While most bass fisherman have traded in their rods for rifles and headed off to the deer stand, Denham Springs angler, Ronald Pierre takes to the water for what he calls his favorite time to fish. “I have had days where it was frigid, windy, and downright bone chilling only to put more than 100 bass in the boat by 1 p.m.” he says. Ronald recently made a trip to Bayou Bonfouca for some cold weather fishing but instead of wetting his line early he decided to do a little scouting with his electronics first. “I was trying to dissect the deeper areas and to find sweet spots where big schools of fish wanted to winter. 

What I found was nothing short of amazing!” Pierre said. Any bass fisherman will tell you that structure transitions are important when finding bass. A grass line running up into a bulkhead, a shallow flat dropping off into deeper water, or a soft bottom interrupted by shells are all things that Ronald looks for when honing in on bass. On this morning he found the latter of the three. “After I had made several passes over what my electronics showed as a hard bottom, I decided to drop the trolling motor. I started cranking the area and my rod tip started jumping as if I were dragging my crank-bait over a highway. Upon reeling my lure in I noticed I had snagged some shells with my treble hooks along the bottom,” Pierre said. What he had found was a shell bed in the deep end of the bayou that spanned over 75 yards long and was 12 to 15 ft. in width.  Ronald took another cast and hit pay dirt! “On my second cast as soon as my lure started grinding along the shell pads I hooked up with a nice fish. As I began to flip the fish over the rail I noticed at least eight to ten bass following it. That’s when it happened! All of a sudden the whole bend in the bayou as far as the shell beds stretched, bass begin to blow up on the surface in a feeding frenzy!” he said.  Ronald carries a video camera on board his Nitro bass boat, but says the urge to catch fish outweighed the need to record the action. “I didn’t know whether to cast out for another fish or unpack my camera to get this on film because it was something you had to see to believe. We were surrounded by at least 100 to 150 or more bass on the surface chasing schools of shad. It was insane! Instead of getting this on film I couldn’t help but to get in on the action, “he said.  We caught bass after bass until we were getting tired of catching fish. We literally got bored with swinging in fish over the rail. It had become more of a work out because it was so fast paced,” Pierre said. In the world of bass fishing it’s very rare to find a spot to concentrate on for hours on end, but that’s just what Ronald had sniffed out on this day. “I knew we were on something special when we were still catching bass at a fast rate at 2 p.m. in the same spot where I first dropped the trolling motor earlier that morning. We ended the day with close to 100 bass and that number is a conservative estimate,” Ronald said. Pierre stresses that cold weather bass fishing can provide anglers with these kind of days but warns, “There will be times where the weather will down right test your fishing skills and sheer willingness to be out on the water. I won’t tell you that it will be like this every time you get out on the water during the winter, but if you do find them they will be stacked up in huge bunches,” he said.

The Annual RP3 Bass King Tournament was held on Bayou Bonfouca and it was Ryan Soto who claimed first place with a 5-fish stringer that weighed 9.05 lbs. Soto also won the big fish division with 4.65 lb. lunker. With the win Ryan punches his ticket to the Bass Assassins Classic next year.  In second was Ronald Pierre with a 5-fish bag weighing in at 8.60 lbs.  Shaun Miley took third with a total weight of 7.40 lbs. 

For those of you bass fisherman looking to put together a limit of bass, Bayou Cane in Mandeville has been heating up as the temperatures drop. The tiny shallow bayou that meanders in between Fontainebleau Park and Big Branch Wildlife Refuge is producing steady limits of bass and has developed a reputation as a winter-time fishing destination.  Jake Paige fished the bayou from his kayak on his last trip and says after an unsuccessful trip into the lake looking for trout and red’s, he made a move that saved his trip. “I fished the mouth and shoreline for about 30 minutes with no action so I decided to head back into the bayou to see if the bass would cooperate,” he said. Jake started throwing a suspended jerk-bait and says the deeper water is where the he found the bass. “Most of the bites were in the middle of the canal with the bait sitting still. I would Jerk it down about a foot and just let it sit,” Paige said. He ended the day with a limit of bass and says the average for him these days are between 10 and 30 bass.

