Common Louisiana freshwater sport fish: black bass, white bass, blue bass, red-eared sunfish, white crab, black crab, white crab, white bass, striped bass. Spotted trout, also known as spotted trout, is a common estuarine fish found on the southern shores of the Gulf of Mexico and on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean from Maryland to Florida. While most of these fish are caught in shallow, grassy plains, spotted trout reside in almost any coastal water, from the waves of outer islands to the farthest coastal rivers, where they tend to take refuge in cold weather. Contrary to its name, spotted trout is not a member of the trout family, but of the drum family.
Because of its size, shape and eating habits, it is known as trout. Louisiana's state parks offer an incredible variety of fishing opportunities. Head to the Toledo Bend Reservoir, the largest artificial lake in the South, where you'll find South and North Toledo Bend State Parks. The reservoir has been named one of Bassmaster's 25 best bass lakes.
Visit Chicot State Park in Ville Platte (where you can sleep in spectacular waterfront huts), Chemin-A-Haut State Park, in the far reaches of north-central Louisiana, and Bistineau, Bruin, Claiborne and other state parks named after bodies of water rich in fish. Throw a fishing line for hybrid striped bass, black largemouth bass, red sunfish and black and white crab in these waterways. If you've ever caught redfish, you'll know that they love to hide in shallow, grassy waters, canals, and river mouths. This makes the coastal region of Louisiana the perfect habitat for these fish.
If that's not enough, you also have the option of visiting the crystal clear waters of the Chandeleur Islands, which offer some of the most epic light tackle fishing sports in the area. At Pelican State, you can fish for juvenile redfish year-round. As long as they're within the space limit, they'll be a delicious dinner. Once fall arrives, you'll have the opportunity to pick up the larger specimens.
The redfish season in Louisiana is especially vibrant, as fish sometimes reach 40 inches. It's no secret that the annual opening of the red snapper season is a highly anticipated event in Louisiana. Whoever tried it will tell you that very few fish can compete with these in terms of delicacy. In this corner of the south, you'll have the chance to eat a snapper cooked Cajun style.
If you like a spicy touch in your life, it's a delicacy you shouldn't miss. The waters off the coast of Louisiana are riddled with oil platforms and artificial reefs. Thanks to this, anglers often capture their red snapper limit without having to venture too far from the coast. That said, the further you advance, the better your chances of getting hooked on a big one.
What destinations come to mind when you think about fishing for yellowfin tuna? Is it California? Mexico? Without a doubt, those are fantastic places, but if Louisiana weren't on your list, it would be wise to put it in the first place. We've mentioned some of our favorites so far, but we can safely say that the swamp holds a lot more secrets. The redhead may be the most famous target on the coast, but it's definitely not the only one. As you explore coastal wetlands, you'll also have the opportunity to fish for spotted trout, sheepshead, flounder, black drum and many other species.
In addition to red snapper, artificial reefs and oil platforms have plenty of blackbirds, groupers, blackfin tuna, mackerel and more. As you get farther and farther from the coast, you'll start to see some really big fish. Mahi, wahoo, marlin and sailfish are just a few of the pelagic species you can find while fishing offshore in Louisiana. When it comes to saltwater species, the Bayou State's coastlines will offer you plenty of variety.
Some of the fish you can catch from the coast are the redfish, the spotted trout and the black drum. If you prefer freshwater fishing, lakes and rivers offer a healthy mix of bass, blue galls, crabs, catfish and more. If you consider the design of Louisiana's coastal region, with all its swamps, brackish lakes and canals, you'll find a good number of areas that aren't easily accessible. This is where kayaks come into play, as they will allow you to fish in the nooks and crannies that would otherwise be unreachable.
The kayaks are also quiet, allowing you to paddle slowly and watch the waters for any signs of disturbance before handing the bait to the Nordic reindeer that follows. Fish is very perishable and should be kept refrigerated until you are ready to eat. The black drum, Pogonias cromis, is a commercial species that is commonly fished in Louisiana. These fish, found throughout the Gulf, are black or reddish gray in color.
Juveniles have vertical bars along the sides of their bodies that fade as they grow. Adults are commonly found on oyster reefs because of the powerful nature of their rounded jaws and teeth. This is the largest species in the drum family and can exceed 100 pounds. The black drum spawns between January and April and is caught commercially throughout the year.
The black drum, once considered a “junk” fish, is returning to restaurants in South Louisiana. While many prefer other types of fish, smaller black drums, when properly prepared and cleaned, are a great choice. During the colder months, fish caught tend to have more fat and be in better condition than when caught in the warmer months (after spawning). Fight your drum, don't just climb it.
The skin is what gives this fish its “fishy flavor”. The larger the drum, the thicker the meat, the more comparable to that of chicken. The red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, is a very common fish in the Gulf of Mexico. They are pinkish red and fade from dark red to lighter red from top to bottom.
They also have a red eye. Smaller red snappers tend to migrate to any type of relief or obstruction of the bottom. As they grow older, they begin to spend more time in open-bottom habitats. They mostly eat smaller fish, such as pipefish, snake eels and anchovies, with a secondary diet of shrimp and sea lice.
The spotted sea trout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is a dark, silvery fish on the upper part that turns white towards the ventral side. There are spots on the upper half of fish that vary in number, and younger fish have more spots. The dorsal fin and the caudal fin are always stained. Often, these fish have yellow pigment on the edges and inside the mouth.
