of reds, mostly what I paddled over. The wind gave enough chop that I had to resort to a couple of old tricks. First, whenever I spotted stingrays, I'd anchor the yak and sit and wait. On two occasions, sighted reds within 10 feet that without hesitation blew up on my popper as soon as it hit the water. Another time I passed over a deep marsh cut and spotted a pod of bull reds swimming below. They didn't spook too badly, so I took a position nearby and did some blind casting, and hooked up twice on spoon fly. At noon, I retired from chasing reds, with a tally of 6 hooked, 5 landed. Number-wise it wasn't one of my average December trips, but size-wise it was "da Bomb". The three largest went 9 1/2 to 12 pounds! The one that broke me off after pulling me around was in this range as well. This wouldn't be the end of the Elvis Experience. For the next 3 hours, I tried to find specs on the good moving tide, with little luck. Finally, I hit one small bayou north of Lake Laurier with some nice specs, using commie cork and beetle. On one cast, the cork went down and the line went screaming out. I knew it was a big red, and so I pulled up the cajun anchor and tightened the drag. It took me down the bayou, and back into the lake, and then for 30 minutes, around in a circle. When I got him near the yak, I realized it was "Redzilla". Couldn't lift him out the water, yet he still maxed out the Gripper (15 lbs). So I measured him off a few times instead, plus a couple photos. He was 35.5 inches, give or take a 1/2 inch, puts him right about 20 pounds! Released him safely as I had the other reds. Came home with 10 specs and sore muscles! |
| Catch |
Fourchon |
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| Wonderful Day to Fly Fish |
27 November 2006 |
| Since the Catch and Eat RSFF weekend was windy and cold and put a damper on the fly fisher, Randy Leonpacher and I were waiting for the right weather to return to the Catfish Lake and environs and get a rain check. We found it this weekend and on Sunday in particular. It was the kind of warm/cool November day that you always think about. Sky was high and mostly clear and the wind was consistently in the 5-10 MPH range from the East/North east all day. We found some trout at the east lake shore early and put some in the box in the 14-16 inch range with lots of release and returns. After a while at the lakshore we saw lots of boats in the south end of the lake and went south to check it our. Found a few more trout in the south lake area but not enough to catch our fancy so went into the east side canal and south past the 4 dams to an area that produced under the high winds during the catch and eat. It turned out to be the spot we were looking for and filled out our box there which ended with 17 keepers and over 50 reruns. The keepers included a few sand trout with one in the 15 inch range. The largest Speck was one of those almost spotless individuals that was almost 16 inches. We caught most on the fly rods using chartreuse clousers under vosi. I had a modified clouser tied by a RSFF member that I won at a monthly meeting. It had a white body around the hook to go with the chartreuse and white flash. Just what the doctor ordered. It was a very relaxful day on the water to be a fly fisher. One major observation which seems to follow Catch's recent report from down LA 1 was that we saw no birds following fish. It seemed clear that the cold fronts that have passed since the Catch and Eat earlier in November had driven most of the left over white shrimp down the estuary and into the Gulf. Shrimp will be hard to come by till the browns return next spring. Also didn't see any backs or other activity along the shores which may be partly explained by a falling tide most of the day. Still a wonderful day to fly fish.Dugan |
| Dugan |
Catfish Lake and Canals |
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| The Good, the Bad and the Ugly |
25 November 2006 |
| Master Jake was on leave and looking for his first marsh trip this fall. I had promised him lots of specks and reds. Friday 4am we headed south, driving thru the traffic of after-Thanksgiving shoppers. THE BAD. Launched canoe north side of TPH, water was lowest since last January, and just as cold. No birds diving, no specks, and shorelines were dead quiet. THE GOOD. Water was clear, wind was low, and after we figured out that reds were scattered in open water, the Master put on a clinic. Like watching Peyton Manning throw for 500 yards and 5 touchdowns! Lots of reds, 1 drum, 1 sheepshead. The big reds were 9.5 and 12 pounds. He caught most on Coma Spoon, the rest on Kirk's Popper. Jake spotted the majority of his fish 20 feet or less from the canoe, so we would watch them eat the fly (gills flaring, the whole bit!). As this great trip was concluding early so we could listen to the LSU-Arkansas game on the way home, along came ... THE UGLY. The spot where we launched had -no water-. I had to step out the canoe, into two feet of muck, and push Jake and the canoe about 15 yards to the road. It took a swim in the TPH, and a spraydown at the car wash to get all the muck off me. Fortunately had brought a change of clothes! Here's a bit of advise - check tide tables before launching a paddlecraft in the marsh. |
| Catch |
Fourchon |
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| Prien report |
19 November 2006 |
| Traveled to Sulphur Friday for the 4A Class state swim meet (St Micheals girls finished third). Had my Caper aboard just in case. Between the a.m. prelims and the p.m. finals, checked out Hackberry and Choupique Bayou areas. Water was down but dirty. Stayed in Sulphur Friday night, and on Saturday hit the I-210 launch where water was cleaner. Paddled west to the PPG flats. Skinny water area with hard bottom full of shells and debris, ideal for yaks and flycasting. Spotted 7 reds, hooked 4, caught 2. Looking to improve my odds, paddled north to the west channel. Found one hole where various species were concentrated. Caught 2 drum, 2 reds, 5 specks, 1 flounder. Half came on clouser under VOSI, and half on commie beetle under cork. Later found a similiar spot near the east end of I-210, two rat reds and a couple of very nice specks. Drivers on the interstate would honk when I had a fish, which gives me this idea: what if we put bleachers up so folks could watch me catch fish? I bet they'd pay big bucks to do so. LOL |
| Catch |
Lake Charles |
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| Fourchon and Beyond |