  

 Tournament Results

The Florida Parishes Bass Anglers held their tournament on Bayou Liberty and it was the father-son team of Jason and Trenton Pittman who came out on top with a 5-fish limit that weighed 8.79 lbs. The duo also took home the big fish award for a 2.25 lb. bass. In second was the team of Korey Inscoe and Jared Norris with a bag that weighed 6.77 lbs. Forrest Green and Al Duncan won third with a total weight of 6.49lbs.

Paul Paille won first place in the River Champs Tournament on the Tchefuncte River with a 5-fish limit weighing in at 8.89 lbs. Paille also won the big fish award with a 4.55 lb. lunker. In second was Joe Smith with a stringer that weighed 5.06 lbs. Bobby Newberry took third place with 3.63 lbs.

Here in South Louisiana speckled trout is definitely the undisputed king. And when it comes to live bait, live shrimp is the hands down choice for anglers on most occasions. But the no-brainer solution for catching speckled trout has got anglers scratching their heads this month and it’s no surprise. All summer they have been tossing out there trusty Carolina rigs with live shrimp and anything in the vicinity would grab hold. That may not be the case in the winter says Captain George Seibert of Fish Meister Charters.  Seibert made a trip out to the Great Wall of Chalmette where he witnessed something odd. It seems the boats fishing with plastics where catching more fish than the ones throwing live shrimp. “Fish get lethargic from the cold water and they aren't going to move around looking for shrimp on a Carolina rig. When you fish plastic, you are moving the bait in front of them and they just grab it with no effort.  On the Carolina rig it just sits there.  Now if you moved it in front of them the same would work. On our last trip to the wall, all the fish we caught had been hugging the bottom. You could tell this from the red marks on their bellies.  I think when you throw the live shrimp and there is a trout there he will take it. If not it just sits there motionless like him,” George says. 

 The Louisiana Brown Shrimp is one of three species of Penaeid Shrimp which is a warm water shrimp. While these shrimp are still being harvested and in the bait shops, anglers are finding the bait to be far less effective as in the summer and early fall months because they are not as active in water that dips beneath 55 degrees. “Shrimp get lethargic just like fish in the cold weather. The water was 53 degrees and after only catching three, I changed to plastic and did much better.  When they would grab it, it was like I was snagged because they weren't moving until I jerked back,” George said.

 

Kayak anglers are well known for being able to get to the spots that the bigger boats can’t reach, but are often limited when it comes to venturing out in the lake.  Kayak Angler Jeff Kreller fishes from his Hobie Revo 13 and doesn’t let the size of his boat dictate where he fishes. Jeff recently made a trip out to the Trestles and says he was pleasantly surprised when he arrived at the launch to find great conditions for a trip along the Trestles.  “I arrived at Tite's for 8 a.m. and was greeted by light wind and waves, clear green water, and a strong incoming tide - I smiled on the inside,” Kreller said. After reaching his destination Jeff began throwing one of his favorite lures. “I started off with Paul Brown's Devil Eye in green, letting the current work the lure slowly down and away from the tracks, but switched to something shorter after losing a few tails. I pulled out a Shu-Shu in the limey color, and the trout swallowed them whole,” Kreller said. Jeff did most of his damage from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.  and says soft and short bumps off of the bottom with long rests were the most productive retrieve. Jeff ended the day with 25 fat speckled trout that measured 14”-21”.

 

EPA Delays Ethanol Reduction

The Obama administration announced that it is delaying a decision on whether to reduce the amount of ethanol in the nation's fuel supply. Last year the Environmental Protection Agency proposed to reduce the amount of ethanol in fuel for the first time, acknowledging that a biofuel law that was passed nearly a decade ago was not working as well as expected. Boating advocacy groups have been waiting on this decision as it would ultimately translate into fewer repairs for marine engines since ethanol has been proven to damage gaskets, valves, and seals in engines. The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers said that the group will sue the EPA for not releasing the 2014 standards according to the timeline established by Congress. The group said Congress needs to "step in and repeal or significantly reform this badly broken program."

 

Upcoming Tournaments

The RP3 Bass King Tournament will take place on December 7th at the Heritage Park Launch on Bayou Bonfouca. For more information please call Ronald Pierre at 985-991-3681.

The Pearl River Team Trails is having its next tournament on the East Pearl on December 13th. For more information please contact Charles Dauzat at 985-960-6936.

The next Liars & Lunkers Tournament will be December 14th at Lock One. For more information please call Chad at 985-502-3217.

