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...and just like that -The Causeway's Back
 Keith Lusher
The Causeway Bridge that spans 24 miles connecting the Southshore to the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain is under renovation. But the improvements that the structure is seeing isn’t taking place above the water, but below. For the past 5 years the bridge has seen a drastic decrease in speckled trout being caught. The openings of the Bonnet Carre’ Spillway in 2016, 2018, twice in 2019 and once in 2020, have resulted in the worst speckled trout fishing at the bridge in over three decades.
Zack Liberto of Mandeville has been fishing the bridge all his life and said he can remember days of catching large trout at the bridge. “I cut my teeth fishing this bridge,” he said. We had some really amazing trips back then.” The bridge was arguably the #1 option for catching trophy trout in southeast Louisiana. 
 Liberto with his first fish of the day
But things are changing. The spillway hasn’t been opened in two years and things are getting back to normal, or some semblance thereof.
On Liberto’s latest trip to the Causeway he launched at Mandeville Harbor and experienced a smooth ride out to the 8-mile point from the northshore. Liberto was fishing with a friend and began weaving in and out of the pilings trying to pick up a pattern. “I like to try a little bit of everything out here because you never know what they’re going to wand and how they’re going to want it on any given day,” he said. Luckily Liberto was fishing with his friend Ian Marryone who happened to drag his bait across the bottom in a lackluster way. Marryone Felt his rod dip down into the water and pulled up on the rod. Marryone then flipped in a 15-inch trout into the boat. That was all Liberto needed to know for him to mimic the pattern. “That fish was a few feet off of the outside piling and hit an almost still bait,” he said. 
Liberto flips a trout into the boat fishing the east side of the Causeway
The team started dragging their lures instead of the usual aggressive pop that most bridge fisherman apply. They were using Matix Shad in Shrimp Creole color on a 3/8 oz. jig head and within minutes, Liberto set the hook on the days second fish. “After we knew what the pattern was, it was on!” he said. The team worked their way
a 2-man limit of speckled trout caught at the Causeway Bridge
along the outside portion of the eastern side of the bridge and put together a limit of specks by 11:00 a.m. All the fish measured from 15-22 inches. “It feels so amazing to catch these mules jigging the Causeway,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a long time to say that and now I think it’s safe to say that the Causeway is back.” Liberto adds that he is expecting a breakout fall for the 24-mile reef. “Looking forward with no spillway last year or this year, I think it’s setting up for a perfect fall run at the Causeway,” Liberto said.
Tournament Results The Double Nickel Bass Club fished the East Pearl River on beautiful spring day. A falling tide greeted the 22 angers who fished the event. The water was muddy as usual but seemed to be cleaning up slightly from weeks past. The fishing was tough with numerous anglers unable to catch 3 fish. However, Bill Dorris did catch 3 fish and that bag weighed in at 7.14 pounds. In second place was Ronnie Roth who brought in a 3-fish limit weighing 6.47 pounds. James Harris placed third with a limit that weighed 6.31 pounds. Guy Stegall won the big bass division with a 3.70-pound bass. Bayou Lacombe Big Bass Tournament held their event at the Main St. Launch and it was Shane Dunnegan who brought in the winner-takes-wall big fish. Dunnegan caught a 5.1-pound bass to beat out everyone else who competed. |
 Keith Lusher
I created NFR.com in the spring of 2012. Since then it has helped link Northshore fishermen to valuable information and has filled the void of absent information on the web about fishing on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Northshore Fishing Report has morphed into a brand name and can be found not only on the web, but on radio and newspaper. As NFR grows I will continue to work hard at keeping NFR local focusing on local anglers, reports, seminars, and fishing tournaments in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parish. I hope you enjoy the website and If you have any questions please email me at: Keith@NorthshoreFishingReport.com
Look for the Northshore Fishing Report publication every Thursday in The Slidell Independent Weekly Newspaper!
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Carl Schmidt of Abita Springs joins the NFR Studio by phone to talk about his numerous trips to Bayou Lacombe where he ran catfish lines and caught trout and bass near the mouth of the bayou.
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