18 November 2006 |
| Weather.com said Friday morning would be calm and cool. Well it was cool, but a 8-10 knot wind from the git-go. Water was very low which, despite causing a few mud fights with my paddle, allowed easy spotting of the redbacks cruising the banks. The canal leading to dolpin bay was alive with reds and the cold water seemed to make them a little perky. Using Mike Lefleur's black charlie, I had landed 6 in the morning with 8-10 shoulda, woulda coulda's. If the wind quietens this weekend-watch out. I was completely blanked on the specks there for the first time in a long time , but probably not the last time. I did not see many reports on Lacombe this year and was curious as to how others did? Other than one trip it was a little down from past years for me. I made about 5 trips there this Sept-Oct, 3 decent to poor, 1 pretty good, and 1 amazing where I went on a Tues afternoon and literally caught specks on every cast, I finally just had to leave after catching well over a hundred and bringing 10 home ranging from 14-19 inches. |
| JeffM |
Fourchon |
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| Catch-and-Eat Report |
15 November 2006 |
| A belated report from the RSFF club's Catch-and-Eat this past weekend. Although I didn't arrive until Sat am, I was told the guys who fished Friday nabbed some reds despite 10-15 south winds and very high tides. My first stop at sunrise was roadside on Bayou Lafourche between Golden Meadow and Leeville. Wind was down, and the rocks along the road had sheepshead every 5 feet! I spotted a nice red swimming on the surface, and cast my commie cork/beetle to him, but got hung on a rock below. While trying to shake it loose, he busted my popping cork several times, finally breaking me off in the process! After tying on a new beetle, I cast out for specks and managed 5 with 2 keepers in 20 minutes. Then the clouds from the north approached, and I drove down to the TPH hoping to get my yak in and paddle to the north end of Lake Laurier before the winds came. Got that accomplished... barely. The last 300 yards were into a good 10-15 wind. At first water was clear, birds were active, and specks hit the VOSI/clouser combo. Casting that VOSI into the wind was no problem thanks to a Mastery Redfish Taper which I must say, saved the day, even when the wind kicked up to 20-25 around 11:30. Of course, by then the bite was slow, and the commie rod got most of the action. The water was now down to a few inches of visibility. By 12:30, headed back south, hardly had to paddle with the wind to my back! Ended up with 17 specks, 1 sand trout, a few reds I threw back. Met up with Danny and Kristen Wray of Calmwater Kayaker back at the highway, and they'd done good on the specks also further down the road. Dugan and Randy boat-fished Catfish Lake and also did well on specks and sand trout, mostly commie tackle. The group picked up 9-12 count shrimp ($3.65/lb) and we had a feast that night of fresh fish, shrimp, home potatoes, fried eggplant, prepared by us, and fried by Randy "Release" Leonpacher. We then watched LSU on TV, and contemplated Sunday options. As it turns out, Sunday was cold and windy, but our decision not to fish was based solely on dirty water. After all, we are combat flyfishers! |
| Catch |
Hwy 1 |
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| Crappie beginning to bunch |
15 November 2006 |
| A friend and I launched at Lake Timpson about 9:00 on Sunday. No minnows were available, so we had jigs only. We came home with 13 crappie caught at 17 ft. I tried a Cap Spider but no takers. Fishing should get better as temp lowers. The top fish is at:http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n164/rgill5492/?sc=6 |
| Robert Gill |
Lake Timpson |
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| ??? |
08 November 2006 |
| Hey Roger - I sure hope you understood what was just sent to you. Me I almost didn't - but coming from someone from the OTHER tiger country, I can accept the fact that he probably doesn't know what a shoepik is, much less how to spell it. Or is it chew-pik? Shoo-pique? Whatever, sure glad I'm not an editor and have to deal with such stuff. As a writer all I have to do is get close and let them worry about the fine points. Ain't it nice! Shoo ... picks!!!Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
never-never land |
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| Chopique - Ooops! |
08 November 2006 |
| Attn: Roger Stouff - It was I who told Pete C that you might be the one to talk to about chopique - :-)Tight Lines Fellas - Mark Rumphhttp://southernflyfisher.blogspot.com |
| Mark Rumph |
Chopique Central |
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| Natchitoches Police Looking For Suspect |
06 November 2006 |
| According to the local news station, police in this northwest Louisiana city are seeking the identity of a man described as 5'9", 180 pounds, who drives a white Jeep and paddles a red canoe. The suspect was last seen with a fly rod casting popping bugs around the waterfront area on Sunday afternoon. Police say he may be responsible for causing massive traffic jams on top the downtown bridge, the result of drivers peering down to observe all the commotion he was creating by catching bluegill one-after-the-other. Says one vehicle passenger who had binoculars: "The fish were rising like crazy to his popping bug. Most of them were about a half-pound, not big, but they sure put a big bend in that rod of his. It was tough to tell from my distance, but I'd swear his rod had '3 weight' on the label." Police say the suspect enjoyed the fabulous brunch at The Landing restaurant before proceeding to the water. Although he was there for several hours, the surge of activity which caused the traffic jam was between 3:30pm and 5pm and under calm conditions. If you know the identity of this person, Natchitoches police do not want to arrest him, only to find out his secrets for catching big bluegill out of Cane River. |
| Catch |
Natchitoches, LA |
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| An old friend |
30 October 2006 |
| Hey Guys - I realize Roger and I have perhaps been abusing this spot, but I must now give a report. Today I discovered a fishing friend who I haven't seen or heard from in over a quarter of a century living in Carencro. He's not a fly fisherman - not as far as I know anyway, but he was a tarpon fisherman of the first order back in the 70's, and he passed along a LOT of conventional-fishing data that helped a bunch of folks subsequently catch the great silver beast. And those are a prize no matter how they are caught!So I now report that Capt. Jim McNaughton - the "Bayou Boogie" - is still at hand, and I just can't wait to once again share a boat with him! I am a very happy puppy tonight!Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| If you say so! |