With the incredible start to the duck season and the stout trout run that we have seen this fall, sportsman often find themselves debating on whether or not to chase spots or feathers.  Mandeville resident Mark Sagerholm chooses to target a different fish that most anglers overlook. “Anyone who knows me well knows that flounder are by far my favorite inshore fish to catch. My Uncle Bob took me fishing for my first time when I was four years old and the fish-du-jour was flounder - I've been hooked ever since!” says Mark.  When it comes to flounder in Louisiana, Mark says he’s noticed a pattern that translates from how the speckled trout season goes the previous summer. “In my six short years here in Louisiana I've noticed that it seems when we have a crappy speck season during spring and summer that the flounder migration in the fall will be good so I’ve been looking forward to this fall's annual flounder run,” he says. 

His theory has proven right so far this year as Mark has made many successful flounder trips to the Trestles including a trip where he ended up with six doormats. “I was in full fall flounder run mode and decided I'd fish the north end of the Trestles to see if I could get a limit of flounder.  I had a full bucket of fifty live shrimp from the Hwy 11 Bait Shop but screwed up by initially going after my usual addiction of sheepshead,” said Sagerholm.  Mark says he had six sheepshead in the box when he decided to get back on course and target flounder.  “I decided to go over to the west side of the Trestles and begin doing drifts for flounder. I had my patented Suspend-O-Rig on a spinning rod, dead-sticked out the back while I was hand- jigging my bait caster with a Drop-shot Rig, tight-lined to the bottom. I'd paddle about 100 yards away from the bridge, drift back close to the bridge- lather, rinse, and repeat.  I had six nice flounder in the ice chest and was confident that I'd limit out,” he said.  Mark fishes out of a kayak and says the wind began to howl at that point which cut his trip short. He ended the day with six flounder and six sheepshead. Sagerholm refers to the awkward fish as the “Dachshund of the Sea” because they remind him of his dogs.  “I've always had Dachshunds and just looking at them makes me crack up. They are the funniest looking dogs. At the same time, they are smart and sneaky. To me, flounder are the funniest looking fish in the sea. They have both eyes on one side of their head and lay around all day waiting for a meal to happen by. They're also smart and sneaky like Dachshunds and once hooked, they are known to spit the hook with ease. A flounder that allows itself to be netted is just lazy,” he says. With numerous ways to prepare flounder but Mark says he prefers to prepare them like his Mother does.  “Unlike Cajun-style stuffed flounder, this recipe calls for skinning the fillets.  I Rub olive oil on each fillet and place them on a cookie sheet. Then I mix crabmeat with mayo, diced onions, some cajun spice, and a few Italian bread crumbs. Next I use an ice-cream scooper to plop the crabmeat onto the fillet, wrap the ends of the fillets around the crabmeat and toothpick them together. Finally I chuck the cookie sheet into the oven and broil it for about ten minutes,” Sagerholm says. 


Bayou Liberty

The “mixed bag” bite of bass and speckled trout that anglers have seen this fall on Bayou Liberty has carried into November. Floyd Holton recently made a trip to Slidell and launched out of Heritage Park for a little bass fishing on the Bayou Bonfouca but says it was tough going at the start. “We started fishing just out of the landing with cranks, creature baits, and worms and after reaching the bridge with not even a strike, we moved on down past the marina and fished the rocks on the bank line with no luck. We kept moving around to our usual spots with the same results and it started looking like it was going to be another one of those days when the water is beautiful but there is no bite,” he said. After trying the lake for 45 minutes Floyd days they made a move that saved their trip! “I’ve never really fished Liberty before, so we ran a ways up and stopped down from someone anchored.  I put on an Ultra-Violet Matrix, and casted out - Bam! First speck!  Next cast - second speck!  After we put 16 specks in the boat it slowed down so we moved on searching for more. We got on a run-out and both picked up a few bass and specks but after twenty minutes, we decide to call it a day,” Floyd said. Holton says they were starting to pick up when he made the notorious “one last cast.”  “While my friend was picking up the trolling motor I made one last cast and landed a 15" speck. He looked at me, grabbed his rod, threw in the area and pulled in a bass. It's was on again just like a switch!” He said. The team ended the day with 28 speckled trout and 18 bass and says it was a long day but their persistence paid off.

 

Upcoming Tournaments 

The RP3 Bass King Tournament will take place on December 7th at the Heritage Park Launch on Bayou Bonfouca. For more information please call Ronald Pierre at 985-991-3681.

