156 Louisiana Sportsman^ | April 2015
Sabine reds
Frederick and Broussard are redfish tournament anglers
targeting coastal waters of Southwest Louisiana and Texas
who share a strong passion for this species.
The team has won and placed in many redfish tournaments
over the years.
Finding and catching redfish on this trip were not difficult
tasks for these anglers from nearby Port Neches on the lake’s
western border. Longtime residents of the area, this pair has
fished together most of their lives.
So they know the habits of most species of fish in the vast
Sabine Lake estuary.
We were out to simply catch a few redfish from Sabine Lake’s
many schools that prowl both the lake and interior marshes to
the north and east.
The lake stretches 23 miles north and south, and nine miles
across, and is fed by the Sabine and Neches rivers. This does
not include the bayous and marsh inlets to the east, including
waters within the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge.
Although there are always redfish somewhere in the vast
Sabine Lake estuary, April is prime time.
“Redfish here will be moving out from the cold, deep waters of
the Sabine jetties and the channel,” Frederick said. “On the east
side of the lake, they will be headed to the marshes, chasing
schools of juvenile pogies and other small baitfish.”continues on page 162 >
LEFT: Find a slick and you are probably going to catch
a redfish or two. ABOVE: Frederick and Broussard
dog-walk topwaters for slot redfish. Heddon Saltwater
Spooks and One Knockers are their favorites.Frederick advised that incoming tides are best to find schools
and smaller pods along the eastern shoreline of the lake.
“Look for reds breaking the surface on baitfish,” he said. “You
will find surface activity on any given day on the east side.”
The anglers usually start on the southern end of the lake,
heading north along the eastern shoreline.
“You can fish the jetties and southern end when launching
from the Causeway,” Broussard said. “Anglers can also find
redfish working scattered shell near shorelines from southeast-
ern Blue Buck Point all the way to Coffee Ground Cove on the
northeastern border of the lake.”
Frederick advised anglers to troll slowly along the eastern
shoreline.
“Look at the surface of the waters, and see where the wind
and tides are pushing bait onto the points,” he said. “And watch
very carefully, because some of the surface activity is not all
that disruptive.
“It could be a few baitfish jumping or wakes along the shoreline.”