L_S_2015_04_

126 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015

Local angler Ray Beadle typically starts getting the itch to fish

bream in February when the willows start to bud. I kind of get

that, because for me it’s when I can hear the steady singing of

prothonotary warblers and northern parulas.

Some anglers say the best time is when the tent caterpillars

start to fall from the trees.

Michael Broussard pointed out that chinquapins and bluegills

begin to spawn each spring when the water temperature gets

between 68 and 75 degrees.

“This is the best time to fish because they’re moving into shal-

lower water and becoming more active,” he said. “They also favor

protected backwater areas, where there is little current.

ABOVe: It’s hard not to smile when

fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Full to the bream

When to go

“It’s just a great time of year to be in the Basin fishing.”

At any rate, Bayou Vista’s Beadle chases sac-a-lait initially and

bream later.

But he said the problem with fishing too early is that the sea-

sons seem to intertwine — you often don’t know if it’s winter or

spring.

“Sometimes you’ll be on a spot where you know they often

congregate in schools, and you mop up on them,” Beadle said.

“Then the next day it’s 29 degrees with a north wind blowing 25

to 30 mph that turns the water all muddy.

“But, when the (willow) buds come out, I know very soon it’ll be

time to hit the schools of sac-a-lait, chinquapins and catfish.”