30 October 2006 |
| Let's try it. I bet they're the ONLY thing that survived KatRita down here. :( |
| Roger Stouff |
Chitimacha, La. |
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| Picking Roger Stouff's Brain |
29 October 2006 |
| Egads, man, I must do an article on that! When can I come? Does the phase of the moon matter? Do I need a 4 or a 10-weight outfit. What nearby fly shop sells silver Colorado spinners? Should I bring my own worms (I have a good crop working after all the rain!)? Is it catch-and-release or a meat-deal? If the latter, what's the limit? Should I bring along some commie gear just in case fly fishing for them doesn't work - even with worms and Colorado Spinners? RSVP - I'm wired!Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Correction |
29 October 2006 |
| Note: Those worms on hooks were on a small silver Idaho spinner, on a swivel, for the flash...missed that in the last post! |
| Roger Stouff |
Chitimacha, La. |
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| Vicious lies |
29 October 2006 |
| Pete,I guess your reliable source is right, though I don't fish them intentionally! :) My shallow, muddy waters are prime for choupique, and I've had them hit Jitterbees and fluff butts regularly. When I was a bait fisherman, they LOVED a nightcrawler on a No. 10 Aberdeen long shank hook under a cork, so I think it's the flash that gets them interested. All the ones I caught on flies were under a VOSI fishing 'gills, so I imagine the flash of the beadhead and crystal chenille got them interested.Jeesh, I can't believe we're talking choupique here, Pete! :) |
| Roger Stouff |
Chitimacha, La. |
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| Picking Roger Stouff's Brain |
29 October 2006 |
| Hey Roger - I just heard from a very reliable source that you were pretty handy at fly fishing for choupique. Any truth to it? What's the technique and productive patterns? Are they eating now? Come on, man, share your knowledge - no one else has been sharing theirs lately!Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Know a good caddy? |
27 October 2006 |
| I'm about ready myself, Pete. I wonder if a golf shop would trade for fly gear? :) |
| Roger Stouff |
Chitimacha, La. |
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| YUKKK |
26 October 2006 |
| Hey Guysd - Vermilion Bay is horribly grungy, Lake Martin is playing hard to get, and I'm considering golf. Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
somewhere I shouldn't be! |
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| Popper-tunity knocks! |
22 October 2006 |
| Friday night I loaded the Caper atop the Catchmobile in long-awaited anticipation of a break in the winds and the early fall on my favorite species - speckled trout! Hit the TPH early and met up with Vic Tedesco. The bite was slow for both of us, but I did notice plent of "slick spots" throughout. While drifting by them and casting my commie rig, I managed to get a few hits with half hitting the popping cork. Thinking there might be opportunity for topwater action, I tied a popper on my 8-weight. A little while later, I moved across the road and paddled out to the southeast end (lee side) of Lake Laurier. There I found a school of birds working an area. If you've experienced specks on topwater, then you know it can be one of the most frustrating and yet most exciting fishing there is. For example, I made a couple dozen casts using a topwater torpedo (my commie rig), got strikes on every one, and yet failed to hook a trout. They'd hit it several times, even jump out of the water and over it on occasion! After that, I figured if I was going to miss my strikes, I might as well miss with a fly that had just one hook instead of nine. Much to my relief, the popper faired much better than the torpedo. This went on for a few hours, until a thunderstorm started moving in. On the paddle back in, found a couple of reds skirting shorelines and gave them a "popper-tunity" for a fight, which they obliged. The season is just beginning, must tie more poppers! |
| Catch |
Fourchon |
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| Fished with Rich on Saturday |
22 October 2006 |
| Miss Judy and I fished with Captain Rich Waldner on Saturday. We started and ended with overcast skies and less than ideal visability. That said, we had several hours of good light and seriously improved visability. Managed to boat a couple of reds (largest about seven pounds) and had a blast, in spite of my casting blunders. I also managed to spook a great bull red. We beat the rain to the dock by about a half-hour.Looking forward to doing it again. Next time we have to boat that bull.Jeaux |
| Jeaux McMahon |
Marsh, south of Port Sulphur |
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| Big Sky Trip |
09 October 2006 |
| Just back from a week-long trip to Big Sky country with Mike LaFleur (of Lafleur’s Charlie fame). Stayed in “West” Yellowstone, where we met up with Mike’s daughter and her husband from south Florida. Weather was variable, but always fishable until the very last day; but we’d planned to drive back to Idaho Falls that day anyway. Didn’t see a falling snowflake all week, but on any give day we experienced cold, warm, light rain, blue skies, windy, and calm weather; one of those – “if you don’t like the weather in Montana, wait 5 minutes” - deals. Fished mostly on the Madison – big river with muscles, sheltering big trout with muscles – both inside, and outside of “The Park”. Caught lots of trout – ‘bows and browns – and took my personal best trout – a 20”+ ‘bow, in swift and braided current. Heck of a fight. Mike’s daughter fished as long and hard as the rest of us; “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” I guess. Then after matching us step for step, she would come back to camp and fix a wonderful dinner for us all (with only a little help from the tuckered out men-folk)! Big trout, new stretches of water, long days of fishing in cool weather, good food, great company, and nary a harsh word spoken despite close quarters and tired bodies all week. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Good to be back home, but can’t wait ‘til next year! |
