http://www.LouisianaSportsman.com April 2015 | Louisiana Sportsman 179there are any spawning sac-a-lait remaining.
For example, clusters of tupelo trees near the shore-
lines leading to the Branch area could hold some left-
over spawners.
“If the spawn should (extend into) early April, I’ll find
them in the tupelo clusters near the banks,” Lavergne
said. “They will also be along the shorelines in 2 to 4 feet
of water.
He and Fontenot pointed out that tupelo clusters are
plentiful in many coves in the lake.
Fontenot recalled a special trip to that area shared with fish-
ing friend Mark Manual that proved spawning sac-a-lait can be
found in the area.
“Mark and I went to the trees in the Branch area, and they
were there,” Fontenot said. “On that day, we caught 17 good
ones. We went back Friday that week, we had another seven
slabs but the sky opened up on us.”
But it can change quickly.
“When I went the following week, the fish were gone,”
Fontenot said.
The only problem with fishing the spawning period is that
anglers run the risk of never catching a fish if all they do is troll
the banks and cast a tube or shiner under a cork or without
one.So flexibility is important. If there are no bites on the shallow
trees and shorelines, it’s important to back out to grass mats
early, since these fish will stop biting at some part of the day.
“When the spawn is over, we catch them in the channel by the
spillway all the way to the north landing,” Fontenot said.
They let the fish tell them if they need to fish under a cork, or
whether tight-lining is the best
way to go.
“Fishing without a cork, we
cast a hair jig, grub or tube jig
and you just reel it in. We call
that the ‘Acey’ way,” Fontenot
said, referring to a friend who
taught him this method. ■Learn more about Chicot Lake
For more information on the lake, call Chicot State Park at
337-363-2403 or visit the park website at http://www.crt.state.
la.us/louisiana-state-parks/parks/chicot-state-park.Best time to Fish is NoW!
Book Your Trip Today!!
• Fly fishing or spin cast
• Trips are all-inclusiveWWW.themarshrat.com WWW.tuNatimecharters.com
Capt. Chad Billiot
985-637-5058
Captain Ed Frekey
985-665-3769
[email protected]Captain Paul Guidroz
985-691-1179
[email protected]FACING pAG E: B.J. Fontentot caught this sac-a-lait from a mat
of pennyworts. BElOW, RIGht: Fontenot uses a combination
of hair jigs by Jenny’s Jigs, MidSouth tube jigs and H&H solid-
body tube jigs.Chris Berzas
Chris Berzas has fished and
hunted in the Bayou State ever
since he could hold a rod and
shoot a shotgun. Berzas has
been a freelancer featured in
newspapers, magazines, televi-
sion and DVDs since 1989.