Venice, LA USA

Two reports---- yesterday I had John & Jenny, and Robert and Mary Margaret out for some trout action. We headed north and east to some clean water and had a hard time getting the bite to start and continue. We had 200 live shrimp but found that plastic worked better than the live. Go figure! Hit a lot of spots and eventually got on a good bite in the early afternoon. None of the trout were really big but we didn't have more than 8 or 9 undersized. Along the way Mary Margaret caught a huge red and placed a big kiss right on the biggie! Gotta see the picture.

Today I had Stephen & Greg Harris with their sons, Grant and Ben. We targeted the reds (boys' selection), and at our second stop it was on! Stephen got us going with a fine 26" red then Grant was on and soon Ben and Greg were standing at the side of the boat with a rainbow rod high in the air. It was Grant who had the largest of the day, 27 lbs.+, and it put up a great fight. He didn't want to hold the fish for the pix so Greg gave a great assist. Check out the pix. We bounced around a bit but our best spot of the day was the second which we returned to a little later in the day. Finished with a big box of reds that will keep them eating half-shell red for weeks to come. The best bait today was dead shrimp under a cork. Go figure! Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, November 15, 2009 @ 4:08:54 PM

Venice, LA USA

Only one guest on the MLC this morning and he only wanted one thing:  Trout.  Tim Hymel and I headed out at first light into a bay with fairly clean water and drifted along for a few minutes.  When we came up dry I moved over to a point and  he got a trout on in no time.  Set the power pole and he used live shrimp to catch his limit of nice Venice trout before 8:00 am.  We stayed a little longer and he played with some reds along the shoreline.  His cork would hit the water and sink almost immediately.  It was comical how fast the action was on the reds.  Tim is recovering from a broken right leg and didn't want to push his luck so we headed in early.  It was a great day  ---  a little cool to start the day, but by 7:00 we were down to short sleves.  Simply a great day in the marsh of South Louisiana.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, November 13, 2009 @ 11:45:35 AM

Venice, LA USA

Michael & Charlotte Holland along with Don & Kathy Parish came to Venice today from Oregon and Missouri because they had heard of the great fishing here.  They were not disappointed!  We hit the beach early and caught several huge bull reds and then went inside the marsh where it was a fish on every cast.  They caught at least 60 reds of all sizes along with too many huge sheepshead to count.  We had one sheepshead that went at least 7 lbs.!!!  We don't usually see these fish until the early spring.  I guess the high river has got things somewhat out of order.  I had more fun today listening to the girls squeel as they fought the big reds.  None of them could believe how fast and steady the action was here in Venice.  Michael and Don both agreed it was one of their best fishing days ever.  That is music to my ears!  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, November 7, 2009 @ 6:03:40 PM

Venice, LA USA

Love making reports like this --  Today was day 2 with Dr's Ken, Charlie, and Melvin.  These Drs. fish with me twice a year and for the most part want to catch lots of trout.  This year we had a double wammy with the high river and very strong winds.  Yesterday we worked very hard but didn't find many trout.  Today I headed in a different direction -- I had a plan -- good move!  We made our way out just as light was starting on the horizon and down the river.  Slipped into our spot before the sun was up and before I could get things all set up, Dr. Ken had a big bull red on and Dr. Charlie had a trout on the line.  I set out the anchor and it was on!  Today the trout wanted live shrimp and that's just what they got.  No sooner would the cork hit the water than it was down and a trout was headed to the boat.  A couple of times trout were stolen off our lines and several times the bite would stop.  When it stopped we knew what was happening, big schools of reds were in the area.  Sure enough one and often two guys were hooked up almost immediately.  They would fight the reds in and release them and go back after trout.  Along the way they did put a few of the smaller reds in the box.  By 8:00 this morning they had put 75 nice trout and a bunch of reds in the box.  We went in search of smaller reds and pulled up on a spot and started casting in.  Right off, Dr. Melvin caught a fine 2 lb. trout which he reluctantly released.  Then Dr. Ken's line was streaking out and then Dr. Charlie.  It was almost as fast as they could work.  It was about 8:30 and they told me they would fish until 10:00.  However, the workout and the completely full ice chest made them surrender at 9:15.  It was another fantastic Venice morning.  Back at the dock each person jumped in and helped clean the fish in record time.  Man, I love it when a plan comes together.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, November 6, 2009 @ 7:35:07 PM

Venice, LA USA

Mike & Kelly Lewis brought their 5 year old son Michael along this morning for redfish action in the marsh of Venice.  We left Cypress Cove Marina just after daylight and headed south and east out to the edge of the Gulf.  A stiff NE wind was blowing so I slipped behind some canes and dropped the power pole in 4' of water.  Neither Kelly or little Michael had ever caught a fish before so I thought I'd spend a little time teaching before the catching started.  Sorry, it was OJT today as it was on from the first cast!  Mike couldn't believe it as he caught the first nice red using dead shrimp under a cork.  I got Kelly baited up and cast out and almost immediately her cork went down and she was learning as she was winding!  The fishing action was hot and heavy as they boated one red after another.  Little Michael got in on the action too but it was clear he was more interested in playing games on his mother's cell phone than fishing.  Soon Kelly was complaining about her stomach hurting from catching all the reds and it was just Mike bringing them in one after another.  Altogether they caught 41 fine keeper reds and one nice lepard red and a big flounder, as well as some sheepshead.  Not one silverback today.  That was good.  We were back at the dock with their limits of fish and they were cleaned and packaged by 11:00.  A great morning of fishing & catching fun.  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, November 1, 2009 @ 4:41:03 PM

