170 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015
However, when eastern gales turn the edges of Breton Sound
milky to muddy, we simply search for wind-sheltered pockets in
places like Lakes Eloi, Treasure, Athanasio or Machais, where the
water’s calm and semi-clear — and we generally find some con-
centrations of specks.
And it was just such a spot we found along the finger of marsh
between Lakes Athanasio and Eloi. The water had about a foot of
visibility and some current lines formed to our front, with small
pogies or glass minnows twitching around.
The place had “cigar trout” written all over it.
I set my shad rig about 3 feet under a popping cork, tipped the jig-
heads with a little maaaw-ket bait and cast toward a current line.
The cork never stopped; it hit the water and kept going down.
For a second I thought it might have gotten tangled, as often hap-
pens with tandem rigs.
Then I felt the jerk.
“We’re on them!” I howled while lifting the rod and setting the hooks.
The drag on my light spinning rig was loose and singing crazily as
I cranked away. Finally, it went airborne. A complete flip — almost
like a chicken dolphin.
“Saw that?’ I howled and looked around.
But no one had. Because they were too busy fighting their own
fish.
Pelayo trout was thrashing the surface, rattling that yellow
mouth like castanets. Artie was already swinging one aboard.Cigars & courtbouillonROLL-OFF DELIVERY
CONTAINERS FOR SALE
504.279.8544
FOR ALL YOUR OFFSHORE,
STORAGE & CUSTOMIZED NEEDS
The relatively high spring salinities in this area seems to account for
the relative abundance of school specks. FACING PAGE: It’s hard
to believe, but frying specks whole was the norm for many of our
parents and grandparents. Try it and you’ll see why.