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Nestled in southeast Louisiana is Terrebonne Parish, which means “the good earth” in French. It is a very literal name. Here in the Mississippi River Delta is one of the world’s richest estuaries, which produces much of the seafood consumed across the country – shrimp, oysters, crabs and a myriad of fish. This abundance of sea life also fuels one of the greatest recreational fisheries in the world. Terrebonne Parish, in fact, is nearly 50 percent water, providing seemingly endless fishing opportunities. It doesn’t have the tourist traffic or reputation of other Gulf Coast fisheries, such as Florida or southeast Texas, but what it does have is more recreational fish per square mile than both of these big-name destinations. Visit southeast Louisiana and discover one of the last best-kept fishing secrets.
Following a summer of guiding in Montana, Capt. Marty returns to his home waters of Terrebonne Parish in October. The timing is perfect for the sportsman looking for the best that south Louisiana can provide. The weather is beginning to cool, and the fishing is heating up. Redfish spawn in the fall, and their frenzy of activity carries well into the winter months. In fall and early winter, scores of mature redfish, or “bull” reds, congregate in deep-water passes near the state’s coast, along with their cousins, bull black drum. Fish in these passes average 20 to 40 pounds. Tangle with several of these bruisers, and you know you’ve been in a fight. While the bulls are wearing out fishermen and tackle in the passes, juvenile redfish, from 2 to 12 pounds, fill the marshes and are at their most active in the fall and early winter. It’s in these shallows that sight-fishing for these bronze-backs provides heart-pounding anticipation and action.
Other species available in and around the marshes include black drum, flounder and sheepshead, dubbed “Cajun permit” for its tough bite and tenacious fight. Throughout the winter, and into the spring, fishing opportunities continue in the marsh. One highlight of winter fishing is sight-fishing for bull reds. When the bulls leave the passes following the spawn, some go offshore, but some go into the marsh to feed, providing stealthy anglers with the opportunity to sight-cast to 20-pound-plus bruisers in shallow water.
TRIP COSTS A full day of fishing, 8 hours on the water, costs $450 for 1 or 2 fishermen and $500 for 3 fishermen. A 3-day fishing license for out-of-state fishermen, valid when fishing with a licensed guide only, are $5 and available at numerous retail outlets in the area. They can also be purchased online from the Louisiana State Wildlife and Fisheries Department.
GEAR Rods and reels, tackle, flies, etc. are provided. For those wishing to provide their own gear, the following recommendations are given. For fly fishermen, 7- or 8-weight rods are recommended for general saltwater fishing. Clouser Minnows of various colors and gold spoons are the standard patterns. Colors and recipes are available on request.
For bait-cast/spin fishermen, a medium or medium-heavy rod is recommended, along with a reel with a good drag system. For bull fishing, heavy rods and reels are suggested. Marsh Madness clients ride in a 19-foot shallow-draft Bay Seaker flats hull with poling platform.
ACCOMMODATIONS / ATTRACTIONS Southeast Louisiana is the epicenter of Cajun culture, with a wide variety of sightseeing adventures available. The region features arguably the best cuisine on the planet, and is home to some of the nicest folks you’ll ever meet. Instead of trying to “re-invent the wheel” and attempting to list all of the area’s attractions, we recommend calling our local tourist commission at (985) 868-2732, or visiting their Web site at www.houmatravel.com. There you will find a vast amount of information on attractions, restaurants and accommodations. |
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It’s also in the fall that
speckled sea trout, or “specks,” journey inland following their
offshore summer spawn. Scores of these silver-sided missiles can be
found in and around the same marshes that are home to redfish.