Venice, LA USA

Windy, Windy, Windy!  A cold front passed the Venice area just before daylight today and the winds came howling out of the North.  Steve Taylor and his son John wanted to fish so we waited for the rain to stop and headed down river.  At times the wind was blowing at least 30 mph!!!  Casting a cork against the canes is hard enough on calm days; these guys did fantastic in all this wind.  John got us started with the first red and we never moved from that spot.  The bite wasn't very fast but it was steady.  Using dead shrimp under a cork they easily limited on reds, even catching a couple of big bull reds right against the canes.  When we got back I asked Steve if he thought we would limit on a day like this.  His answer:  "I wasn't even sure we would be able to fish, much less catch our limit of reds today."  Music to my ears.  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, October 31, 2009 @ 5:22:20 PM

Venice, LA USA

60 Bull Reds today!  No kidding, John, Chris, & Terry started catching fish from the first cast and it only got gooder and gooder!  It was the kind of day your friend calls and says, "You shouda been here yesterday!"  Terry cast out and popped his cork twice and had a huge bull on.  John cast out a Top Pup and twitched it a few times and had his first ever bull red on a top water plug.  Be sure to check out his "first ever" picture.  He was one happy Texan.  Most of the time people estimate the number of fish they have caught and released (usually to the high side), I kept count on the counter just to be sure.  There was only one other boat a few hundred yards away and we could see they were hammering them as well.  The guys used dead shrimp under a cork for all but two of the reds today.  It was the magic bait.  There was hardly a time when someone and usually two were hooked up.  Unfortunately, one of the crew got seasick today and I can tell you it didn't feel very good!  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, October 25, 2009 @ 3:58:59 PM

Venice, LA USA

Day two:  In search of Bull Reds.  John, Terry, and Chris wanted bulls so we headed south again but this time out along the Gulf beach.  It was rough with rollers coming in and the water was pretty dirty.  On John's first cast he had a bull on the second pop of his cork.  I knew I had hit the mother load!  However, the mother load played out very quickly and we spent the next 5 hours moving all around looking for those bull reds.  Around noon we moved along another beach and looking at the water I didn't think we would get much.  However, it was John again who got us going with a fine 20 lb. red and it was on!  Using dead shrimp under a cork in the breakers we boated and released 31 bull reds up to 21 lbs.  At times we had two on and lines ZZZZZZING like crazy.  On our last casts we had two on and the one Chris had was so big it straightened out his hook and escaped unseen at the side of the boat.  He is sure it must have been the biggest of the day!  Gotta love fishing and fishermen.  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, October 24, 2009 @ 6:56:16 PM

Venice, LA USA

One of my favorite groups, John Maddux, Chris Cooke, and Terry Powel, from Tx., came in for redfish action.  With the passage of a huge front, and winds of 15-20 mph., we headed south to a small pond area I had fished recently.  The water was very high, even over the road to the marina, and at first the fishing was tough.  We moved along the canes for a few hours picking up one here and there but no concentration.  Then I noticed a small section of canes and asked the guys to cast in that direction.  It was almost instant and the action was almost non-stop.  The guys boated and released 42 reds and we quit because they were starting to get cramps in their hands!!!  No kidding it was the kind of WORK we call FUN!  The largest was just one ounce under 17 lbs.  All the fish were caught using dead shrimp under a cork in water less than 3'.  When the fish would hit the water would boil and mud would turn up.  Lots of fun, fun, fun.  Tomorrow we will work for big bull reds if the winds let us get out into those waters.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, October 23, 2009 @ 7:20:14 PM

Venice, LQ USA

Smashed em again on Tuesday.  Zach,Ben, Mark, & Randy had caught a lot of trout and keeper reds the day before so they wanted big reds -- bulls.  We headed out for them and it wasn't long before Randy was hooked up.  It was a fine 19 lb. red which we photoed and released.  We were fishing with an LSU cocahoe under a cork and the reds were going wild.  Mark hooked up and  brought in a fine 7 lb. Jack Crevalle and at age 78 we thought he would quietly sit in the back and rest for a few minutes.  After his picture he was looking for his rod to get back in the game!  It was non-stop action as the guys were hauling in big reds, taking a picture and getting back out for more.  We had something happen that always makes me smile, while fishing for bull reds, the guys boxed 60 of the finest 2 lb. to 3 lb. trout you ever saw.  The action was non stop.  The water clarity was muddy to semi-cleaner but it didn't matter to the fish.  It was one of those hungry days for the fish and everyone on board, especially me, was happy!  The guys had to be in early for a flight so we packed it in with pictures of everyone with bull reds and a box full of nice trout.  Jesus is Lord.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 @ 10:01:25 AM

Venice, LA USA

Man, what a day!  One stop for reds with dead shrimp under a cork.  Zach, Ben, Mark, & Randy just couldn't believe how great it was.  They were limited on reds before 8:30 and put a total of 47 in the boat today.  But wait, there is more:  80 trout at the next stop using a combination of live shrimp and the D.O.A. shrimp under a cork.  It was a picture perfect day with great company, good fishermen, and wonderful weather.  Jesus is Lord.

