Most of the time when we operate redfish charters here at Louisiana Fishing Charters, we are able to locate an area where the fished are staged up and we pick them off as they pass through that area. We use our years of knowledge to give our clients the right bait, equipment, and boat position to catch the fish. The fight with a redfish can be violent as he tugs on your line, never willing to give up. However, we usually don’t get to see the fish unless they are actively feeding or when they finally take the bait.

Recently we had a chance to visually observe a school of redfish while out on a scouting trip. If I do not have a charter for a few days, I like to go ride around and visually look for schools of fish that I can take my clients to later on. It’s one of the things I do as a redfish guide Louisiana style.

On this particular day we covered a lot of ground and found one school of fish in a shallow pond where the water was somewhat dirty. We took a few pictures of those fish, but the water clarity left a lot to be desired.

We ran around a good bit after that and didn’t see much. I decided to run to an area that I knew had clean water but wasn’t so sure about the fish. When I shut down the motor, the water was crystal clear and it wasn’t long before we started seeing reds.

Before long, we came up on a pack of at least 40 redfish. There is really no good way I can think to describe the heart pounding feeling you get when you see something like this in action.  If you have any experience with redfish you know how much fun they are to catch and when you see a big group of them, it’s like staring at a buffet when you haven’t eaten in days.

We didn’t catch but a few of them, just to test their temperament. As it turns out they were not super aggressive, but we were able to study how they move as a group and what their patterns were for that time of day and in those conditions. I took some clients back to that school of fish the next day and they had a blast catching them all morning long.

I’d be happy to take sight fishing charters for your next New Orleans fishing trip if you want to try your hand at catching redfish that you can see. Keep in mind, that would not be a trip for beginners as it requires some skill to cast a lure in the right place for the fish to eat it.

Captain Randall Shaw

Louisiana Fishing Charters

Delacroix, LA

www.la-charters.com

504-669-1263

Do me a favor please. Slow down your thinking for a second. Stop worrying about the tasks ahead of you. Stop worrying about your job, your obligations at home, your social media news feed. Stop thinking about all of that just for a few seconds. Now. Picture yourself on a boat. Not just any boat, but a nice, clean bay boat with plenty of room. You are out in the Louisiana marsh on a with a Louisiana charter guide from Louisiana Fishing Charters.

Your best friends or your family is with you. They are smiling. In front of you the sun is rising over the tall marsh grass and the whole scene is resemblant of something from the African sahara, only in this sahara there is plenty of water to go around. Just as you are taking a deep breath to appreciate the beauty of this scene, the fishing rod in your hand bends over as if the top end is going to go straight in the water.

On the other end of your line, a mighty redfish is fighting for his life. He’s strong and mean and doesn’t want you to win the fight. The folks around you are also experiencing the same thing. Your captain is coaching you through this experience and everyone on the boat is grinning ear to ear. After a fun fight, you see your captain reach for his net. He dips it into the water and scoops up the biggest, bronziest Louisiana redfish you have ever seen. He lugs the big red into the boat and in that moment you feel complete. You thank your redfish guide Louisiana style with a high five and that beautiful redfish goes in the ice box for you to take home and enjoy at your dinner table.

Excuse my poetic license, but here at Louisiana Fishing Charters, this is an everyday occurrence. The thing about it is, we never stop appreciating scenes like this. That’s why we became charter captains. We love this stuff and the places we fish. We don’t ever take that for granted. And truly, seeing our clients experience this for the first time, or having them come back to experience this again, keeps it fresh for us and that’s why we do this. If you’re coming to New Orleans red fishing is just a phone call away. Give us a call and let us take you on the fishing trip of a lifetime.

Captain Randall Shaw

Louisiana Fishing Charters

www.la-charters.com

504-669-1263

info@la-charters.com

Redfish are all through the marsh. It’s been pretty light winds lately so getting around and staying quiet in the shallows has been much easier than when we were having big winds. Water levels are currently a little low. This means that fish are out of the ponds and schooled up good in all the bigger lakes. As a Louisiana Charter Fishing guide, we love to see our clients experience these schools of fish for the first time.

We always use live shrimp with our clients unless they request to use chasing baits. If you prefer to use artificial for redfish right now, we’d recommend spinner baits, spoons, chatterbaits. Whether you fish with live bait or artificial, your trip for New Orleans Red Fishing will be a blast.

To locate redfish in those bigger lakes, look for them along the banks. The fish are cruising up and down banks in groups of 5s and 10s. They have been feeding on shad, finger mullet, and porgies so be sure to look for schools of baitfish. Take it from this Louisiana fishing guide, if you find a school of baitfish and no redfish, it’s time to try a new area.

We are entering the warmest part of the year right now. We highly recommend fishing during first 4-5 hours of morning and the last 3-4 hours of the afternoon. If you get out at daybreak and head to the large lakes you will find redfish. Head to the outside for the trout.