# DIY Louisiana Redfishing



## johnboatjosh

My friend an I have been tossing around the idea of towing the boat down to LA for some redfishing. We have never been and don't know the area very well. All we know is that it's supposed to be a redfish mecca. So I'm looking for advice, suggestions, etc. Obviously I'm sure it would shorten the learning curve to hire a guide but wonder if it's worth the money or if we should save the money and just try it ourselves. I'd love to say that I'm not asking for honey holes but if you got some I'm listening:whistling:

In all seriousness, thanks for any help you can provide two young guys full of "want to" and short on "know how":thumbsup:


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## FishWalton

*Shell Beach*

You may get a hundred suggestions on this one, but I recommend Shell Beach area. See http://www.rodnreel.com/campos/index.asp?pg=fishing_reports This is just one website for the area. It's easy go get to, not far from New Orleans if you are so inclined, and the fishing is top notch. There are places to stay in the area. Google Earth to Shell Bech, La. and take a look at the area. Good maps are available also.

The area was totally wiped out by Hurricane Katrina, but has made a tremendous comeback. :thumbup:


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## Prince Caspian

Get a Top Spot map for the area.


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## FishWalton

*map*

Yep, a Top Spot map would be excellent for that area, or you can design one at www.mytopo.com but it won't have all the data a Top Spot will have. 

Here is a story about Campo's Marina that I always fished out of .http://www.rodnreel.com/campos/

What I like about the area is all the protected areas where you can fish with a small boat. The ship channel can be excellent but you have to have a 'heads up' if a sea going vessel comes buy. The guys at the Marina can give you a 1 minute short course on how to handle your boat should a monster come sailing down the creek. It doesn't happen often though.

Here is another commercial for the area: http://www.fishwiththeking.com/index.asp?pg=fishing_reports


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## elementfiftyfour

I would suggest down HW23 from Myrtle Grove south all the way to Venice or HW1 from Cut Off south to Grand Isle. 

Launching out of Shell Beach may do you good but you will have to head out to the marsh to find the reds, most of which are going to be hanging out around the shallower ponds eating bait. 

I have also heard that Pointe Aux Chenes (PAX) has been doing really good right now.


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## FishWalton

*Happy Jack*

Myrtle Grove, Venice, and Grand Isle........all top notch. Not many places in south Louisiana that aren't. Just depends on how far you want to drive. 

When I moved from Chalmette to Belle Chasse I switched to Happy Jack and Myrtle Grove, mostly Happy Jack. All I had was a 14 ft Jon and 20 hp kicker. That's all I needed for the canals and marsh. Even fished some of the oyster shell reefs/islands in bigger open water when the wind was right. 

Loved to take my little Jon and jump the canal weir dams on hi-tide and get back in the marsh. Man 0 Man....such red and flounder fishing. There's no place along the gulf coast I know of that will come close to south Louisiana fishing and the limits are far superior to Florida . :thumbup:


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## PCfisher66

I'll be keeping an eye out on this thread too, I've been looking for a place to go over there to use a kayak.


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## bertram31

*Happy Jack*

X2 on Happy Jack, Theres a couple houses on the canal on the east side of road that rent out, I think its Martin Lane


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## eodusmc

This is where I go. 150 for a cabin and 10 for launch. Have never been unhappy. http://www.thedeltamarina.com/. Make sure you take skin so soft. Off cutter or thermacell just don't work there. Don't know why but the no seeums will tear you up without SSS.


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## FLfishR

I went to Grand Isle a couple weeks ago. It looked like the first picture for the last 40 miles of LA 1. You could put a kayak or maybe a small boat in anywhere. We had motor problems the first two days. The flounder were caught off land the first morning. Finally got the boat running and fished from it the last morning. Caught quite a few trout mostly small. Your biggest problem will be trying to decide where to fish. Every place looks better than the last.


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## johnboatjosh

Thanks for all the input guys, keep it coming! One thing I should have asked in my original post, but I assume that you all think the fishing is good enough down there to justify making a trip like the one I have planned? Just don't want to drive all the way to LA to realize that we should have just spent our time fishing at home! Also, you guys mostly use live bait when fishing down there or artificials?


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## jonnyc

johnboatjosh said:


> Thanks for all the input guys, keep it coming! One thing I should have asked in my original post, but I assume that you all think the fishing is good enough down there to justify making a trip like the one I have planned? Just don't want to drive all the way to LA to realize that we should have just spent our time fishing at home! Also, you guys mostly use live bait when fishing down there or artificials?


 
I suggest Shell Beach or Delacroix which are ten minutes apart. Here is a marina with lodging in Delacroix..Hog Specks..Great Reds and Bass all in the same area. http://delacroix.bayoubound.com/ Grand Isle is nice but their trout just dont match up...in my opinion.


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## @work

I second Delacroix. Capt. Jack at Sweetwater Marina is always glad to tell you where the fishing are biting and you have several options of places to fish without having to run very far or cross a open body of water.


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## traqem

I'm making the trip 2-3 times a year to Delacroix and wish I could do it every weekend. Never had a bad trip. 

One word of caution - almost everywhere you will be running your boat, you will be in 2-3 ft of water. 5 ft. every now and then. Don't ever forget to pay attention to what you're doing. Best to go with a guide or local the first time until you figure things out a bit. That water can be VERY confusing. I wouldn't attempt it on my own until I got a GPS.

The guy I took with me last trip never got really comfortable with my boat running 55 plus in 2 ft water. That trip, we ran 189 miles in 2.3 days of fishing.