| Joe Kahler |
The Office (unfortunately, not fishing) |
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| Sunday Afternoon. |
09 October 2006 |
| Sunday the predicted low tide at the pass was at around 10am, which of course means it will be a bit later than that before the water gets out up here in the upper parts of the estuary. I slept late then got on the water at about 9:30 launching at Prien Lake Park. The water was still a bit above a good fishing level so I took the opportunity to do some running and check out some marsh I hadn't been in for a while. I checked out one patch of marsh that I've only been in a handful of times in the last year. Prior to yesterday I hadn't seen any fish in it since the hurricane. The area has silted in a lot, and even though the tide wasn't really out yet, it was still shallow and hard to pole around in. After being in the area a few minutes I started spotting redfish, good sized ones too. Several fish were actively working, and I also blew out number of fish that were laid up ambushing schooling bait. I had 2 shots in this patch of marsh, the first fish spooked off of well presented fly, the second completely ignored my fly stripped right in front of his nose several times. The tide was dropping and I didn't want to get stranded, so I left this flat and headed back to some of the flats closer to Prien Lake. I started spotting good numbers of active fish, but again found them hard to feed. Amidst a number of refusals and spook offs from good presentations I ended up hooking 3 and landing 2. I guess the bite was tough because the tide came smack in the middle of the day. Still beat the heck out of staying home to mow the lawn though. Tight Lines, Ron |
| Ron Begnaud |
Lake Charles, La |
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| Thanks, Pete |
08 October 2006 |
| I keep on hammering at 'em. I want to catch a bull red on an 8' #7 Harry Boyd made...then I may retire from saltwater fishing and make it a bass rod...if the bass ever come back, that is. :( |
| Roger Stouff |
Chitimacha, LA |
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| Redfish report |
07 October 2006 |
| Went out yesterday morning; conditions were suboptimal (no tide, dirty water) caught five reds on spoon fly and purple and white wooly bugger. |
| Jay DeSalvo |
myrtle grove |
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| Specks |
06 October 2006 |
| Roger - Don't get discouraged. If things work over here like they did in the Delta, those specks should continue to go nuts on calm days out in the bay until the first really brutal norther in November runs the shrimp out. You should have plenty more chances to put some good hits on 'em - let the birds help you.Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Yep |
05 October 2006 |
| You're the only one, Pete. :( I went out of Cypremort today, my buddy caught one speck and I got none. I'm starting to think I'm jinxed or something. He caught 40 two days before! |
| Roger Stouff |
Chitimacha |
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| ??? |
05 October 2006 |
| Hey Folks! Are me 'n Catch the only guys fishin' out there? Come on, y'all, it's October. Fish - and speak about it!Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
wherever, la |
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| SPECKS! |
04 October 2006 |
| Hey Guys - I'll make this short and sweet. Vermilion Bay between the mouth of Four-Mile Cut and Redfish Point and a bit to the west. Nice specks (No shorts!) running shrimp all over once the wind laid down in early PM. Rising tide and remarkably clear water for Vermilion Bay! Poppers! Nuf said - except that I really needed it!Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Tough weekend at Concordia |
02 October 2006 |
| Larry Offner and I left early Saturday am to join 20 or so fellow members of Red Stick FF club over at Lake Concordia for the annual fall weekend. When we arrived at the lodge, we found the water 3 feet below normal, and heard that dynamic fishing duo of Randy Leonpacher and Dugan Sabins had by far the best catch on Friday - a grand total of 4 bream! Action started slow for Larry and I, but then just like that, it died! We fished both Concordia and St John, and caught a grand total of 5 fish - 2 big redears, a nice bass, 1 big bream, and 1 little pumpkinseed. Sad to say, but ours was the catch of the day! Of course, I sensed the culprint all along. First, I noticed the pea-soup green color of the water (normally green clear). Second, the surface water was quite cool. Then another angler told us of a shad kill two weeks ago. The culprit was TURNOVER. Turnover occurs in early fall in Louisiana in deep lakes such as reservoirs and oxbows. Higher oxygen surface waters become cooler and denser than low oxygen waters below the thermocline. Once that happens, water mixes, bottom nutrients rise to the surface, decay rapidly, which causes severe oxygen loss in the upper column of the lake. Most fish move towards deeper water, where there is now more oxygen, but also lots of bethnic critters that they can feed on that were inaccessible before. According to an article I found on fall turnover: "It can take at least a couple weeks for the water to stabilize. If you do a lot of fishing, then you know that stabilization is a key to fishing success. The unstable water conditions during turnover can make fish catching tough, if not impossible." |
| Catch |
Ferriday |
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| Brrrr... it's cold up here! |
22 September 2006 |
| Yo, still up here in the mountains. Spent yesterday morning on the Teton River. Did great on cutts in this spring creek type stream, lots of stuff hatching. It was a paltry 44 degrees until a storm moved in and it became winter wonderland. Moved over to Fall River, and with all the recent rain it looked like the Madison. Just about the third cast, lightning struck not more than half-mile away. Lightning in a snow storm? You learn new things everyday! Took an early dinner, then after this storm, hit the Henry's Fork at the "Jim Thompson Memorial Dock" for a good late evening run on bows up to 13". Today I fished the Madison in the coldest windiest weather I've ever fished. Snowed from the time I arrived at Three Dollar Bridge at 8am all the way to 2pm. Despite best efforts of the weather gods, still managed 8 bows and 5 browns and one "unknown". Me thinks it was a huge brown because it took me into the backing but didn't jump. The two largest browns I did land were 15" and didn't jump either. Everything else jumped. Even the bird jumped. Yeah, that's right, I caught a bird when my fly came off the hookkeeper while walking. The bird swept down and grabbed the fly. Somehow he came loose before I could get him landed, but man, what a fight! Gives a whole new meaning to fly fishing! |
