are likely going to be in the running for some money. Lake
Jesse has been producing some
good numbers of speckled trout
lately with jigs and plastics and
corky style lures. If you decide to
go south for the tournament,
don’t be scared of the graveyard
area, it’s a deep area with lots of
snags, but it holds some beautiful fish this time of year.
From Paddle Palooza to last
year’s Minimalist Challenge,
there have been a lot of winning
fish pulled from the vicinity and if
you don’t know where it’s at, just
look for the sunken barges and
boats off the west side when
driving across the Bridge to
Fourchon. There are also some
solid areas to fish north of
Leeville on the West side that
have some deep canals with flats
on each side that are covered
with oysters. You will likely find
some of the hometown favorites
scouring this area on tournament day and prefishing.
If you are staying local this
month, Hopedale Lagoon is the
place for steady trout action,
that is if the water continues its
colder temperatures. There are
oysters spread out throughout
the lagoon and a channel in the
middle that you can follow by
the crab trap bouyies. I am a big
fan of jigging matrix shad and
quarter ounce or 8th ounce jig
heads in the “goon” but trolling
works well too. You can also
usually find a solid bag of reds
along the eastern shoreline
using spinner, spoons, or gulp
under a cork.
Shell Beach is also another
hot location this time of year for
the kayaking community. As
duck season comes to an end
there is a lot of marsh areas between the intracoastal and lake
Borgne that hold a lot of red
fish, but don’t forget to hit the
mouths of the canals you use to
enter the marsh as they sometimes can hold a pile of speckled
trout.
No matter where you go this
month make sure to dress heavy,
dress dry, and always have a
spare set of clothes tucked
under the deck in a dry bag. I
know it can seem like a hassle,
but if you happen to fall in, it will
be the best thing you take with
you. Being in 50 degree water
with air temps in the 40s is not a
recipe for a good time, it’s a
recipe for disaster.
Until Next Time,
Stay Safe & Catch1