There's an old saying that when you hit rock bottom there's no way to go but up. My first trip to the Trestles can be best described as a "rock bottom" trip.  I Made my first trip in my new 8.5' plastic boat and troll motor to the south shore of Hwy 11. I saw boats scattered along the trestles and 11 bridges as I headed south, thinking the water would certainly be clearer because the SE wind I observed offshore this week at work. I was right in assuming that because the water sure was beautiful but there seemed to be a serious serious lack of fish from 7 to 10 am. I Trolled up and down the west side of the foot of the Hwy 11 bridge after dropping my boat in on the little beach there and then made the north trek around some pilings and headed to the first few pilings of the bridge casting diligently with avocado and shrimp Matrix Shad with 3/8 oz head. I Observed 8 or 10 fishermen all over the bank around the bridge foot and 4 boats fishing with trolling motors much more powerful than mine fighting the very strong current. I didn't witness a single fish being caught from anyone. I Made my way under the bridge and fished with my Matrix on bottom on east and west sides closely observing the boats and saw the handwriting on the wall and went back and put my boat in the truck. I soon found out that fishermen sure are nice people. I walked out to find just a couple of guys still fishing and met two wonderful Vietnamese fishermen fishing with bait who lived in the area and actually had 3 trout using shrimp on the bottom. A long discussion followed and one  recounted how earlier two boats still at bridge had really hit the trout before I got there. I headed back north and went to Carr drive and found a spot to drop in. I fished the canals that were full of grass. On the first cast  I caught a nice bass with same Matrix now on 1/8 oz. head and experienced  the curse told to me by Mr. Green a NFR meeting. If you catch one on the first cast, bad luck follows. The man was right! I couldn't manage another bite after over an hour. I next decided to go to The Dock and check things out. I Found some very successful fishermen with limits cleaning fish and some very happy pelicans enjoying the trout debris thrown back in the canal. I Found that I  should have started on the north side as the water was not dirty as I speculated and probably more salty???. Anyway, I could have gone out for a few pilings in my bathtub boat as calm as it was and maybe caught some trout. I even learned a few techniques from nice fishermen who I find are everywhere I think and I know that the strong tide was not the problem I  thought it was, I just need to know where to be and how to use it to my advantage. I like a tight line and feel a hard strike which is opposite of what I was hearing. It will take some success to get me converted to that I know. Live and learn. I would love to make a trip with a bridge pro to get all the tricks down one day but today was a day in which I learned a ton and I'm excited for what the future holds. I've seen the size of the speckled trout in some of the anglers boxes and these fish are definitely worth learning about!

Wayne Cobert here, residing in Ponchatoula, but grew up in Lafitte and lived there 38 years. What a great place to grow up, much like what I see today in wonderful downtown Lacombe. Everybody was known to me mostly because of my dad's business, the Flemming Canal store (the only option for the town). I started work there at 10 years old and still at it, with a work history mostly in the oil business. Went to school at Fisher Jr. High and then West Jefferson, then on to Nicholls State before returning to Fisher to teach and coach. It was then, in about 1968, that my best friend growing up really got me into serious fishing, from Lake Salvador all the way to the gulf. I had my first boat at 13, but now I really got some serious fishing gear including a T-Lafitte with a fantail, complete with a wet boat shed in lower Lafitte. It was on and the fishing was unbelievable. All one needed then was a shad rig, no bait. Later the rig was surplanted by the sparkle beetle, then the green sparkle, and, my favorite, the very heavy spoon, the Dixie Jet. I would buy them by the case and so would all my buddies. It was no challange to catch 50 trout and some reds mixed in to boot. In Bay Willow and Little Lake was greatest memory fishing cuts and points with the Jet and almost having the pole jerked almost out of my hand. FUN.


Fast forward to Ponchatoula 1992. After a divorce and later remarriage, settled in to north shore and gave up fishing basically. Recently I had my fishing interest rekindled as I contemplated retirement at the end of 2017. I discovered NorthshoreFishingReport.com after I heard it on the radio and pulled it up on the website. Viola....a Godsend! Seriously, All the scary reports of tough fishing did not deter me. So many things to learn, from seasons to tide effects, to a lot of iffy water conditions to......needing leaded line sometimes fishing the bridges, etc. What the hell is leaded line? As you can see, a rookie I am. Sure can't bull anyone and won't try when I write on the site. This website is the real deal and without even making my first trip yet, I feel like part of a wonderful family. The helpful and first class fishermen I met at Bayou Adventures are second to none. I felt like I was 20 years old again, back in good ole Lafitte. Can't wait to make some trips and make great friends in that lake. Hurry up December retirement! I purchased a boat (might call it a bathtub) that I can haul in back of my truck but have 2 week delivery. This week I hoped to fish with a buddy, but he may not be able to make it. No matter, I am going to fish the bank around Edle Isles or somewhere close. Not sure what to expect or exactly where is ok to go, but hoping to not get shot. Report will follow, hopefully not from a hospital.