| Catch |
West Yellowstone |
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| Snake on the Plain |
21 September 2006 |
| Middle part of my trip here in Big Sky Country. Well, things went downhill since Tuesday. Front moved in, much colder and heavy rain/snow. Copper Basin was closed so I moved on east to fish the Snake River in the flatlands. Not much activity until the rain stopped. Found one spot where cutthroat were rising everywhere in the river, but there was no place to wade. Moved further up to Helse bridge, and found a couple of side channels that were productive for a few cuts, a nice brown, and even one big hard-fighting whitefish that slammed my stimulator. Natives here consider these "trash fish" because they don't jump like trout, even though they look like grayling and even taste good (so I hear). One encounter with a hardhead or a choupique might make them reconsider the "trash" designation, eh? Oh well, time to suit up the rain gear and head out again. Today's high will be in the mid-30s and rain/snow all day. Just peachy dry fly weather... NOT! |
| Catch |
Eastern Idaho |
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| How I spent the first 2 days of my vacation |
19 September 2006 |
| Hey, everyone. Enjoying the first of eight days here in Big Sky country chasing those "little trout" that Mr. Leonpacher rails about. If he'd seen the big brown that I saw swimming in Silver Creek this a.m., it might change his attitude. When I say "long as my arm"... well, point is, he didn't eat my fly. Did manage 10 rainbows and 1 nice brown 16" on BWO emerger size 20. Yeah, you need the fine stuff on this spring creek, like 7x tippet. My TFO Finesse 3-weight was the right tool til the front came through and the wind turned to the north 25-30 mph. And turned doggone cold, too! The fish kept rising but the bites got a lot tougher. Yesterday was a banner day on the Big Wood River, also here in the Sun Valley area. Started cold, but sunny all day and by afternoon I was down to my t-shirt and waders. My friend Merv told me that if I loved fishing the Shoshone (WY) then I'd love the Big Wood and he was right. Dry fly action was awesome, LOTS of trout caught all day long, fish were at every spot in the river. These are wild fish, so you need some prowess, but if you do the right things then you get treated to fish that jump all over and fight like crazy. And if you hook one over 14" he'll take line off your reel! Well, you all get the point... I'm thoroughly enjoying myself, and NO, I'm not checking any email. And there'll be no Tippets this week either. My next location doesn't even have cell service! |
| Catch |
Hailey, Idaho |
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| Flounder Time |
17 September 2006 |
| Hey Guys - Made a couple of trips to East Cote Blanche Bay during the past week. Got into reds and flonder chasing big schools of pogies in two feet or so of water against the bank. Neat stuff! No sight-fishing, but lots of rod-bending. Plenty of rats, but some nice reds and fine flounder, too! Purple and shiny green/white Clouser-types did the trick. As for those flounder, I'm finally eating good in the new hood! Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Sore thumb feels good. |
10 September 2006 |
| I'm spending a few days of R&R at my sisters farm in Broussard. Her house is a couple of miles down the road, and behind her house is a small 1 acre pond that's practically overpopulated with bass.Since Pete Cooper is now living in Broussard I called him and asked him if he wanted to meet me for a little fishing. He met me at my sisters house at 8am this morning (Sunday). The pond looks great, the level is good, clarity is decent, and there's lots of bass. Pete and I started on opposite sides of the pond, and befor long he had run the score up 7 bass to none. As we crossed working around the pond, he showed me what he was using. It was a Chart. Accordo Miss prissy, but in a size 4. I had never seen them that big. Pete loaned me one and we kept fishing. By the time Pete left at about 11, he had caught 10 bass and one giant blugill, I had caught 5 bass and a giant gill.I went in and joined my family for lunch and a visit, then went back down to the pond at about 1:30 in the afternoon. When I got back to the pond, the bass were going nuts. Big black dragonflies were flying around co-joined in mating pairs and the bass were leaping 2 feet out of the water trying to catch them in flight all over the pond.I walked up to the edge of the pond, and caught 4 bass in 6 cast. I worked my way around the pond, and in a little less than 2 circuits around I caught 11 bass and a bluegill, all on a size 6 accordo spook. The takes on the afternoon bite were all explosive, it was much fun.I appreciate Pete coming out and giving me "lessons". |
| Ron Begnaud |
Broussard La |
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| Got the Gladesman Slimy |
09 September 2006 |
| My cousin and I brought the Gladesman out on a mission to get it slimy and we did just that. We caught numerous small reds that were almost swarming in the marsh, landed one real nice red and caught a few nice keeper size trout. The gladesman performed like a charm. Very nice afternoon on the water. |
| Capt Devin Palomino |
Lake Charles,la |
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| The Rescue |
08 September 2006 |
| Hey Brad - The rescued flies accounted for a nice red and three flounder today in East Cote Blanche Bay. My host, Dennis Vidrine, got three rats, two nice reds, and two flounder too - one of the latter on one of those flies. The fish were running pogies at the mouth of a little cut. It was a really nice day, one that I could not have enjoyed without those flies. Inccidentally, I haven't eaten flounder since the night before we evacuated for Katrina, and I intend to rectify that VERY shortly! Again, much thanks to you and Buck.Pete |
| pete cooper, Jr. |
broussard, la |
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| lost, but now am found |
07 September 2006 |
