September 2016 Voume 17 • Issue 195 | Page 28

Gerald Gaspard with a beautiful speckled trout caught off Flatboat Key The BigFish Finder Traditionally, fishing slows down after Labor Day. But, NOT because of the fish. Life for most of us takes a pretty good turn in one way or another this time of year. Back-to-School seems to have the greatest effect. Returning to the school routine and activities as well as the increase in youth sports swallows a great deal of free time for parents and students. Professional football season returns, taking a few summertime anglers with it. Those who prefer the firearm over the fishing rod prepare for their appropriate hunting seasons. Teal kick off the hunts this month, but just about anything taken from the field will need preparation. All of this is overshadowed by the fact that we are in the peak of tropical season. Many anglers get tired of dodging or worse - getting caught in the afternoon “popcorn showers” of late summer. Add the occasional counterclockwise threat from the Gulf, and we often spend more time this month protecting our fishing boats and camps than using them. In general, there is a “summer is over, back to business” attitude in September. On top of it all, September is something of a transition month for many fish. So, for many anglers, the hot spots of the summer by Capt. CT Williams BIGFISH TV • FOX 8 News begin to cool off; and, for some, (504) 244-3474 that can be discouraging. www.theBIGFISH.net Opportunities The reality is that this a great month to fish Louisiana’s coast and marshes. For all of the reasons just stated, there is far less pressure on the fish. Fewer boats and anglers mean more open area to cover finding fish. The real key is just understanding what changes are taking place where you fish, and how that