The rain has stopped but the heat continues. Reports have improved but fall did not get the memo about starting in September. River stages are down across the board. If the weather can bring down the temperature the fishing will be great in October.
Northshore
The Pearl River has finally fallen below ten feet on the gauge. Tournament stringers are coming in between 15-16 pounds again. With the water temps running around 80 degrees, summer patterns are still in play. Frogs around pads and points on the main river are starting points for any trip.
Bayou Liberty is a mess. The project to rebuild the marsh continues so much of the area is muddy. The speckle trout run may or may not happen in the area this fall. Bass action remains steady once you find some clean water.
Further west around the Tchefuncte and Tickfaw Rivers the fishing has been good. Bass are schooling on shad around the mouths of the rivers and along the shoreline. The activity is tide dependent so if the water is not moving, try something else. For the lower end of the rivers, frogs, rogues, and weightless plastics around drains or wood cover is always an option.
Basin
Reports are mixed but 15 pounds is what it takes to cash a check. Several anglers reported there is muddy water in parts of the Basin. A stick and move tactic is good when searching for fish in changing water condition. Verret has some fish showing up along the shoreline and around Belle River. Spooks and frogs are great to start the day then switch to plastics later in the day. For fun anglers can head south as the marshes are loaded with bass. Ponds, drains, and canals below Hwy 90 hold bass ready to take small worms, small spinnerbaits, and topwaters. Downsizing is a good option when fishing tidal water.
Delacroix/Chef Pass
If a mix of reds and bass is what fills the bill, the marsh from Chef Pass to Delacroix is the ticket. A Johnson Gold Weed less Spoon (1/2 ounce is best) will take bass and reds in the grass around bays and ponds around the marsh. Tide is always the first factor to put into the equation. Anglers should plan trips on high tide range days for the best results. Single Colorado (gold) spinnerbaits are another choice for the marsh. A 1/8-1/4 ounce beetle spin is a great way to save money. A redfish will completely destroy a regular spinnerbait. Delta Lure’s Thunder Jig is another fish catching bait for the marsh. For deep holes or for times when the water is high over the submerged grass, it works great on the green and red fish.
Venice
Venice is a heaven on earth type of fishery. However, it can been hell to find the right spot and locate the fish. A recent trip proved this to be true. We struggles the first day to scratch out a limit. By the end of the day we located a stretch with fish. The next day was some of the best cane flipping I have seen in years. Tons of two pounders and lots of threes to fours to throw in the mix. Here is the scoop on Venice. First, the river is around three feet on the NOLA gauge. However, strong east winds have kept the water high around Venice. Second, the dredging going on around Dennis pass has that area quite muddy. Next, the river is turning green and stating to clean up. We found the water is still too high for many areas because the fish are six feet inside the cane. The key is to find a canal or area where the water is clean and the bank is high enough to force the fish into the outside canes. We found a spot way down river around Southeast Pass. Delta Duck (Delta National Wildlife Refuge) has fish as does many areas around Main Pass, Octave, and Raphael. Since it was duck season we avoided these spots because it is against regulations to fish there during hunting season. There are plenty other place to fish, I promise.
Reports were canals and ponds off Cadro Pass held fish. The Venice area has lots of bass but the big girls are easier to catch down river. One good front should solve the water level issues. Water temps were high, 81-84, even down river. The river is falling and one good push of a front should set the whole area up for some great fishing this month.
For open water like points around ponds or drains in some of the oil field canals, Ribbits and spinnerbaits are good choices. For flipping the cane, anglers need two rigs, one lighter than the other. A punching rig with a one ounce or more pegged sinker is great for search around hyacinth patches. A 3/8 ounce (1/4-1/2 oz. depending on the strength of the tide) is great for flipping in and around the base of the canes. Work the bait slowly. The fish are aggressive but seemed to want it just sitting there. Green colored (watermelon, green pumpkin) worked well in clean water and dark colors (Junebug, black and blue) did better if the water color was a little off.
Bring a box of crappie jigs because the bream are stacked amongst the canes with the bass. If bream repeated hammer the punching rig, the bass are nearby. One reason a worm is a good choice is the bream will not pull all the legs off your lizard or creature bait.