Monday, October 19, 2009 @ 2:17:46 PM

Venice, LA USA

Fishing in 20-25K winds is challenging however this morning is was a piece of cake.  First stop and never moved!  I had three boats out this morning and on the MLC was Brant and Scott.  We slipped into our first spot and on the first cast, second pop, Brant had a fine 15 lb. red!  We elected to fish just for reds today and Brant and Scott, on the MLC, caught 50 keeper reds today, only boxing 10 in the 24" range.  We pulled up behind some canes and let the wind blow over the top.  The reds were stacked against the cane in fine fashion.  Using dead shrimp under a cork it was one after another all morning.  Along the way they even caught about a dozen nice trout as a bonus.  Tonight they plan to cook steaks and grilled redfish for dinner.  I can't wait!  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, October 16, 2009 @ 3:06:42 PM

Venice, LA USA

Too BIG!  Man, we had reds today that were way too big.  In fact, they were almost as big as 5 year old Judson Gardner.  Judson brought his grandfather David and his dad Jud along to net his fish!  Man, I've had some 5 year olds on before but this little man fished like a pro.  He kept bringing in big red after big red.  At one point we put a red on the deck and had him lie down next to it.  It was almost as long as Judson was tall!!!!  I love family (generation) trips.  They make memories for a lifetime and I take lots of pictures for everyone.  Right now the kitchen bar is filled with pictures we shot just hours ago.  I always print up pictures of the trip and send them home with my guests.  It's special.  Today we fished just for reds and caught plenty but many were HUGE and several broke off after a long fight.  They fished up against the cane and also caught 5 very nice flounder.  The largest flounder weighed in at 4 1/2 lbs.  Very nice!  While they fished for the reds I tossed a D.O.A. out the other side and caught a box of trout as well.  It was just one of those easy days with a gentle breeze and slick water.  I had a ball today and I know they did too.  Jesus is Lord.

Monday, October 12, 2009 @ 2:44:31 PM

Venice, LA USA

Wow!  What a great day!  Had two boats out today, Capt. Owen helped me today and we each had 3 on board.  On my boat was David, Murry, and Max.  As soon as the first cork hit the water it was on with trout on almost every cast.  I called Big "O" over and we sat side by side hammering the trout.  We both caught at least 75-80 trout with a few nice whites mixed in.  Then we moved around after the reds.  We got a few early and a couple of nice flounder.  David caught the biggest flounder at almost 5 lbs.  Along the way we also caught some nice keeper black drum as well.  Capt. O got on a good bite of reds and called me over and again we sat side by side with both boats hammering away at nice reds and black drum.  We both easily limited on reds as well. Big "O" limited on Hard Heads as well. The winds were howling, white caps and muddy water but today it didn't seem to matter to the fish.  Thanks O, for your great job today.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, October 9, 2009 @ 1:36:05 PM

Venice, LA USA

Quick report from this past weekend.  I had the pleasure of taking out two beautiful girls, Garland and McKinsey.  We left Venice Marina after daylight and headed out the west side of the river.  The forecast was for 5k winds from the east.  Turned out to be 12K from the NE.  We made our way out with live shrimp and found that the dirty water ran out at least 2 miles from the shoreline.  Once you passed that line the water cleared up nicely.  I picked up some live shrimp before we left and it was a good thing.  In my last report I told how we stopped using live and went to the D.O.A. shrimp exclusively.  Well, it was just the opposite on this day.  The trout were very nice in size, 1 1/2 lbs. to a very fine 5 lb. trout caught by Garland.  We only made two stops to fill the box.  Garland also put one nice red in the box and I suspect she had a fine trippletail on but it "gotgone" around a piling.  When we returned to the dock we saw a 60 gal. garbage can filled with trippletail carcases; at least 30 or more in the 12 lb. range.  I have never seen that many caught at one time.  For some reason, this year has yielded more trippletail in the Venice area than in my 15 years of fishing the area combined!  If you like trippletail, this is the place to be.  We had a great day and brought home fish for a fishfry last night.  Mmmmmmm Good!  Jesus is Lord.

Monday, October 5, 2009 @ 7:44:44 AM

Venice, LA USA

146 years old.  That's the combined age of cousins, Roy and Charlie Lester.  I'll not tell which is the senior.  We went out the east side to find slick water and a beautiful sunrise on Thursday.  In fact, all we had to do is look at the day and we knew what a "Chamber of Commerce Day" looks like!  It was fantastic, and so was the fishing.  Slipped into the fist spot and the corks started to sink.  It was a trout on every cast.  We had some to 2 1/2 lbs but most were 13" to 15":  just right for the pan.  We started using live shrimp but found that the D.O.A. shrimp (any color), worked better and caught larger fish.  It was frantic as we had a time, about 55 minutes, where we caught a fish on every cast.  I like using the D.O.A. for several reasons and one is that you usually don't catch as many catfish when you use it.  We limited on trout with ease and it was our first stop.  We moved around for reds and caught a few but for some reason we couldn't find them stacked in any one location.  The river has gone up a bit and is very muddy.  I expect it to clean up in a few days and the move of trout to the inside is still underway.  If you want to get in on this great fall fishing, give me a call:  225-939-3525.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, October 2, 2009 @ 2:18:00 PM

Venice, LA USA

Had Scott, Brian, & Matt on the MLC today and we left Venice Marina at daylight headed to Breton Island.  It was a rough ride out but calm inside the curl at the island.  The water was clean but not moving very much.  It took almost an hour to get our first bite.  We did catch a few trout and they were all big, but they were few.  Headed inside and found trout, reds, and black drum stack up.  The water was moving around an obstruction and the fish were stacked along the side of it.  We found that dead shrimp worked just as good as live.  Plastic was not nearly as effective.  Loaded the box and the guys had a great time.  Capt. Cade Thomas helpled me with this charter and his guys had all they could stand by 11:30 and we all headed in.  Made it back before a storm hit and it was another great day in Venice.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, September 25, 2009 @ 6:51:38 PM

Venice, LA USA

Every day is a surprise for a fishing guide.  It was day two for Billy, Herb, Dane and Bill.  It was our plan to hammer the trout again this morning and then work on reds.  When we awoke this morning it was storming and the winds were in excess of 30 mph here in Boothville.  Plan "B":  I fixed sausage buscits for the guys and a second pot of coffee and we waited for the skys to clear.  They did but the winds were howling all day.  All the rains of the past few days put mud into the river and passes making it completely different than yesterday.  To add to the change the tide was extremely high and with the south winds it was almost a record high tide.  All this to say, it was tough today.  I can't report the great days and leave out the "not-so-great" days.  We struggled to find our reds and did find them but it took a long time.  My guys were great as they put up with a long day of casting in strong winds.  I love working with guys who enjoy a challenge!  Thanks guys.  Jesus is Lord.