| No problem Pete, glad we could help. My buddie's name is Wayne "Buck" Deslatte. He says thanks for the book. |
| brad pillaro |
St. Mary Parish |
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| MERCI BEAUCOUP, BRAD!!!!! |
06 September 2006 |
| I cannot believe it! A friend and I fished today out of Burns Point, and after getting home I discovered ALL of the saltwater flies I had evacuated from Katrina, their boxes, and the case they were in, had blown out of the boat on the way back. Then I see this note on the reports part of this website. Absolutely unbelievable! I was told the boxes were smashed, but the guy who retrieved it all - Dwayne Delot (SP?) of Centerville - picked up the remnants off of and around US 90 and reported it. Unbelievable again! I am totally blown away! So, Thanks Brad, Thanks Dwayne, and Thank You, Lord!Stuff like that sure renews one's faith in humanity.And it will allow me to fish a while longer.Pete |
| pete cooper, jr. |
broussard, la |
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| lost tackle box |
06 September 2006 |
| A buddy of mine found a tackle bag of flies on the side of highway 90 today in St. Mary Parish. His cell number is 337-789-7345. If You can describe it, He will return it. It looks like it was hit by a car and flies were scattered over the road , he gathered as many as He could. |
| brad pillaro |
St Mary Parish |
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| More Creeks |
02 September 2006 |
| Hey Guys - Hit Kisatchie Bayou Friday - LOW but clear and running nicely. The road from LA 118 to the bridge by the waterfall has apparently been repaired (Info from some local folks but not verified). Got one nice spot above the bridge there and three more at a new place with plenty of rocks downstream a ways. Getting to that one almost "modified" my truck's oil pan! Anyway, it's right and the fish should start paying a bit more attention to bugs and frogs and less to crawfish shortly! And I'm ready for it!Pete |
| Pete Cooper, Jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Up A Creek!! |
24 August 2006 |
| This afternoon my friend Jason Chaumont took me to his family camp on the upper part of the Calcasieu River near Oberlin. Forget the big slow ship bearing Calcasieu that you are used to seeing around Lake Charles, in these upper reaches, the Calcasieu is a small stream with clean water, and beautiful pure white sandbars in every bend. The river is loaded with knock downs and snags up there, and the current moves at a pretty good clip.As soon as we walked down to the river from the camp, we started catching fish. Beautiful intensely colored longear sunfish, and aggressive spotted bass (Kentucky's), with a couple of nice bluegill thrown in.None of the fish were big, but they made up for their lack of size with their aggressiveness. The spotted bass would launch themselves after our offerings. The most effective fly of the day were hoppers that I had tied as a variation of "Pete's easy hopper". While a natural looking tan and pale yellow colored hopper was good, a solid black one was even better. Fish were also caught on a wet black gnat with a red bead head, a green stimulator, and a fast sinking damsel fly nymph.Walking out at the end of the day I saw the reason the fish responded to the flies that they did. The long grass surrounding the sandbar we came in on was full of small grass hoppers, mostly tan with a white stripe down their backs. It was a great relaxing afternoon in an incredibly beautiful place.Tight Lines,RonIn all we caught about 10 spotted bass and a dozen bream. |
| Ron Begnaud |
Upper Calcasieu River |
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| Back on the water... finally! |
20 August 2006 |
| Seemed like forever, at least for me it was. Yesterday's trip in the "Red Sticker", my Caper SOT, was the first one since the Grand Isle weekend. The tides looked perfect for spanish in Caminada Pass around sunrise, followed by sand trout around midmorning on the falling tide. Got to Bridgeside Marina, and it looked like the Spanish Armada, so many darn boats. Most were headed outside, but still I turned around and headed back west. But I did notice the water was a nice "clear green". As I got to the first car bridge, the water on the south side was dirty, but on the north side still clear green. Perhaps the new cut responsible for the dirty water? Believing that to be the case, I opted to launch northside. Just as the reports had said, trout were pretty much everywhere in lakes and cuts and bayous (deeper water) but mostly 9" to 11" and far, far more misses than hookups. When tide stopped, I continued to fish specks. In fact, never put a redfish fly on the whole day (or even looked for them). The tide started falling, and I caught a few sand trout. Mostly small, but did manage a couple over 10 inches that I strung up. Left the scene of the crime around noon with 8 specks and 2 sand trout on stringer. What was the crime? That - finally, at last - there was nice beautiful water in the marsh and the fish weren't active. A couple of good cool fronts will change that. Hot as it was, there was enough wind to make it comfortable, and besides, back paddling a yak was the bomb! Side note: shrimp still a great buy. Picked up 5 pounds 10-15 count $3 in Grand Isle, picked up another 5 pounds 16-20 for $2.10 near Galliano. |
| Catch |
Fourchon |
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| Beat the heat in a creek! |
14 August 2006 |
| Hey Guys - Tried Sixmile Creek below Pitkin early - fine water, but only longears. Went to Drakes Creek in late AM and got a small largemouth and a nice spot. Not much, but everything on poppers, not another soul around, and quite pleasant conditions.Pete |
| pete cooper, Jr. |
broussard, la |
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| Jacob's report |
13 August 2006 |
| Yesterday, my son Jacob gave me the scoop on his kayak trip out of Navarre Beach last week. He caught several spanish, a couple of bluefish, a couple of small jacks, a few ladyfish. He also cast to a tarpon but no hookup. Later he hit the pier, and hooked up with a small bonito on commie tackle, and lost a nice king. He says earlier in the day a decent tarpon was landed off the pier! He also said the fishing for sand trout around Biloxi (where he's stationed) has been good on the outgoing tide. |
| Catch |
Pensacola |
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| where are the reds? |
29 July 2006 |
