Lake Pontchartrain Favorability Gauge for July
Lake Pontchartrain is home to a variety of fish. Since it is an estuary, the lake is constantly changing. There are many factors that change the conditions of the lake including hurricanes, rain, and spillway openings. This makes the Lake one of the most challenging destinations to fish in South Louisiana.
Since it's inception in 2012, NorthshoreFishingReport.com has collected thousands of fishing reports from Lake Pontchartrain. Below is a list of all of the fish that anglers pursue in Lake Pontchartrain. All the reports have been researched on NFR and assigned a monthly favorability score.
Since it's inception in 2012, NorthshoreFishingReport.com has collected thousands of fishing reports from Lake Pontchartrain. Below is a list of all of the fish that anglers pursue in Lake Pontchartrain. All the reports have been researched on NFR and assigned a monthly favorability score.
We've gone through the reports dating back from 2012 from the following fishing reports boards on NorthshoreFishingReport.com: Causeway, Slidell Bridges, Lemo's Reef, Pass Manchac, Sunset Point Fishing Pier, Slidell Fishing Pier, and Lake Pontchartrain (other). These reports determine 80% of the weight used in monthly projections. The other 20% of the weight is taken from the Monthly Fishing Forecasts that are written by NFR Members. Each species of fish is given a favorability rating. These ratings are not scientific and should be used as a best estimate of what to expect on any given month.
Speckled Trout July: Terrible
The average water temperature for the Lake Pontchartrain in the month of July is 84 degrees. The only month hotter is August with a temperature reading of 85 degrees. These kind of water temperatures are entirely to hot for speckled trout. By this time of the year the trout have moved out to Lake Borgne and Lake Catherine where there is deeper, cooler water.
Redfish July: Great
As the weather heats up, so does the redfish bite in Lake Pontchartrain! Structure is the name of the game in July so targeting the Trestles and Causeway Bridges are a popular choice for anglers. Also the northern shoreline offers an easy "scan" of water that is being stirred up by red's blowing up on mullet. Usually associated with a trout bite, diving seagulls in Lake Pontchartrain tend to be a signal that redfish are underneath especailly along the Northern shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain between Bayou Bonfouca and Bayou Cane. Lures such as Top-Dog's and Mir-o-lure's are best for the flats. Gold spoons are a proven method as well just be careful of hanging up in eel grass along the shoreline. Live shrimp under a cork work best along the shoreline but switch over to the bottom when fishing everywhere else.
Check the reports on NFR and you'll find that the best redfish bite comes by fishing the Trestles and Causeway Bridges in July.
Check the reports on NFR and you'll find that the best redfish bite comes by fishing the Trestles and Causeway Bridges in July.
Black Drum July: Excellent
Black Drum can be plentiful in Lake Pontchartrain during the summer months, and July is the month we start to see the schools of black drum gathering on the bridges and deep bottom bayous that spill out into the Lake. The mouth of Bayou Lacombe and deep sections of Eden Isles produce drum in July. The best bait is live shrimp but frozen shrimp works well also. It's not too complicated with drum as a simple jig head with bait will work. The bridges in Lake Pontchartrain will be your best bet this month. The Causeway and Trestles are options but don't ignore the Twin Spans in July. The drum frequent that bridge and the boat traffic is next to nothing. Another option for anglers targeting drum in July is the artificial reefs and the shell pads in the Lake. The shell pad off of Goose Point and the scattered well heads out of Bayou Lacombe produce drum in July.
Sheepshead July: Good
Sheepshead or what's referred to in the restaurant world as "Bay Snapper" are plentiful in Lake Pontchartrain this month. Sheepshead are structure feeders. Some anglers actually can watch them circling a pylon on the Lake Pontchartrain bridges. The bridges are the best place to catch a sheepshead in July. The Trestles and Causeway are options but another spot that produces great reports is the Twin Spans bridge. NFR doesn't get too many fishing reports from the Twin Spans but when we do it's usually sheepshead that are being reported. Best bait is live shrimp (the smaller the better). Also cracked crab and surprisingly - live crawfish! Using a Carolina Rig works well but keep in mind that the entire pylon from the waters surface to the bottom offers a good chance to catch a sheeshead so a lighter weight is in order to slow down the descending bait. Another great option is the artificial reefs on the lake. Sheepshead are structure feeders and the reef balls are prime habitat for crustaceans and baitfish.
Flounder July: Good
The flounder bite continue throughout the summer and will peak in the fall. While the bridges are popular spots to catch founder in July, don't overlook the grassy shoreline where the bayous flow out. Flounder are ambush predators and use current to move baitfish into the strike zone. Todd's Bayou is located west of Goose Point and is a very productive canal that offers deep drop-offs along it's shoreline and offers a strong current when the tide is falling. Also the southern shoreline of Bayou Bonfouca offers a stretch of grassy shoreline and a few cuts that flounder hang around to ambush baitfish. Dead shrimp on the bottom on a Carolina rig work well but some anglers say that live cochahoe minnows are flounder candy. When fishing with artificial slow down your retrieve and when possible drag your bait across the bottom. Flounder typically lay on the bottom so maximizing the baits presence on the seafloor will pay dividends.
Garfish June: Excellent
Garfish reign throughout the summer and July is a fantastic month to target garfish because of the warming water temperatures. As the weather warms the bite should improve. Some hot spots along the Northshore are Cypress Bayou off of Bayou Lacombe, Bayou Cane, and Bayou Castine, When targeting garfish it's important to remember to use heavy duty line with a steel leader. Chicken livers, market shrimp, cut fish, and live crawfish are bait options in July. Because of their visibility on the water surface most anglers think that garfish should be fished with a cork on the surface however, garfish are known to hunt along the bottom.
Croaker July: Good
July is a fantastic month to target croaker in the Lake. One thing to remember with croaker is that they will respond to salinity so when the salinity readings are up in the Lake, the croaker bite will improve. Croaker are a warm water fish and thrive during the summer months where water temperatures hover into the 80's. The mouth of Bayou Lacombe and Bayou Bonfouca are summer hotspots. When fishing for croaker remember to scale down everything. Line, pole, bait and hooks. Market shrimp work good but fall off of the hook quickly as croaker peck away at the bait. Try cutting a small strip of the stomach of your last caught fish. Fresh fish skin holds to the meat very well and stays on the hook longer.
White Trout July: Good
The white trout bite typically coincides with the croaker bite in Lake Pontchartrain. Both of these fish are warm weather fish and June is a great month to catch white trout. White trout are usually caught in deeper channels that spill out into the Lake. The mouth of Bayou Bonfouca and Bayou Liberty are hot-spots of white trout in July. Also, white trout are know to congregate around speckled trout so don't be surprised to put a few in the boat if you find the specks.