Monday, September 14, 2009 @ 7:55:33 PM

Venice, LA USA

Fished with Seminoles this weekend from Tallahassee, Fl.  Last February they fished with me and one of their days was blown out with 40 mph winds and 40 degree temps.  Yesterday was a different story.  In spite of the forecast 80% chance of rain we headed out with live shrimp for some trout.  It was slick calm and slightly overcast.  At our first stop, Dane caught two  fine trout right off the bat and then nothing.  We made a short move and found a large concentration of trout and big bull reds.  It was on!  Two guys, Dane and Herb used the D.O.A. and kept pace with Bill and Billy.  They boxed 63 nice trout while boating and releasing 8 big bull reds.  Of course they caught tons of ladyfish and many small trout too.  When the bite slowed and all we were catching were very small trout we moved again for some reds.  Boxed 3 nice keepers and the sky began to darken.  Went back to the marina and while the guys ate some lunch it poured and poured.  When the sky broke a bit we tried it again but the storms returned.  Got back in but we were all wet.  It was a good day with trout in the familiar spots and reds all along the banks.  Large schools of storm minows are washing out of the canes and the fish are chocked full of them.  The water temp in the river yesterday was 79 degrees and this will bring the trout into the river.  You can expect to find trout in all the passes now and if the river stays low, the jump will be full in a couple of weeks.  Right now I'm waiting for a rain shower to pass and my guys will be back at it this morning!  Jesus is Lord.

Monday, September 14, 2009 @ 5:23:34 AM

Venice, LA USA

Yesterday on board the MLC was Brock & Debbie Hattox, and Walter and Sandy Boomer. We zigged when we should have zagged and got caught in bad winds. We put a few trout in the box before the winds drove us inside but it was nothing like the day before. Not to be undone, we moved along the banks catching flounder, reds, sheepshead, and large mouth bass. At one spot, next to a cypress tree, Debbie cast in and came out with a fine red, Sandy cast in and came up with a nice flounder, Brock cast in and came back with a huge sheepshead, and Debbie cast back again and landed a fine 3 1/2 lb large mouth bass! It was a genuine blessing to be with these folks for a couple of days. They are special friends as well as guests. I can't wait for them to come again.

Today a friend of mine, Tim Hymel, was having motor trouble so I took him out on the MLC. It was just a lazy-look-around-day and we found trout starting to stack up in places where they stage to enter the river. It won't be long before they have moved into the river system and everyone who fishes Venice knows what that means. Get ready, it's just a few days away. At one spot Tim cast out and landed a fine red. While I was taking that red off he caught another one. I couldn't help but take his picture holding up two fine reds. He released them both after the shot. They were caught using the D.O.A. shrimp under a cork. We had a blast today and Tim used a gold spoon to pull reds off the banks and out of the grass ----- until . . . one monster took his gold spoon and now has a new tongue ring! It was super fun! Jesus is Lord.

Friday, August 28, 2009 @ 3:54:27 PM

Venice, LA USA

Wow!  What a morning!  Brock & Debbie, Walt & Sandy, wanted trout.  Smoked em at our first stop with the near clear w/red flake D.O.A. shrimp under a cork.  We had live shrimp but it encouraged way too many ladyfish so we used the D.O.A.  The trout were so thick I think you could have dropped the scoop net and filled it up.  These were nice trout to 3 lbs. but most 1 1/2 to 2 lbs.  Had a couple of shark attacks and they were certainly a pain in the neck.  Moved back inside and limited on reds in one 300 yd. stretch of canal.  The reds have moved into the river system and you can catch all you want, from small to large just along the banks.  They used dead shrimp under a cork.  Along the way, Walt caught a fine southern flounder, about 4 lbs.  It was a great day.  Check out the picture at the dock.  A picture is worth a 1000 words.  Jesus is Lord.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 @ 2:00:59 PM

Venice, LA USA

Not often I only have one guest on the MLC, but today Randy McCollum was the one.  We went west, with an east wind and had a great day.  At our second stop we started putting 2 lb.  and 3 lb. trout in the box.  It didn't take any time to limit and along the way we also landed a fine tripletail at about 8 lbs.  Went inside for some reds but we didn't want to stay out too long after such a fine morning.  When we got back I got a real treat!  Randy jumped right in and helped me clean the boat.  Talk about giving a guide a BIG TIP!  A great day for sure.  Jesus is Lord.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009 @ 7:56:42 PM

Venice, LA USA

Paul, Ken, Nate & Ralph got blown out of their offshore trip but not our redfish trip.  We hit the river early this morning and almost immediately started catching fine keeper reds.  These guys just couldn't believe how hard our reds can pull.  Using dead shrimp under a cork, we drifed along the banks and cast up along the edge.  They caught their limit of reds before 9:00 this morning and went on to catch and release plenty more.  They also caught 4 very nice flounder as well.  Two unusual highlights for today:  Paul hooked what we all thought was a big bull red and it turned out to be a 15 lb. aligator-gar.  That is one ugly fish!  Then, at our last stop, we were pestered by an 8' aligator that kept coming after our corks and fish.  This guy had no fear of people or boats.  At one point it was so close I bonked it on top of the head with my net.  Didn't bother the gator much and he never left.  However, it didn't stop us from catching and releasing a bunch more reds.  It was a great day and it turned a little cooler in the afternoon.  Very welcome indeed.  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, August 22, 2009 @ 3:29:21 PM