Florida Parishes Bass Anglers are having their next tournament on Bayou Liberty on Sunday, November 30th. For more information about becoming a member please contact Kevin Williams at 985-502-6146.

The Pearl River Team Trails is having its next tournament on the East Pearl on December 13th. For more information please contact Charles Dauzat at 985-960-6936.

The next Liars & Lunkers Tournament will be December 14th at Lock One. For more information please call Chad at 985-502-3217.

The Causeway is arguably one of the most polarizing fishing destinations in Lake Pontchartrain.  Whether it’s the unpredictable winds, fluctuating salinity, or plain ole’ lack of fish, the 24-mile reef is more than likely to give you the cold shoulder when it comes to putting fish in the boat. 22-year old Zack Liberto has been fishing the structure since he was 5 years old and says when it comes to catching speckled trout at the bridge, “They’ll show up overnight much like the teal do during teal season. I look for the water temperatures to go into the upper 60’s and lower 70’s. Then when I know it’s about to turn on,” Liberto says. 

Zack has been fishing the bridge this fall picking up a few specks here and there but it was his last trip that he hit pay dirt. “I was watching the wind and the weather the night before and I knew the next day was going to be a good day. We launched out of Mandeville Harbor at 5:30 a.m. and our first stop was right past the drawbridge about nine miles out,” he says. Liberto and a friend started jigging the pilings but only picked up two trout in the first thirty minutes so they decided to make a move. They decide to move further out. “We started fishing the south bound bridge at the 12-mile mark on the west side of the bridge. I lowered the trolling motor and flipped it out there between the two pilings then felt a good thump and set the hook,” Liberto says. After a good fight Zack landed a solid 18” speckled trout and says the action was fast for the first thirty minutes or so. During the frenzy Zack caught his biggest trout of the trip but says he didn’t come easy. “I caught about a three pound trout and told my buddy to get the landing net. It was the collapsible kind and when he tried to undo it, it broke so we were without a net from there on out. Sure enough about two fish later I felt a good ping and set the hook on a big one. I wound up having to reach over and lip that fish which I hate doing because they usually see that boat and they’re gone. So I wound up getting lucky and grabbing him and pulling him in the boat,” Zack says.  What Zack pulled over the gunwale was a 5.8 lb. trout and says the damage to his fingers was a small price to pay. “I’ve got a couple of scratches and bruises on my fingers but it was worth it,” he says. 

 The Causeway and finicky trout go hand in hand but on this day Zack says the trout were slamming their lures. “Most times the bite is really light at the Causeway and even if you get a hook-set you might lose the fish after about three or four seconds but today they were feeding so good before the front that I would drop it straight back down and the same fish would hit it again,” he says. By 11:30 am Zack and his friend had boxed 50 big beautiful speckled trout and says now is the time to get after them because it won’t last long. “Usually the trout move in during October but everything’s been backed so the whole month of November will be producing. When the water dips into the 50’s it usually means the end to the trout bite,” he says.
 

Tournament Results

Florida Parishes Bass Anglers held its tournament out of Manchac and it was the team of Scott Andrews and Paul Paille who took home first place with a 5-fish bag weighing 6.78 lbs. Paille and Andrews also won the big fish division with a 1.58 lb. bass.  In second were Derrek Paternostro and Darren Welch with two fish that weighed 1.93 lbs. Third place went to Wayne Richardson and Patrick Engerran also weighing in two fish at 1.91 lbs. 

The Pearl River Team Trails Tournament held its tournament on the East Pearl and it was the father/son team of Phil and Morgan Schutte who took first place 13.1.50 lbs. Charles Dauzat and Mark Mohr came in second place with a limit weighing 13.1.25 lbs. Brock Fallon and Jimmy Dorris rounded out the top three with a combined weight of 13 lbs. Fallon and Dorris also won the big fish division with a lunker weighing 4.2 lbs. 



Upcoming Tournaments 

Florida Parishes Bass Anglers are having their next tournament on Bayou Liberty on Sunday, November 30th. For more information about becoming a member please contact Kevin Williams at 985-502-6146.

The Pearl River Team Trails is having its next tournament on the East Pearl on December 13th. For more information please contact Charles Dauzat at 985-960-6936.

The next Liars & Lunkers Tournament will be December 14th at Lock One. For more information please call Chad at 985-502-3217.