252 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015
Southwest
fishing forecastT
wo major cold fronts in as many weeks frustrated many
anglers who love to fish for speckled trout and redfish
on the sprawling Calcasieu Lake system in Southwest
Louisiana.
Veteran saltwater fishermen like Nick Poe were enjoying some
good — no, great — speckled trout fishing success in the days
leading up to the first of the two arctic chills.
“We caught really good the week before the front hit — limits
of trout, limits of reds. If you get good days in late February and
March, the fishing’s good. But you don’t get many good days.
They’re few and far between,” Poe said, ruefully, the first week
of March.
The charter boat captain with his family’s business, Big Lake
Guide Service owned by his parents and fellow charter boat
captains Jeff and Mary Poe, was offering his fishing report the
day before the second big weather change brought snow and
sleet to the region. That was just about the last straw for some-
one who loves to fish for speckled trout so much.
“I’m a firm believer (that) winter ought to end at the end of the
duck hunting season,” Poe said with a chuckle as he braced for
the next cold front.
For sure, water conditions were ideal for the time of year, per-
haps too good.
“The water’s extremely clear. It’s kind of weird. You actually
have to hunt dirty water to catch a bunch of fish,” he said, not-
ing the “entire east bank” had clear water from Commissary
Point up to Turner’s Bay.
However, he added quickly, it was changing a bit after that
first cold front and the approaching one might affect the watercolor more, which wouldn’t be a bad thing.
“The fish are everywhere. The salinity’s really high. The water’s
gorgeous everywhere you go,” he said.
Which all bodes well for April, weather permitting.
Poe said most of the days will have a predominantly south or
southeast wind. He advised speckled trout fishermen to fish
the east bank and the south end of the lake in April.
“West Cove will be great in April,” he added. “I always hear
great reports out of there.”
In fact, he said, “a lot of fish are being caught now in West Cove.”
As water temperatures rise, speckled trout get in the spawn-
ing mode and move south, he said.
What to use to get them to bite? Poe is partial to a Lil John —
opening night if the water’s clear or golden bream if it’s stained
— on a 1/8- or ¼-ounce leadhead fished over reefs in 3- to 5-foot
depths in early and mid-April.
“You’ll start catching them under the birds in late April,” he said.
On warm days, anglers have a good chance to hook up with ol’
yellowmouth — the big ol’ speckled trout that roam the lake.
Poe knows that better than anyone: To catch them, he uses
She Dogs, mostly, and Super Spooks.
“Any one of them will work,” he said.
For redfish, big schools should be in the mid-lake area as they
are each spring. Their presence will be given away by terns (not
seagulls), large mud boils and slicks, Poe said. Those fish can be
caught on soft plastics on a leadhead.
Redfish also can be caught behind the weirs in Grand and
Lambert bayous, he said, adding that Gulp products are main
meal tickets.West Cove
is best bet
this month at
Big Lake
By Don ShoopmanJack Gandy caught his first redfish-
while fishing a Vudu shrimp with his
family at Calcasieu Lake.