Venice, LA USA

Lightening and thunder all around and we sat tight at the marina until 8 this morning.  When it cleared we went down river and at our first spot we started catching trout.  Moved along the banks a bit and caught some reds and more trout.  Found some moving water and it was on!  Patty and Roe Neames were along and this was the first time Patty had ever caught fish.  She kept catching big reds one after another and Roe was the faithful husband with the net!  It was too much fun.  They used live shrimp most of the morning but we moved to dead shrimp along the banks later in the day.  Finished up with  red limits and a respectable box of trout.  Give me a call if you want to get out fishing.  The river has turned green again and the reds are in the passes.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, August 21, 2009 @ 3:30:36 PM

Venice, LA USA

Trout smash today at Breaton Island.  Arrived before daylight this morning with Alan, Kade, & Matt.  It was so dark when we arrived the guys had a hard time seeing their corks.  I put two on the D.O.A. shrimp and one on live.  I have found that the D.O.A. works better than live early.  When the trout get going then I switch one back to live.  Today the D.O.A. did its job with bigger fish and as many strikes as the live shrimp.  We worked the area as some dirty water filtered out.  As it moved out the trout turned on big time.  My guys were limited before 9:00 with 75 specks and probably 20 or more nice white trout.  On the second cast of the morning, while it was still dark, Kade Lipscomb caught the biggest red of the day with the D.O.A.  I took his picture and it was completly dark in the background.  We went back inside for some reds but only found small "rat reds".  With storms closing in on us we headed for the marina with a fine box of trout.  Check out the pictures and especially the one I shot of a wade fisherman and a storm cloud behind him.  It's fine!  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, August 15, 2009 @ 7:47:42 PM

Venice, LA USA

Out early today with Brian, Matt, Kerry & Burt from Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.  Went to my first stop with 200 live shrimp and caught 1 keeper trout.  I wasn't willing to wait around for the bite "to" or "not to" turn on, so it was off to spot #2.  We arrived and it was on and then off and then on and then off and then on.  I've never seen it turn on and off so many times in one spot.  We moved to spot #3 looking for some reds and trout and found none of the above.  Moved to spot #4 and boxed a few more trout for a total of 45 nice keepers.  Moved around for some reds and put a few in the box along with a couple of nice flounder.  We didn't kill em today but we had a nice box of fish on an otherwise tough day.  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, August 9, 2009 @ 4:34:38 PM

Venice, LA USA

Oh my! 100 nice trout by 7:45 this morning!!!!! Had Reed and his daughter Meg, and Kendall and his daughter Margaret in from Mobile. I love Father/Daugher trips. These guys were very helpful for the girls and it's a good thing because from the first cast it was ON! The trout were coming into the boat so fast I could hardly keep up with them. I mean, it was incredible! These were not the measuring kind of trout, these were nice 15"--18" trout. The girls started off on live shrimp today but I had the guys on the near/clear with red flake D.O.A. shrimp. Didn't matter! In fact it was so fast I took an empty hook, tossed it out and in two pops I had a keeper trout. Did it again just to prove it wasn't a fluke. The girls just couldn't believe it. We were set up on a point with the water moving around and I think that is what made the difference. We did catch a few lady fish and white trout but only kept the specks. When they reached their limits of fine trout we made a short move where I expected to find some bull reds. We did find some big reds but also keeper reds as well. The girls had a ball with the big ones. Here we used the LSU Cocahoe under a cork and then some dead shrimp under a cork for the smaller keepers. Two stops and that was it. The box was full to the top, the wind was starting to kick up, and we headed to the marina. It was "some kind of day" and I'd say it was near-bout perfect.

Just have to say a word about Reed Gardner. He fished with me a couple of weeks ago and we got to talking about Mobile, where I grew up. I mentioned two things I like about Mobile and that I get every time I get to town. I always go to the Dew Drop Inn and get their famous hot dogs, and I go to Polman's Bakery for their "melt-in-your-mouth" coffee rolls. Well, when they showed up yesterday afternoon I got the surprise of the year. Reed had a bag with 5 loaded out Dew Drop Inn dogs, and a box of Polman's coffee rolls. Man, it was like a gift from heaven! You just have to love this job where your guests are so kind and thoughtful. Thanks Reed, you're the BEST!!!! Jesus is Lord.

Friday, August 7, 2009 @ 11:50:31 AM

Venice, LA USA

75 nice trout this morning and then 10 nice reds!  Had the Thomas family, Lonnie, Mary & David from north Louisiana down for a second trip in a month.  Our fishing is just fantastic and they proved it today.  We left Cypress Cove Marina this morning before daylight and headed out east with live shrimp.  From the first cast the corks were sinking and they were pulling in fish.  Both Lonnie and Mary had sharks on today.  Mary brought hers to the boat where I cut the line.  No point in messing with those creatures.  I was surprised at the number of sharks but they seem to be everywhere lately.  We limited on trout and headed in for some reds.  Caught at least 25 and kept 10.  Headed in for a shower and something cool to drink.  It was a fantastic day!  Jesus is Lord.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009 @ 1:49:16 PM

