L_S_2015_04_

238 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015

Southeast

fishing forecast

L

ast April was cold. The winter didn’t

want to die and it was May before

Nature stuck a stake through its bitter-

cold heart. If this year’s weather returns

to normal, April action will be great. But if you

still have to wear a ski mask and overcoat to

run to the fishing hole, it’ll be tough.

If April cooperates, you’ll find speckled

trout showing up in the usual spring haunts,

and they’ll feed pretty aggressively. Outer

bays along the fringes are where you want to

be, and oyster reefs are their prime feeding

ground. Shrimp imitation lures under a cork

are the best bet unless actual live shrimp are

available. Look for reds in the same areas, and

live cocohoes or market shrimp under a cork

are the best baits.

Offshore anglers should take any window of

opportunity to try the Lumps for remaining

action before May pushes everything farther

offshore to the Floaters. For now you’ll still

find yellowfin, blackfin, wahoo, amberjack and

makos in the chum-lines. If you are ready for

Spring action, here’s the latest word on exactly

where to go.

Venice

According to Capt. Owen “Big O” Langridge,

April action is “busting out all over.” Langridge

said April means Easter, crawfish boils, aza-

leas’ blooming and fish biting!

“The trout spawn usually begins this month,

but it’s just a dress rehearsal for the major

spawn that’ll come in May,” he said. “Right

now the trout have moved out of their deep

wintering holes and they’re patrolling the flats

and oyster reefs behind Buras looking to fat-

ten up for the summer spawn. Topwater lures

will produce some explosive action early in the

morning, but then you’ll want to switch to a sus-

pending bait like a Rogue and work it for about

an hour. Then go to plastic under a cork as the

water warms up. All three methods will produce

in April, and if I can find live shrimp, I’ll buy

some because you can’t beat the real thing.”

Langridge said to fish for reds along the

canes with spinner baits.

“I actually make my own spinner baits,

using a H&H safety pin spinner, with a No. 4

Colorado gold blade, a ¼-ounce jig and an LSU

cocohoe,” he said. “It’s simple but effective, and

if for some reason the reds don’t cooperate, I’ll

entice them to bite with market bait under a

noisy cork.

“Downriver the water will be dirty so you’ll

have to hunt for cleaner water back in the

pockets. That’s where the trout will congre-

gate. A LSU minnow on a ¼-ounce jig head

is usually all you’ll need. It’s a challenge to

keep the jig from getting hung up in the cane

stubble, but that’s where the trout will be. If

you find really clean water, throw a glow and

chartreuse imitation shrimp under a noisy

cork to entice the specks. Reds will also be hid-

ing along the canes. The spinner that worked

behind Buras will work on the reds downriver,

however, I prefer a ¼-ounce jig with a black

and chartreuse cocohoe tipped with market

bait and worked slowly along the canes.”

Offshore, Capt. David Morgan (225-610-8024)

said the Horseshoe Lump (the East Lump)

should still produce tuna and wahoo the first

half of April, but by late month the better

action moves toward the Floaters.

“We’re still catching some nice mako shark,

too, and that’ll continue into April,” he said. “Our

biggest challenge this time of year is the weather.

Obviously we need a decent day to get out to the

fish, but when we have those windows, the fish

are there.”

April

anticipation

By Rusty Tardo

Chris Ducote, aka LETUMGROW on the

LouisianaSportsman.com forum, caught

this double-spotted on spinnerbait in

the Bayou DuPont area.

>>>

Will the action

trickle in or pour?

Participating

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