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## beeritself

I fish Myrtle Grove and Happy Jacks about twice a month. Both places are hot right now. You can limit out in under a half hour with fresh dead shrimp on a popping cork. Plus, launching out of MGM, you can be in grande isle in about 40 minutes of a beer drinking boat ride. Good luck. Check rodnreel.com for tides, reports, etc. if you want a guide, I can recommend some for rod n reel or bowfishing at night.


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## FishWalton

*Delacroix Island/Ships Channel*

Noticed Delacroix Island mentioned which is close to Shell Beach, and found a post on their website about the ships channel being closed. I was not aware of this information. See: http://delacroixfishing.com/boat-launch/ 

I never fished out of Delacroix Island but am well aware of what the area has to offer. I just always went to Blackie's at Shell Beach.


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## MathGeek

Good advice here for the 16-27" reds. Fish the passes for bull reds. I think the three best passes for bull reds are caminada pass, bell pass, and calcasieu pass. Put cracked crab on the bottom and hold on...

I prefer a falling tide. If the tide is too strong to hold the bottom, or if the water is clearer on the outside, I prefer to be just on the outside of the jetties on the downwind side. Using a 6-12" croaker or sand trout is excellent bait also. A lot of people like cut mullet for bait, but I've never caught a bull red on mullet, so I prefer cracked crab or a live croaker or sand trout 6-12" long.


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## cturner

OP - What kind of fishing to do you want to target? Bottom fishing for bulls? Sightfishing shallow water?

Louisiana is definitely worth it and has it all. I second Delacroix, I've taken the flats boat over there a few times, poled through shallow ponds, and seen HUNDREDS of tailers. You can't go wrong, just pay attention to where you're going.


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## johnboatjosh

We're looking to target slot size fish as well as some speckled trout. Wouldn't mind gettting into bigger fish of course but we're not much on the bottom fishing thing for redfish. More flats type stuff. We'll be in a 20' bay boat. No poling platform but do have a 36" tall casting platform on the front deck.


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## traqem

I've caught more bull reds than slot fish everywhere I've been down there. There is never a problem finding big reds. I fish the general area between shell beach and Delacroix.


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## FishWalton

*bait*

Tragem...... how do the marinas sell live bait now? By the dozen, hundred, etc. Here in the FL panhandle it's by the dozen, and not cheap.

All this chatter has got me wanting to work up a trip to my old fishing grounds in shell beach or happy jack.


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## reel_dedicated

John i have sent you two private messages but some reason i don't think they are sendin on my phone (don't see them in the sent box anyway).. i got a trip planned for August 10-12 that i think will be right down your alley.. shoot me a text and ill give you the details 251-367-8626 Hunter Maples.


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## johnboatjosh

Reel, 

I got the one you just sent. I'll get with you after work today


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## dabutcher

This is a great thread. I am also interested in a DIY trip to the Louisisana marsh. I would like to focus on shallow water fishing using artificials. I would really like to go with someone that has some experience in that area. I will be willing to tag along and share expenses or I would be willing to take my boat and have someone do the same. I would like to gain some experienc in that area and be able to go about 3 or 4 times a year.


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## beeritself

Looks like I'll be in the myrtle grove and grande isle area Sunday and Monday, sleeping at the camp and doing some fishing and frogging. I'll let y'all know what's working on Tuesday.


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## cturner

johnboatjosh said:


> We're looking to target slot size fish as well as some speckled trout. Wouldn't mind gettting into bigger fish of course but we're not much on the bottom fishing thing for redfish. More flats type stuff. We'll be in a 20' bay boat. No poling platform but do have a 36" tall casting platform on the front deck.


Knowing that, I'd say Venice to be honest. If you want to flats fish, it can get REALLY shallow at Delacroix, Hopedale, etc. I've been stuck in my flats boat that can run in 8-10" easily, so I wouldn't be too confident in a bay boat. Venice has great marsh/flats fishing a stones throw from the deeper waterways. Plus, Venice actually has civilization/food near the ramp :thumbup:


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## FLfishR

Fishwalton,

Live shrimp are .$15.00 per 50 and croaker are .35 ea.


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## McFish

A strong vote for the Shell Beach - Delacroix area. Hard to beat most times. As another post says, you may catch specs, redfish and bass in the same spot. BUT, as several posts say, you must pay attention to where you are and how you got there. It is easy to find yourself 50 ft from the channel, canal or cut that you want but have a 2ft high mudbank in the way. McFish


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## CallMeEddie

PCfisher66 said:


> I'll be keeping an eye out on this thread too, I've been looking for a place to go over there to use a kayak.


For Kayak fishing, a place known as Magnolia Pond is redfish mecca. It's a huge maze of marshland about halfway between New Orleans and Venice in a place called Pointe a La Hache. You can pull right off of hwy 23 and launch. Redfish, specks, and flounder are everywhere.


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## capttreyfry

I guide out of delacroix, and tournament fish the ifa tour. We have fished three tournaments in delacroix this year, and it isloaded with redfish. That upper marsh is swarming with 8-12 lb fish. All the small grassy ponds are full of fish. Take a ladder or platform. So u can sight fish. The water is clear and they are easy to spot in that green grass. Pretty much anything you put in there face they will smash. Message me if you have any questions.


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## PCfisher66

CallMeEddie said:


> For Kayak fishing, a place known as Magnolia Pond is redfish mecca. It's a huge maze of marshland about halfway between New Orleans and Venice in a place called Pointe a La Hache. You can pull right off of hwy 23 and launch. Redfish, specks, and flounder are everywhere.


 
Sounds good, thanks!


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## FishWalton

Thanks FLfishR, That's about the same price as here......$4.00 per doz. 

At lot different than the old days at Blackies.......$1.50 per 100.


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