Venice, LA USA

100 nice trout by 9:00 this morning!  Day 2 with Russ, Ken, Scott & Steve.  They wanted a repeat from yesterday; and what a day we had!  Left Venice Marina with 200 live shrimp at 5:15 this morning and arrived at our destination (out the east side of the river), and it was still dark.  The first cast was all it took and it was on!  It was so hot and heavy I couldn't get the fish off fast enough.  A few small fish moved in and then some white trout.  We just fished out the other side of the boat and started again with the specks.  When it slowed a bit I moved less than 30 yards off the bank and it was back on.  We started running a little low on shrimp so I put the near clear/red flake D.O.A. shrimp on and today it was hotter than the Gulp or live shrimp.  The guys caught the last 30 on the D.O.A. and we wondered why we even bothered with live bait.  What do you do when you limit on trout that early?  Well, we went just about a mile from the Mississippi River and started drifting the banks.  Dead shrimp under a cork was the best bait presentation.  It didn't take too long to locate the reds and they were all nice, 16" to 24"; just right for the box.  Loaded the box and it was full to the top!  To say these guys had perfect fishing days is an understatement.  It was just perfect.  The fishing here in Venice has turned on and we are catching while we are fishing!  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, August 2, 2009 @ 7:47:02 PM

Venice, LA USA

Today was a day to die for!  First stop we started catching trout but it fizzled quickly.  Made a big move and got into the trout big time.  The guys, Russ, Scott, Ken & Steve put 85 trout in the box and released at least 50 others.  They were using live shrimp under a cork but Russ started using the Gulp Shrimp and he was just hammering them. My D.O.A. produced today but not like the Gulp.  Hats off to the Gulp today but I have seen it work the other way many times.  It was just before 10:00 and the guys wanted to hit some reds before coming back to the dock.  Took them to my honey hole for big girls and it didn't take long before they were all hooked up and stripping line all around the boat.  You couldn't have scripted a better day on the water than the one we had today.  Tomorrow we may target smaller reds for the box ---- and then again we may make a repeat of today!  Man, I love this job!  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, August 1, 2009 @ 3:26:23 PM

Venice, LA USA

Had a wonderful family from Canada, Pierre, Yulya, and Jessica Martineau. They are traveling to the everglades and staying in their tent in campgrounds along the way. They were very happy to sleep in the MLC Lodge. We had a fantastic day with trout (speckled and white), on almost every cast, reds, black drum, sheepshead, lady fish, croakers, flounder, and 2 kinds of catfish. They were amazed at our fishery. To be sure, we often take it for granted, and shouldn't! They only kept one red for dinner and we released all the rest.

Today I had some very regular guests: Randy and Matt McCollum, Bob Riches, and Ken Bullard. We went back where we caught trout yesterday but didn't find them stacked as before. We did wind up with about 20 nice trout, but we absolutely hammered the reds. Ken caught the biggest and it was a WHOPPER and about 35 lbs. It took off so much line I thought it might be a Jack Crevalle at first but the big red tail flashed and we knew it was a biggie. I've included the picture; you'll love this one. Give me a call if you want to get in on the final spawn of the season. We are catching and having a ball here in Venice. Jesus is Lord.

Friday, July 31, 2009 @ 5:11:29 PM

Venice, LA USA

Great day of fishing with the Rhodes family, Jim, Dylan, & Becky. We loaded up with live shrimp and headed out the east side of the river. Our first stop started from the first cast and the guys used up all the live bait filling the box with nice trout. We were just a few short of their limits but they wanted to go after some reds. I went back inside, close to the river and drifted a bank line. In no time the guys were putting nice 20" reds in the box. They put 13 in the box when the lightning started up and we headed out. It was a great day of fishing and we got in just before the rain hit.

Today I had the Flentje family, Bart, Norvinna, and Molly. They came down from Minnesota on a treasure hunt. I'm not sure what they call it but GPS coordinates lead the hunters to the location of a small capsule with a sheet of paper inside. If you make it to the spot you sign the ledger. Bart was the first to sign the one on the lighthouse at South Pass. It marked his 3,000 treasure hunt find. These locations are worldwide and after they left New Orleans they were headed east to Mobile, Alabama for more treasure locations. I often take people to see the lighthouses in the Venice area but this treasure hunt was a first for me. We had a great time, saw aligators, ships in the river, and they got to see the water that starts in their home state, empty into the Gulf of Mexico. A great day to be sure. Jesus is Lord.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 @ 4:29:32 PM

Venice, LA USA

"We want Rebecca to catch some of those big red fish."  No Problem!  Took Katy, Robin, and Rebecca out to a spot on the east side of the river where I had found some big reds.  What I didn't know was, they would be HUGE and HUNGRY!  They didn't have their baits in the water 5 seconds when the reds started hammering the corks!  Then the familiar ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!  For the next two hours we hardly had a moment without at least one bull on and most of the time we were playing "dance around the boat with red."  The action was so fast and furious that I just had to laugh and laugh.  I mean, it was "slap ya momma fun!"  We tied on a topwater plug and Robin caught his first-ever red and trout on a topwater plug.  He just couldn't believe how agressive these fish were.  I've posted some pictures of our trip so you can see what I mean.  Normally I use dead shrimp under a cork but today I just put an LSU cocahoe under a cork and it was ON!  When the reds gave us a break, nice 2 & 3 Lb. trout got in the action and we put those in the box.  After about 3 1/2 hours of this action we moved into one of the passes and started catching keeper reds along the banks.  The river is green and the reds are inside.  Now we are in our familiar summer time pattern and the fishing is great.  Come on down and join the fun.  Give me a call if you need a guide or a place to stay.  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, July 26, 2009 @ 3:35:21 PM