| Jacob and I went to bason's yesterday. I saw tons of sheepheads. did not see one bronz back. If I can ever figure out the tides I might become a salty one day. anyway nice sunrise, good breaze, lots of time to talk, and listen. Great day with my son. Wally |
| Wally Hoover |
Bason's |
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| Fishing. |
25 July 2006 |
| Go ahead on, Glen! All neophytes and converts are graciously accepted. Just wish a few of my nephews were a little closer so that I could contribute a bit!On a report note, you all try Drake's Creek. Don't know where it is? Neither did I - but I'll give you a clue - west of Oakdale. It's tough, but nice spots and some of the prettiest pumpkinseeds you have ever seen are in it. Poppers, if you please!Pete |
| Pete Cooper, Jr. |
Broussard, La. 70518 |
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| First fly rod experience |
25 July 2006 |
| This past Sunday pm I took my 10-year-old nephew over to the neighborhood lake, gave him a brief casting lesson with the fly rod, and then turned him loose on the many small bream now active along the banks. Using an 8-foot, 5-weight rod and a size 12 Adams, he wore them out! Just like on an outdoors show, he saved the best for last - a nice half-pound dark gobbule that made a few surges before Unka Glen could reach him. One more addict to the list. |
| Catch |
BR |
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| Grand Isle, other reports |
21 July 2006 |
| Since no one else posted on the Grand Isle weekend, I'll do so, and add a few other reports I received from coworkers who fished this past Fri-Sun. Grand Isle: surf was calm, but water tepid. Felt like a sauna. Quiet except for one big run on Sat am, where everyone got into specks 14-19 inches. Clousers, Charlies and 4M flies worked best. Puddlers fishing around Laurier area found high tides, low-visibility water, but Bryan Butcher made an excellent catch of reds. Those fishing south of Hwy 1 did well on flounder and specks near the beach cuts. I did well on Fri am at Bason's (Galliano) fishing both the north and south shore, and several of us returned Sat with good success. Ian Moppert did well on north shore, catching biggest red of this event. Charles Broom and I later hit Laurier area on falling tide late in the pm, and caught many 11 1/2" specks and even 9 keepers. Again, water visibility hampered our efforts. Catfish were active in the (very) warm water. As mentioned, got several reports from commie folks. Those who fished Cocodrie to Last Island did well on 1-3 pound specks, as did one guy who fished Bay Eloi (Breton). Brad Larroux told me they fished Grand Isle with tons of small specks, and several catfish, except for one stretch of beach where they got into white trout every cast, and also around Queen Bess where they limited on specks. |
| Catch |
various |
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| A Virginia 3 Bagger |
12 July 2006 |
| Had a fly fisher's 3 way. I met my brother in Northern Virginia on Friday afternoon. Saturday morning it was off to the head waters of the Rapidan river in Shenandoah NP for some native brookies. This fishing was probing pools at the base of water falls with dry flys and terrestrials. It was as much rock climbing as fishing but great. I got my first brook trout. On Monday it was the North Fork of the Shenandoah for smallmouth. We first stopped in to see Harry Murray and get the latest info. We got into the river below and old dam site and started catching bass on Murray's Marauder and popping bugs. Another great time in a beautiful place. On Tuesday it was back to more familiar fising for large mouth and bream on a county reservoir. It was still fly fishing and still great fun. In the words of the general "I shall return". |
| Mickey Billodeaux |
Baton Rouge |
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| Offshore Trip |
08 July 2006 |
| Steve and I went offshore armed with flyrods and light tackle today. We caught a limit of snapper and a few kings on light tackle. We landed a few tripletail, dolphin,and cobia on 8wts.. I also landed a 13-15 lb bonita on a 8wt, line burns!! Worked the chain and a nice rip with some grass. Had a blast!!! |
| Capt Devin Palomino |
Lake Charles |
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| Fishing is still steady |
28 June 2006 |
| Was able to get out on the water today despite the oil spill. Did not see any oil slicks, but did manage to land three nice reds and broke one off in the marsh.We also found some nice trout on the channel drop offs. It seems like we had explosion of small juvenile redfish all over the lake due to successful spawn. Big lake is now open south of the intercoastal and the channel is open north of 2-10. |
| Capt.Devin Palomino |
Lake Charles |
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| When life gives lemons, add them to crab boil |
26 June 2006 |
| Hit Laurier area just before sunrise Sat am, first LA marsh trip for my new Caper. The plan was to put a dozen fat specks on the stringer during the rising tide, then leave by 11am for the Sage Demo in Metairie. Well, the timing all worked right, but little else. First, the water was as ugly as it was the previous trip, visibility about 4 inches. No sooner I was on the water, a big storm to the east cropped up, producing not one, but THREE waterspouts. Jeff Machen was nearby in his Cobra Fish-N-Dive, and like me, tucked into the marsh when the lightning got closer. While in a pocket of grass, two reds and two sheepshead made the mistake of cruising by the yak, and falling victim to a clouser teased oh-soooo-slowly. Is puddling not the BOMB? All were released, as I had confidence there would be a dozen specks on my stringer yet. After the storm, managed several but only one keeper. Soon the tide was near high mark, and now the marsh was dead quiet, wind was kicking up, and another storm was coming, so I headed out. Since only one speck in the box, stopped at one of the seafood docks and picked up 10-15 count shrimp for $3.50 pound, thinking we'd eat well anyway. After the Sage Demo (which was great) I received a call from my older son Kevin. He and his girlfriend had been fishing Lake Barre (Chauvin) and they had 14 specks and a 13+ red. They'd also caught 2 spanish and 2 sharks which they released. Thinking I had a bunch of fish, Kevin had called all the relatives in BR for a big shindig at our house that night. So thinking that there wasn't enough fish, and maybe not enough shrimp to feed two dozen folks, they ended up buying 10 dozen crabs from a local crabber. Paid dirt cheap for big fat crabs, and we ended up having a big boil at the house that evening. We hadn't had boiled crabs in soooo long. This makes me think about rigging my yak for crabbing next trip! |
