Keith Lusher Jr The September fishing forecast was released and there are some areas on the Northshore that are really gaining some attention from anglers both on the saltwater and freshwater sides. Here is a list of some of the top spots to fish for September:
Pearl River- Both East and West Pearl Rivers have been fantastic all summer with the low water levels and ultra-clean water. Patrick Engerran has been fishing the area a lot lately and gives this area a 5/5 rating. Patrick says finding moving water is the key. “The bite is on all over the Pearl complex. From the West all the way to Mike’s River on the East - basically wherever water was moving,” Engerran says. The Wastehouse has been the main attraction on the East Pearl lately as anglers have been picking up a mixture of bass, goggle-eye, sac-au-lait, and even redfish. “The Wastehouse has bass in the pads and they are chasing spinnerbaits, flukes and Shu-Shu Slugs. Try backing off the pads more than normal and the bass should be a few feet off of the vegetation,” Patrick says.
Salt Bayou- The summertime hotspot is still producing limits of bass but now with the salinity up, there’s more saltwater variety available. Todd Oalman gives Salt Bayou a 4/5 rating and says the salt water has definitely made a difference. “The east winds of late August brought in much needed salty gulf water. The specks, drum and redfish followed. That area is producing good catches of specks, reds, flounder and white trout. The drum bite has been decent but most have been on the small side,” Oalman says. Todd says if the heat is too much to bear, try fishing at night. “The lights on the lakeshore have been producing nice catches of trout both specks and whites. The usual artificial baits are producing, but live bait is the ticket. Fish live shrimp Carolina rigged or free line pogies for best results,” Oalman says.
Eden Isles- We may have turned the calendar another page but the water temperatures are still a reminder that we may have a few weeks to go until that first cool front comes. Nick Church has found that shade is the key right now and Eden Isles offers a lot of it! “Eden Isles is a great place to fish that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Down here in the south, with the scorching heat, fish are running for shade. You’ll find plenty of shade in Eden Isles with the docks that line the shoreline. This is a great place for bass to find cooler waters and wait for bait fish to swim by,” Church says. Nick recommends finding moving water coming around the points and when the mid-day temperatures spike, “target the water under those docks. Pitch as far back under there as you can with a Texas-rigged lizard or Senko and let it fall,” he says. Church gives the area a 4/5 rating for September.
Bouge Falaya Cleanup
"Keep Covington Beautiful” is partnering with the City of Covington and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation to hold it’s annual Bogue Falaya River Sweep, litter clean-up on the Bogue Falaya River, on Saturday September 19th. The event will begin at 8:00 am at the 4th Ave. Boat Launch in Covington. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own kayaks and canoes to collect litter in and along the river from the boat launch to the Boston St. Bridge. Paddlers and volunteers interested in helping with the clean-up are asked to sign up by Sept, 14th by contacting KCB at 985-867-3652 or [email protected].
Pearl River- Both East and West Pearl Rivers have been fantastic all summer with the low water levels and ultra-clean water. Patrick Engerran has been fishing the area a lot lately and gives this area a 5/5 rating. Patrick says finding moving water is the key. “The bite is on all over the Pearl complex. From the West all the way to Mike’s River on the East - basically wherever water was moving,” Engerran says. The Wastehouse has been the main attraction on the East Pearl lately as anglers have been picking up a mixture of bass, goggle-eye, sac-au-lait, and even redfish. “The Wastehouse has bass in the pads and they are chasing spinnerbaits, flukes and Shu-Shu Slugs. Try backing off the pads more than normal and the bass should be a few feet off of the vegetation,” Patrick says.
Salt Bayou- The summertime hotspot is still producing limits of bass but now with the salinity up, there’s more saltwater variety available. Todd Oalman gives Salt Bayou a 4/5 rating and says the salt water has definitely made a difference. “The east winds of late August brought in much needed salty gulf water. The specks, drum and redfish followed. That area is producing good catches of specks, reds, flounder and white trout. The drum bite has been decent but most have been on the small side,” Oalman says. Todd says if the heat is too much to bear, try fishing at night. “The lights on the lakeshore have been producing nice catches of trout both specks and whites. The usual artificial baits are producing, but live bait is the ticket. Fish live shrimp Carolina rigged or free line pogies for best results,” Oalman says.
Eden Isles- We may have turned the calendar another page but the water temperatures are still a reminder that we may have a few weeks to go until that first cool front comes. Nick Church has found that shade is the key right now and Eden Isles offers a lot of it! “Eden Isles is a great place to fish that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Down here in the south, with the scorching heat, fish are running for shade. You’ll find plenty of shade in Eden Isles with the docks that line the shoreline. This is a great place for bass to find cooler waters and wait for bait fish to swim by,” Church says. Nick recommends finding moving water coming around the points and when the mid-day temperatures spike, “target the water under those docks. Pitch as far back under there as you can with a Texas-rigged lizard or Senko and let it fall,” he says. Church gives the area a 4/5 rating for September.
Bouge Falaya Cleanup
"Keep Covington Beautiful” is partnering with the City of Covington and the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation to hold it’s annual Bogue Falaya River Sweep, litter clean-up on the Bogue Falaya River, on Saturday September 19th. The event will begin at 8:00 am at the 4th Ave. Boat Launch in Covington. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own kayaks and canoes to collect litter in and along the river from the boat launch to the Boston St. Bridge. Paddlers and volunteers interested in helping with the clean-up are asked to sign up by Sept, 14th by contacting KCB at 985-867-3652 or [email protected].