Venice, LA USA

What a weekend here in Venice.  It seems everyone in three states has descended here to fish in the rodeo.  And at just the right time:  tarpon are along side the rocks at South Pass and I don't know when I have seen such wahoo, ling, snapper, tuna, reds, and specks in my life!  Today I had two couples out on the MLC and we went out to a favorite spot in Breton Sound and hammered the trout.  These were really nice trout with the largest at just under 5 lbs.  Walt & Marlyn, Reed and Joy, got their fill of trout this morning and I was shocked when I opened the live well to find all 200 shrimp dead in the bottom.  Not to worry, they just put the dead ones on just like live and HAMMERED THE TROUT!!!  It was a blast and we concluded a two day trip with big trout today and big reds yesterday.  Right off the bat yesterday, Marlyn caught the biggest red at 29 lbs.  (Check out her picture.)  She fought this beast around the boat several times before landing it for the picture.  Then she stepped up and caught one a few minutes later that was just a little smaller.  At that point she had to take a break!  You just have to love Venice; we have it all!  Come on down and fish with us.  You can stay in our Lodge and make memories to last a lifetime.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 5:00:41 PM

Venice, LA USA

Wonderful family today, Joey & Charlene Babin and her son Drew.  We wanted to leave before daylight this morning but the bright flashes of lightening across the southern sky kept us at the marina a little longer.  When we got away we headed far down river into a small bay and I pulled up against some cane patches and the guys started casting against the canes.  It was on!  By 7:30 they put their limits of reds in the box as thunder and raindrops chased us northward.  We settled in another bay and started putting big trout in the ice chest.  We used live shrimp under a cork and the trout were so big we often thought they were reds!  And there were reds.  Joey wanted to me to put them on some big bull reds and almost immediately he caught one, then Charlene, and Drew.  The biggest of the day was 30+ lbs. caught by Charlene.  Check out her picture.  It was a great day and we handed off our spot to another guide as we headed in.  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, July 19, 2009 @ 1:56:42 PM

Venice, LA USA

Using bait optional!!!!!  Unbelievable action today.  Started out in the dark and arrived at our spot out the east side of the river before sunrise.  Almost immediately we were on the trout and Dr. Wayne Martin put 4 in the box before Dr. Brian Hughuy got in on the fun.  Then it was a trout on every cast.  They used live shrimp under a cork and it was as fast as they could cast out.  Unfortunately they caught a lot of small trout --- I mean really small trout.  But it didn't take long for them to hit their limits and just in time as a big storm was bearing down on us.  We moved off to the side and sat it out for about 30 minutes and then went after reds.  Went to a favorite spot and it was filled with reds but only small reds.  Made one more move and it was HOT!!!  At one point Dr. Brian lost his shrimp and I told him to cast back out with no bait -- just the jighead under a cork.  BAM!  It went right down and he had a fine keeper red.  He did it again and again.  In all he caught 15 reds, one after another, with nothing except a plain 1/4 oz. jig head under a cork.  He would have caught more but we made another move looking for a big bull for him to fight.  Didn't find the bull today but that is my quest for tomorrow.  These guys limited on trout by 7:30 this morning and then went and limited on reds in no time, catching and releasing at least 70 more reds of differing sizes.  It was a great day with great guys.  I have posted Dr. Brian's first-ever red.  It isn't big, but it's his first.  Tomorrow it will be BIG!!!  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, July 17, 2009 @ 2:08:55 PM

Venice, LA USA

Three guys who went to college together and now live all across the country came to fish in Venice this weekend: Brian, Mike, & Doug. We left Venice Marina well before daylight and headed out the east side of the river to the end of Pass a Loutre. I was totally surprised to find 5 boats already in place, in the dark, as I arrived on the scene. As the sun was warming up the guys caught big bull reds and at least a herd of cats! The trout bite never got going this morning but it wasn't without excitement. Mike hooked into what we assumed was a red but when it came to the side of the boat it was a fine 6 lb. 4 oz. speckled trout! Way to go Mike! We put a solid layer of trout on ice and the guys wanted to fight some reds. We made a couple of moves and started catching reds from 16" to 26". A rain storm forced us to move and we stopped behind some canes and started catching trout again. Moved once more and the guys finished off their limits with very nice 5-10 lb. reds and released a few more.

Let me go back to early morning; as I prepared to leave the Lodge this morning. I noticed a big screw straight into my rear tire on the Yukon. It looked like the air was holding so I decided to drive to the marina. This afternoon when I picked up the boat the tire had dropped to 15 lbs. of pressure. I made it back to the Lodge and started looking for the spare tire. It is mounted up under the rear of the Yukon and you have to have an engineering degree to figure out how to get it out. About that time, Brian, Mike, and Doug came up and all of them pitched right in and helped me get the almost-flat tire off, and the new one on. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to have such help. In no time the job was done and the guys were off to the shower for their ride home. It's people like this that make my job so much fun. Yes, it's fun to catch fish; to be outside in this great wilderness called Venice; and it's satisfying to be my own boss. However, the most fun comes from the people I have met and with whom I have developed life-long relationships. These guys may not remember how many fish they caught or exactly where they went, but they will always remember helping "poor-old-Capt. Dan" change his tire on a scorching hot day in July. I'll remember it too. Thanks guys, you're the best!!!! Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, July 11, 2009 @ 6:32:39 PM

Venice, LA USA

One stop, that's all!  Today, Scott, Curtis, Brad, and Albert were on my boat and I had 8 more on board with Capt. Big "O", and Capt. Donnie Ray.  We went out the east side and on the way out I decided to try an alternate location.  I glided into place, "where I had placed an X on the water once before," and set the power pole.  It was early, before sunrise, and as the big red ball started up through the haze, the guys started catching!  It wasn't a trout on every cast, but it was steady, and these were big trout.  Albert caught the largest:  I weighed it at 4lbs. 7oz.  I think he won the big trout of the day on the three boats.  We all grouped together and by 9:31 the guys on my boat caught 100 beautiful trout with many 3 lbs. The average trout was around 2 lbs.  My ice chest was full to the top and it was getting hot.  We headed to the marina with a full box and happy fishermen.  It was a great day to be sure.  All the fish were caught using live shrimp under a cork.  Note:  At one point I noticed one of the guys was catching more than the others so I checked his line and noticed his small split-shot had fallen off.  I took the weight off the others and everyone was catching all morning.  Try to experiment around and see what works best for that day.  Some days the split-shot is a must.  Today it was not.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, July 10, 2009 @ 11:59:27 AM