| Catch |
Fourchon |
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| Made up big time |
14 June 2006 |
| Today made up for Alberto big time. In fact, one of the best days I've ever had down here. Final count: 23 tarpon jumped, most 5-20 pounds, with a couple of Steve Lee fish that made things really interesting. As always, you land about 1/4 of what you hook, but watching the popper or commie torpedo get swallowed by a big bucket-sized mouth, followed by leaps and dashes, and all hell broken loose.... well, who cares what the landing rate is! Also landed 6 snook, and hooked up with a 5 foot shark that was cruising the bar I was wading (after that episode, stayed in the yak). Man that shark put up a fight... another one later followed the popper right to the yak. Learn to keep my fingers in the boat, right? Afterwards, stopped along Tamiami Trail and hooked up with some Oscars and Cichlids, species soon to be common in south Louisiana thanks to global warming DOHHH!!! |
| Catch |
Southwest Florida |
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| Is it Manatee mating season? |
13 June 2006 |
| Well, things haven't going as well as hoped on my trip this week to the Sunshine state. Alberto made a mess of the water and the fishing. Not easy casting flies in 30-40 knot winds, but thanks to mangroves there's always plenty lee shores. Milky water here is what chocolate water is in Louisiana, and fish don't like it. In two days, I've caught one each: ladyfish, speck, spanish, flounder, mangrove snapper, grouper, snook, jack. There's only two species that I've hooked up more than once: reds and tarpon. BIG TARPON. Alberto at least brought the big guys inshore. Hooked one up this afternoon on a clouser under a vosi, probably 80 pounds. Took my yak for a wild ride thru Rookery Bay before breaking off. Much more than my 7 weight could handle. Anywho, the other big story was the manatee. One came up on my yak from behind today, and when I turned around, he repositioned himself again on the back of my yak, and tried to get his head up on the back. I've seen enough Discovery Channel to know what he was up to. Hmmm, now I understand what the Backpacker said about this yak being colored "Manatee Red". |
| Fishes With Hurricanes |
Southwest Florida |
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| fuchon dolphin on fly |
07 June 2006 |
| went ofshore 25 miles out of fuchon last week... we managed several chicken dolphin on tarpon flys...great fun! we caught several kings on conventional tackle top water... good trip... ty |
| ty |
lake conroe tx |
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| Super Skinny Reds |
07 June 2006 |
| This weekend Jud Moore from Monroe came down to fish for a few days and to christen his new boat in salt water. Jud bought a Lowe 14' aluminum boat that has a sharp front entry and a shape very similar to high end flats boats. I used to have a MonArk boat of a similar design. Jud has outfitted his boat nicely with a nice front deck and an improvised poling deck. It's very light and poles very shallow, and is suprisingly quiet (thanks to the V entry up front). Jud arrived around noon Friday. We took his boat out, mainly to show him some spots he could fish Saturday morning. The afternoon tide Friday was high, and we knew that our chances of getting on fish were slim. Saturday morning Jud went out and ended up hooking up with Danny Williams and Devin Palomino, Jud caught 6 redfsih by staking out near a cut with incoming water. Sunday morning Jud and I fished. The water was very low early, but the redfish were stacked up in very shallow water. We were very limited in the area we could cover because it was so shallow, and the water was very muddy so the fish had to be active to spot them. We managed 5 reds boated, and 2 more hooked and lost. Jud also completed a slam by catching a flounder and black drum with his reds, and I added a 7 pound alligator gar to the mix. Jud headed back to Monroe, feeling that he had a good first outing for his new skiff. |
| Ron Begnaud |
Calcasieu - home o f the new lower spec limits |
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| Reds back in Bessie Heights |
07 June 2006 |
| I finally got to take the Beavertail and try it out in my area Sunday. As I shut down near one of my favorite flats I heard a red working the grass line. That's a good sign 1st thing in the morning. I boated 4 reds, broke off 2 and had 2 come unglued from 6:30am to 2:00pm. Not bad for poling and managing the fly line and rod at the same time. In the mean time I saw at least 12 to 15 more through the day while poling around. Two weeks ago I poled the same areas and only saw one red the whole day. I guess it's safe to say the reds have shown back up in Bessie Heights marsh. Only about 4 of the reds I saw were in water deeper than 6" and they were only in knee deep water. All of them were from 20" to 22"long. Never saw any big ones. |
| Capt. Michael Rector |
Sabine |
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| Bass and BG's |
05 June 2006 |
| Had a nice afternoon fishing in a farm pond in MS on Saturday. Took 7 fat bluegills and 5 bass between 1 and 2.5 pounds on a white Accardo's Miss Prissy size 8. It was amazing to see how well the pond survived as it was only 40 miles north of the coast. |
| The Trout Whisperer |
South Mississippi Farm Pond |
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| Turtle time |
05 June 2006 |
| The weather reports said low winds early Monday, but that was not the case. The sky was all blue but the water was still cloudy. I caught just a handfull of specks with only a couple keepers but the reds made up for this with aggresive takes on a black charlie, along with 1 nice sheephead. I ended up with 7 good hookups. What really made my day was seeing 2 sea turtles- One was in a grass patch and about 18 inches long, the other nearby in open water and he was slightly larger. I have never seen them inland and was wondering if this is an unusual occurence? Also, does anyone have a good turtle sauce piquant recipe? Just kidding, but the sheephead was great blackened! At about 2 the wind went into overdrive and that was all she wrote. |
| JeffM |
Hwy 1 Fourchon |
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