When is the best time to fish in Louisiana?
That's the most common question I get from potential clients and my preferred answer is... Well, when can you get here? Of course that doesn't seem to be the answer they are looking for. Because of this, I figured I'd go into a little more detail...
The fishing can be great year-round, but the "best time" depends on what it is the angler is looking to do or see. Some people want to only target bull redfish, some want the opportunity to have shots at a lot of fish no matter the size, some want to target other species like black drum, jack crevalle, sharks, gar, etc., some want to target tailing fish, some want to do it all. You see where I'm going with this... There are a lot of options and a lot of different scenarios. Let me somewhat generalize them a little, but please remember that these are generalities and the weather conditions, tide, etc. can all play a role in the changing of opportunities on a daily basis. The methods for targeting certain fish in different conditions change often. Your guide will take care of you and give you the best opportunities they can while having a great time on the water.
Spring - Crawfish boils and skinny water redfish
Typically a great time to target redfish in higher numbers in shallow clear water lakes and ponds tucked away and hidden from the average boater. Can be a good time for redfish on topwater. The marsh grass is becoming greener and the marsh is beginning to boom with new life. This is also a great time to start seeing alligators and other wildlife that haven't been around much the past few months. Simply put, it's a great time to be in the marsh and the redfish are plentiful and chowing down! Oh and did I mention the big bull redfish are still around...? BIG redfish!
Spring/Summer - More delicious crawfish and skinny water redfish, tailing bull redfish, tailing black drum, alligator gar
Typically a great time to target redfish of all sizes. The 5-15 pounders are plentiful and anglers can get shots at a lot of fish. There are bull redfish in the marsh too and can often be found tailing, backing, belly crawling, and cruising. The big black drum can be plentiful and found tailing and backing as they feed in the shallow water. Jack crevalle are beginning to show up and give you a run for your money! Alligator gar can be found floating around too and present a fun challenge on fly. The weather seems to be becoming more predictable and the winds can be calm. Interested in topwater fishing? NOW would be a good time. This is possibly my favorite time to fish and be on the water!
Summer/Fall - Delicious shrimp and blue crabs, bull redfish, big black drum, and JACK CREVALLE
Schools of bull redfish and jack crevalle are becoming more common. Calm days can offer lots of opportunities. You've seen all the videos of bull redfish and jack crevalle on topwater like my film, 29° NOLA, right? Well, now is typically a great time for this. This is our busiest time of year and the days are usually booked up very quickly and well in advance. It's almost impossible to get a last minute charter during this time. And if the conditions don't allow us to target schooling fish we can get on singles and small groups.
Fall/Winter - Hot gumbo and bull redfish
This is usually a great time to target bull redfish in clearer water. There are definitely other opportunities and sometimes we will need to make a change based on weather conditions, but the focus is typically on bull redfish. This is also a very busy time of year and is booked up quickly and well in advance.
More to the Louisiana fishery
And of course throughout the year your guide could have a trick or two up his sleeve to give you an extraordinary experience and opportunities. I'll just leave it at that. There's a lot more to this fishery than being discussed here, but we will just have to show you!
Please remember that the above information is a very basic generality. Louisiana has one of the greatest fisheries in the world throughout the year for many different species.
Check out my other blog posts for more photos and info on different times of the year.
Best Time to Fish Louisiana - Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter
Every season offers various opportunities and challenges so if there's a certain time you want to come or you can only come at a certain time, give us a shout and we will put our knowledge and experience to work giving you the best opportunities available. Fall and winter may be the most marketed seasons and therefore the most popular, but don't miss out on the incredible spring and summer fishery. It's one of our best kept secrets, but not for long! Come spend some time on the water with Southern Fly Expeditions ANY time of year and have a great time.