Remember how for weeks I’ve been telling you that actual “fish catching” is in a long dry spell? With very few trout, reds, sheephead, drum, and flounder being boated? And that it won’t be any time soon—especially not until mid-April—that they’ll be slamming us again?
Well, let me reiterate once more -- scout out some spots if you want to, but don’t plan any Lenten fish fries unless you’re planning to fry up catfish or tilapia! And if you insist on catching your own fish for your fish fries, don’t plan on inviting any more than one other couple. And you will need extra French fries.
“It’s frustrating all of us to the n’th degree, Frank,” Capt. Kenny Kreeger explained to both me and my Channel 4 cameraman this morning, “but it really is somewhat easy to understand.
“Cold water, dirty water, rough water, windy conditions, low tide, high tide, no tide, no current, no natural bait in the water, too much rain, too much temperature fluctuations—freezing at night and blistering in the afternoon. All these situations and many more biologically and meteorological has put us where we are when it comes to planning and making a good fishing trip.
“And, Frank, this isn’t the situation just in Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne, the Chef, the Rigolets, the Causeway, and the Seabrook, this is the story you’ll hear all over the coastal marshes of Southeast Louisiana.
“This week and next and the week after that catching is gonna be tough. All I can tell you is hang in there—it’s typical March wintertime conditions. It will get better soon.”
Just don’t feel like the Lone Ranger, y’all., Today we—myself, my cameraman Bob Parkinson, and my veteran TV guide Kenny Kreeger—began casting into our “special” spot in Geoghagen’s Canal just off US Hwy 90 in St. Tammany Parish right at 6 am. By 11:45 when we hoisted anchor to head back to the marina at the Rigolets, Kenny and I—in the aggregate—had had only 3 measly bites. Then just as I got my bait (a Hybrid Flurry sweetened up with a piece of market bait), don’t you know a big old arrogant largemouth bass slammed into my lure, chomped down on it one good time, the spit it out. . .escaping into the depths.
God does have a good sense of humor sometimes.
So this week I have no video to run on The Fishin’ Game Report. But I thought you might want to know what you should expect for the upcoming weeks. Thus this copy on the WWL-TV web.
I’m writing this Thursday evening at 5:30. The earliest I’d plan a trip for anywhere in saltwater in Southeast Louisiana is Sunday morning. Saturday could be a possibility, but I think you got a much better shot at success if you hold off until Sunday.
But... even Sunday could frustrate you.
The bottom line is it’s gonna be that way until the water temperature rises to about 68 degrees and stays stable. . .until our air temps hover consistently between 58 and 68 degrees (not 34 in the morning and 85 in the afternoon). . .and until the frontal systems stop barreling through here and screwing all our fishing conditions up.
“So keep the faith, brothers!” Capt. Kreeger concluded. “We’ll be back to normal real soon.”
Next week I’ll sample Cocodrie for you again. Talk with y’all then. Editor’s Note: Don’t forget to set the clocks forward this Sunday. It’s Daylight Saving Time again. And you don’t wanna miss the tide change at your favorite trout or redfish spot.