Northshore
The Pearl River has finally fallen below ten feet on the gauge. Tournament stringers are coming in between 15-16 pounds again. With the water temps running around 80 degrees, summer patterns are still in play. Frogs around pads and points on the main river are starting points for any trip.
Bayou Liberty is a mess. The project to rebuild the marsh continues so much of the area is muddy. The speckle trout run may or may not happen in the area this fall. Bass action remains steady once you find some clean water.
Further west around the Tchefuncte and Tickfaw Rivers the fishing has been good. Bass are schooling on shad around the mouths of the rivers and along the shoreline. The activity is tide dependent so if the water is not moving, try something else. For the lower end of the rivers, frogs, rogues, and weightless plastics around drains or wood cover is always an option.
Basin
Reports are mixed but 15 pounds is what it takes to cash a check. Several anglers reported there is muddy water in parts of the Basin. A stick and move tactic is good when searching for fish in changing water condition. Verret has some fish showing up along the shoreline and around Belle River. Spooks and frogs are great to start the day then switch to plastics later in the day. For fun anglers can head south as the marshes are loaded with bass. Ponds, drains, and canals below Hwy 90 hold bass ready to take small worms, small spinnerbaits, and topwaters. Downsizing is a good option when fishing tidal water.
Delacroix/Chef Pass
If a mix of reds and bass is what fills the bill, the marsh from Chef Pass to Delacroix is the ticket. A Johnson Gold Weed less Spoon (1/2 ounce is best) will take bass and reds in the grass around bays and ponds around the marsh. Tide is always the first factor to put into the equation. Anglers should plan trips on high tide range days for the best results. Single Colorado (gold) spinnerbaits are another choice for the marsh. A 1/8-1/4 ounce beetle spin is a great way to save money. A redfish will completely destroy a regular spinnerbait. Delta Lure’s Thunder Jig is another fish catching bait for the marsh. For deep holes or for times when the water is high over the submerged grass, it works great on the green and red fish.
Venice
Venice is a heaven on earth type of fishery. However, it can been hell to find the right spot and locate the fish. A recent trip proved this to be true. We struggles the first day to scratch out a limit. By the end of the day we located a stretch with fish. The next day was some of the best cane flipping I have seen in years. Tons of two pounders and lots of threes to fours to throw in the mix. Here is the scoop on Venice. First, the river is around three feet on the NOLA gauge. However, strong east winds have kept the water high around Venice. Second, the dredging going on around Dennis pass has that area quite muddy. Next, the river is turning green and stating to clean up. We found the water is still too high for many areas because the fish are six feet inside the cane. The key is to find a canal or area where the water is clean and the bank is high enough to force the fish into the outside canes. We found a spot way down river around Southeast Pass. Delta Duck (Delta National Wildlife Refuge) has fish as does many areas around Main Pass, Octave, and Raphael. Since it was duck season we avoided these spots because it is against regulations to fish there during hunting season. There are plenty other place to fish, I promise.
Reports were canals and ponds off Cadro Pass held fish. The Venice area has lots of bass but the big girls are easier to catch down river. One good front should solve the water level issues. Water temps were high, 81-84, even down river. The river is falling and one good push of a front should set the whole area up for some great fishing this month.
For open water like points around ponds or drains in some of the oil field canals, Ribbits and spinnerbaits are good choices. For flipping the cane, anglers need two rigs, one lighter than the other. A punching rig with a one ounce or more pegged sinker is great for search around hyacinth patches. A 3/8 ounce (1/4-1/2 oz. depending on the strength of the tide) is great for flipping in and around the base of the canes. Work the bait slowly. The fish are aggressive but seemed to want it just sitting there. Green colored (watermelon, green pumpkin) worked well in clean water and dark colors (Junebug, black and blue) did better if the water color was a little off.
Bring a box of crappie jigs because the bream are stacked amongst the canes with the bass. If bream repeated hammer the punching rig, the bass are nearby. One reason a worm is a good choice is the bream will not pull all the legs off your lizard or creature bait.