http://www.LouisianaSportsman.com April 2015 | Louisiana Sportsman 129Berwick resident Michael Broussard knows a few things about
fishing the lower Atchafalaya Basin. It’s like a second home for
the naval architect student who works as a draftsman for Con-
rad Shipyards.
He’ll tell you straight-up that he prefers fishing sac-a-lait, but
he realizes chinquapins and bluegills come with the territory
because they frequent the same haunts.
So Broussard has several tips for fishing bream in this region.
“About those shellcrackers: When it comes to live bait, they
love red worms,” Broussard said. “It’s a good choice for these fish
and more durable than crickets.
“But, besides bait, anglers also need to be aware of their water
depth. Chinquapins are bottom feeders, so don’t be afraid to fish
them deep. They’ll hold to structure, grass beds, brush piles and
fallen trees. So essentially, they like to hang around anything they
feel protected around.”
Bayou Vista’s Ray Beadle recommended starting by targeting
18- to 24-inch depths.
But if you have a depth finder it’s a good idea to sett your cork
to hold your bait just above half the depth of the water.He said sac-a-lait will go up to
hit bait but will never go down.
These fish also have specific
preferences in baits.
“If using artificial bait, they
seem to prefer colors like red,
orange and yellows,” Broussard
said. ■John Flores was enticed in
1984 to leave his western
digs in New Mexico for the
Sportsman’s Paradise by
his wife Christine. Never
looking back, the author
spends much of his free
time writing about and
photographing the state’s
natural resources.Best Basin tactics
for chinquapin
and bream
Worms are a better chnquapin
bait than crickets.Mon-Fri 8am-5pm;
Sat 8am-12noon (during summer)1724 General Mouton
(Located on Vermillion River)
Lafayette, LA337-234-2360
Engines Available
Parts & Service Available
2015
Nautic Star
244 XTSNautic Star offer boats from 18’ to 25’
Summer Is
Getting Close!
Full to the bream