Smaller trout eat small crustaceans, while larger adults feed on small fish such as pogies and croaks. Speckled trout is found in the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, from Massachusetts to the Yucatan Peninsula. During spring and summer, these fish are found near seagrass beds in shallow bays and estuaries in search of something to eat. As fall approaches and colder temperatures approach, they dive into the waters of the bay and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Speckled trout is also found in harbors and canals of dredged ships. Spotted trout spawn from March to November and then move to deeper, calmer waters as temperatures drop. They are a favorite of recreational and inshore charter anglers, and cannot be fished commercially. Speckled trout is a very delicious fish with a good taste.
However, it is very important to put the fish on ice immediately after cleaning. The delicate quality of trout meat degrades rapidly if it is not cooled due to natural enzymes that deteriorate it. This fish is best when eaten fresh and not after freezing. Most recipes suggest baking as the preferred cooking method.
Atlantic bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus, is one of the largest and fastest swimming fish in the world. Shaped like a torpedo, they are designed for speed and endurance. Atlantic bluefin tuna has a metallic blue color on the top and silver on the bottom that helps to camouflage itself in the water. The fins are yellow.
This species is distinguished from other members of tuna by the short length of its pectoral fins. Atlantic bluefin tuna eats a lot. They feed on smaller fish, crustaceans, squid and eels. Bluefin tuna has the darkest and most fatty meat of all tunas.
Its flavor is described as half full and very distinctive. It is best served as sushi or cooked raw to half-cooked. The Atlantic bigeye, Thunnus obesus, is an important food fish and a prized recreational game fish. They can grow to be nearly 6 feet long and 400 pounds.
Their bodies are aerodynamic for fast swimming, with a big head and eyes. The bigees are shaded against the current, meaning that their bodies are dark on the top and silver all over the body; the first dorsal is yellow, darker yellow and the second, dorsal and anal, more pale yellow. This species looks a lot like yellowfin tuna and is difficult to distinguish without experience. They feed near the top of the food chain and eat many epipelagic and mesopelagic fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods.
Bigeye tuna is very popular for sashimi. They tend to have a richer flavor than yellowfin with a high fat content. The texture of the meat is firm and meaty, it is best served over medium heat or as sushi. Overcooked tuna is tough and tasteless.
The Atlantic yellowfin, Thunnus albacares, is a torpedo-shaped species with a dark blue back, yellow sides and a silver belly. Its fins and fins are bright yellow. They are considerably smaller than bluefin tunas, but can still reach about 7 feet in length. Yellowfins are epipelagic, meaning that they spend their time just above the thermocline, in the upper 100 m.
They eat diets similar to those of other tunas, including myctopids, anchovies, sardines, pelagic crustaceans, and squid. The Atlantic Pompano or more commonly known as the Florida Pomano, Trachinotus carlolinus, is a silverfish with a flat body, with a grey-green color on the dorsal part and a yellowish color on the ventral part. These fish, common on Gulf beaches, have a large area of distribution in the north, from Massachusetts in the south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Central America. They have been found in deep waters, but are generally coastal fish that hate coastal and nearshore waters.
They especially like dark, murky water. The preferred water temperatures range from 82 to 90 degrees and the preferred salinity ranges from 28 to 37 ppm. Commercial landings are made from Virginia to Texas, but most catches are in Florida waters. It is caught all year round, but the main fishing takes place from March to May.
They feed on molluscs, crustaceans and other invertebrates and small fish. This fish is often referred to as “the most edible fish in the world”. Its silver skin is also edible. The meat is firm and finely shredded with a sweet and mild flavor.
Because this fish is so easy to eat without bones, people tend to prepare it whole. The fish can also be split in half lengthwise, making two fillets. The best way to cook Pompano is to roast it with lemon and butter. Jaw groupers can be found in coastal waters from brackish to marine waters.
Offshore on rocky and grassy bottoms, as well as offshore. They are common along the rocky cornices along the eastern Gulf. The larger gag grouper feeds mainly on smaller fish, crabs, shrimp and cephalopods. The juveniles feed on small crustaceans found in shallow grasslands.
The grouper is a very tasty fish. It has a mild but distinct flavor, halfway between sea bass and halibut. Some people think that the mere gag is the preferred mere because of its firmer flesh and its higher performance, even though the mere gag on the market is still called black grouper. The most popular way to cook grouper in the south is blackened, but it is quite versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
Of course, no compendium of hot pits could cover all of the great fishing spots in Louisiana, but part of the fun of fishing includes exploring new points of interest in the deservedly named Sportsman's Paradise. However, once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to fully enjoy one of the most exciting ways to fish in Louisiana. The 186,000-acre Toledo Bend probably offers the best freshwater fishing in Louisiana and some of the best in the entire country. You'll also need a proper guide if you plan to fish deep water in Louisiana, as fishing beyond the state limit requires a federal permit.
From the coastal waters and swamps of Shell Beach, Delacroix, Hopedale and New Orleans to the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana's diversity of fish species is second to none. Lands managed by the state and the federal government in Louisiana are also especially popular fishing destinations. For anglers who already have all their equipment, there's no easier way to go fishing in Louisiana than to choose a spot along any of its coasts and start throwing. Rivers, streams and swamps Between the Sabine and the Pearl, Louisiana athletes can also fish Ouachita, Tensas, Black, Boeuf, Calcasieu, Amite, Blind, Tickfaw, Tangipahoa, Tchefuncte, Bogue Chitto, Whisky Chitto and many other rivers, streams and swamps that feed an abundant tapestry of life.
The Atchafalaya Basin is one of the most beautiful areas in Louisiana and one of the most abundant for fishing. .
Leave a Comment