Last Modified: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 8:56 PM

BY JOE JOSLIN / AMERICAN PRESS

Lake Calcasieu guide Capt. Tom Adams reported he is finding lots of bird activity with good numbers of quality trout being caught under birds in Turners Bay and West Bay.
The most recent cold front improved flounder action as well as they are starting to move to the bays along the ship channel. Adams, a serious flounder angler, said the flounder action has picked up significantly and they are being caught on the Flounder Pounder but also are hitting Berkley Saltwater Gulp! Shrimp on a quarter- or 3/8-ounce jig head worked near the bottom.
As far as reds, they are mixed in with the trout under the birds, but you have to have a bait that is slightly heavier to fall quickly (3/8-ounce jig head) and get below the other trout and sand trout.
Reds also love Berkley Gulp! Shrimp as well as Gulp! Mullet with natural shrimp, glow and nuclear chicken all great producing colors. For reds under birds just slow the presentation down keeping the bait near the bottom.
“Fishing is unbelievable,” said Capt. Kevin Broussard, Big Lake guide and pro redfish tournament angler with wind the only issue.
“If the wind isn’t bad, we are hammering them,” Broussard said. He said the entire fishery is producing fish from the Ice House (Saltwater Barrier) to the south end of the lake around Nine Mile.
Broussard also said there are lots of fish in the Intracoastal Canal throughout the Shell Ditch (toward Sabine Lake).
“Fall is here and the bird action is great,” he added.
He said he likes soft plastics in the glow chartreuse Saltwater Assassin top choice with repeated limits of trout and steady redfish action and also saw improved flounder activity from the south end of the fishery.
Veteran Hackberry guide, Capt. Kirk Stansel is loving this time of the year catching lots of fish. He said fishing has been very good the past few days.
When Stansel says it is very good, he usually means consistent limits. He reported “good numbers of trout mixed with reds under birds over the entire lake” was how he started his information.
Hackberry Hustlers on quarter-ounce jig heads are one of his main tools this week, and he mentioned trout results are better with the lure worked close to the surface or high in the water column to avoid some of the sand trout that hang near the bottom.
Stansel said generally the trout under the birds have been running small and he is catching his better trout drifting reefs on the south end of the lake and West Cove also on HB Hustlers.
As far as reds, he said quality redfish action has been really good at the Jetty on live shrimp and finger mullet as well as Gulp! Shrimp.
More great news from Big Lake comes from Capt. Bruce Baugh, who described Monday and Tuesday as being near ice cream conditions with smooth lake waters allowing anglers to work flocks of birds and the shrimp underneath.
During these ideal conditions an angler can stay on the fish even when the gulls leave and breakup. To avoid some of the crowds, Baugh said he likes to hang around after the birds stop working, using a keen eye and ear, and watch for jumping shrimp nearby and the unmistakable sound of the solid fish attacking a shrimp on top of the surface.
Baugh said it has been a bad time to be a shrimp. Stay in the water and a fish eats you. Or jump out of the water and you have a good chance of a bird carrying you off.
Baugh said he likes to follow the school with his trolling motor watching for subtle shrimp activity catching lots of fish without a bird or another boat in sight. He said he likes Paul Browns Flapper Shad in pearl-chartreuse tail on a quarter-ounce jig head, saying this lure is extremely durable and an angler can usually catch a limit on the same lure.
To those who do not know, Paul Brown (of Corky fame) is now a resident of Lake Charles and is still developing lures. Corkys are to saltwater anglers what Bill Lewis R-L-Traps are to freshwater anglers in that everyone owns some.
For info about any of the many Big Lake guides who furnish us info in this column, please send me an email. They provide a lot of very helpful info to area anglers and we appreciate it deeply.
To other captains and guides who would like to furnish reports, please email to me on Sunday or Monday of each week.
Duck Hunting
Hackberry Rod and Gun will host its annual Youth Duck Hunt on Nov. 5-6 at their lodge.
This will be a great opportunity for youngsters from all over the area to come for a great weekend of duck hunting and learning more about our area and the sport. Big duck season opens Nov. 12 here in the marshes of Southwest Louisiana.
For more information, contact Capt. Buddy Oakes at 762-3391.
Please send us your fishing reports. Call 463-3848 or email me at joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com or visit www.joejoslinoutdoors.com