Fishing Report: Summertime bite on Big Lake
Last Modified: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 9:25 PM
By Joe Joslin / American Press
“We are definitely into a summertime bite here on Big Lake” says local guide Captain Bruce Baugh.
He has being targeting rafts/pods/schools of pogeys with occasional mullet in the mix. Baugh likes mid-lake reefs in both Big Lake and West Cove .
He also adds “The trout have been hammering Paul Browns Peanuts as well as the 3 inch Berkley Saltwater Gulp! shrimp with pearl the top color. When winds were out of the north for a few days he also reported a good topwater bite water bite last week during the few days of north wind.
The trout were nailing She Dogs in chrome color combinations. Big Lake angler, Malcolm FitzGerrell, had a 28 inch trout that probably would have placed in the STAR Tournament “if” he had been registered as the big spec trashed a chrome/chartreuse She Dog.
The big trout was released alive. If you fish the Gulf Coast ya better sign up for STAR.
Storm Watchers
Captain Buddy Oakes of Hackberry Rod and Gun reports that summer time thunderstorms had their folks watching the skies this week as some very heavy lightning and intense storms gave cause to keep one eye on the weather.Oakes says that between showers the catch was pretty good. Speckled trout and redfish were taken on live finger mullet and live shrimp under a cork.
Also, Hackberry Hustlers and TTF’s Killer Flats Minnows were also good over oyster reefs in 5 feet of water. Some of their brave parties made it to the ‘Short Rigs” just off the beach for good catches of solid trout. The depth around these rigs usually run from 18 to 28 feet.
Our final report comes from Elaine Huck of Calcasieu Point. Huck has a lot of friends and she is so very helpful to area anglers who drop by to get bait or to get the latest fishing info as well as to clean fish.
She says that early last week the best part of the week, as far as fishing, with slightly more tidal movement than last week.
The best times of the day continues to be early morning and late afternoon.
The biggest trout that Huck saw this week was a 6.2 pounder that was caught late Sunday afternoon.
She reports anglers are still catching good numbers of small trout in the north end of Turners’ Bay but for the most part the bigger fish lately are on the southern end of the lake which usually is the norm in mid summer.
Prien Lake is producing some 2 and 3 pound specs usually early morning close to the channel.
Flounder and reds numbers are down a little from a couple weeks ago at Calcasieu Point.
Check on times
A common complaint among local fishermen has to do with The Weirs being closed most of the time. If you launch on the north end of the lake, it is a long run down there only to find it closed. Call before you head out at 855-532-9955 to get Weir gate schedule.
Another helpful phone number is for Louisiana fishing and hunting licenses at 1-888-765-2602.
I use this all the time in my guide service on Toledo but you will need a drivers license number and a credit card.
The license is good immediately as they will give you a confirmation number which is good until you receive your new license
in the mail.
Tournament news
During the Southwest Louisiana Fishing Club July 4th Rodeo, lucky angler Jimmie Redburn was on board the Sea Tiger when he caught a 11.88 pound Mangrove Snapper.
This awesome fish put him in first place in the STAR Tournament and set a rodeo record in the S.W. LA. Fishing Club Deep Sea Rodeo. Redburn had signed up for STAR. Fishing with Redburn out of Grand Isle were Louis Vallee, Stephen Brown and Chad Vallee. We’ll have more news from STAR as the summer progresses.
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Please send us your fishing reports. Call 463-3848 or email me at joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com or visit www.joejoslinoutdoors.com
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