Venice, LA USA

Great day from start to fishing with Joe, M, Mike, and Joe, all from the Bogalousa area of Louisiana.  We tried a familiar pond early but didn't find much so I made a move of less than a mile and it was on!  Trout on one side and reds on the other.  It didn't seem to matter where M cast, he was catching almost every time.  The other guys were starting to "get in his stuff" if you know what I mean.  Soon all were catching and we had our limit of reds, and released several big reds as well.  Off to find more trout.  Did a little running and finally finished up along a protected shoreline (because of the wind), and the guys started pulling in the trout.  It would go great for several casts and then the bite would stop.  It would start again and stop.  It stayed that way until we ran out of live shrimp and with a full box of fish, we headed to the marina.  It was another great day fishing in Venice.  Be sure to check out the picture of the full table of fish they caught.  Jesus is Lord.

Monday, July 6, 2009 @ 7:00:55 PM

Venice, LA USA

As promised, I took Sharyl, Garland, and McKinsey out looking for bull reds.  We moved out the east side around the end of Main Pass because the winds were blowing out of the West.  Found a spot well protected from the winds and I told the girls to cast out into the current.  I cast a near clear/red flake D.O.A. in that direction, popped it twice and handed the rod to Sharyl.  She couldn't believe what she had on the other end of the line!  It kept streaking line off the Shimano Stella 3000 and I kept turning up the drag.  Finally the fish decided to turn back and I loosened the drag a bit while Sharyl worked the fish (actually, it was the fish who was working Sharyl!)  It took her several trips around the boat and about 20 minutes to land the biggest red of her life:  a fine 25 lb. 6 oz. red; 40" in length.  She couldn't believe how hard they pull and was worried her arm was going to hurt her tomorrow!  In short order, Garland got a 25 pounder of her own and then Sharyl was back on with another brute, and then Garland!  Too much fun!  A big thunder storm was brewing up and we decided to move closer to Venice and caught a box of nice keeper reds.  I think the girls were satisfied with the big fish.  We came in early, all tired from fishing, and the girls will be showing off the pictures and telling the stories for weeks to come.  Man, I love this job!  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, July 5, 2009 @ 7:56:23 PM

Venice, LA USA

Great day with the ladies today:  Garland and Sharyl.  Couldn't believe these gals got up so early.  We left Cypress Cove Marina just after 5 this morning and went out the east side with live shrimp.  First stop the girls limited on trout.  These were not big trout and I thought many were males but when I cleaned them at least half were females.  Made a very short move and stopped for reds.  On the very first cast Sharyl hooked up on a nice keeper red and it was on!  I was taking reds off so fast I didn't have time for a cup of coffee.  It didn't take long to limit on reds and along the way the girls released 25-30 more.  It was all happening so fast I didn't have time to keep track of them all.  We made another move and pulled up next to some guys, coasted close and set the power pole.  We just wanted to watch while we ate our sandwiches.  We had another great adventure as we pulled the boat up close to an island and waded ashore.  We had my dog, McKinsey along and she had a ball bouncing in the water and running up and down the beach.  We had an "almost moment" when a huge nutrea ducked into some grass just as McKinsey passed by.  Fortunately she didn't get the scent.  She did have a blast rolling in the huge piles of duck-weed that had washed up on the shore.  I've included a picture so you can see how she has grown and how much fun she was having.  I have also posted a picture of Sharyl with her largest red of the day.  Tomorrow I plan to put the girls on some big bull reds.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, July 3, 2009 @ 3:28:39 PM

Venice, LA USA

Have had several calls lately, "Capt. Dan, where are your reports?" I must confess, I've gotten a little slack. No good excuse, just slack. Sorry.

Last Friday and Saturday I fished with Ken Nash, Melvin Burrell, and Norman Underwood. We fished the first day up the east side from Deepwater Pt. up to Racoon Pt. We found plenty of clean water, except where it poured out from the inside bays. In the clean water we found reds stacked along the shoreline and as we fished out, away from the bank, we caught trout.

There is no way to express how many reds are along the banks, up east and down south from Venice. This phenomonon is due to the river situation. The reds want to come inside the river tributaries but the high river is holding them back. Usually, by this time, they have already moved all the way into the river. However, the river is still over 10' (New Orleans reading), and the fish are staging to move inside. Just stop along the banks just inside the Gulf and you won't be able to keep the reds off your line. At times the bite is so fast and strong, I believe you can catch them with a plain-bare-hook. Too much fun.

On Monday and Tuesday I fished with Brock Hattox, Craig, Phillip, and Lewis. We loaded up with live shrimp and worked for trout early. I must confess it is difficult to catch trout with reds everywhere you stop! Each day we caught our limit of reds many times over. We were quite selective and kept only the smaller ones, releasing the big ones. It seemed like the trout were not as agressive as the reds and were pushed out. At one spot, no 12" to 15" trout would get close as the reds were HUGE! Brock caught two huge reds: 25+ lbs. back to back in 20 minutes! To say he was tired out ---- that's an understatement! Check out the picture of him. It was his first big fish of the morning with many more to come. We caught lots of trout but didn't limit either day. We are finding the trout one day, and they have moved the next. A most unusual pattern for this time of year. It has been very hot and I suspect the trout have moved into deeper water to stay cool. Very early morning, before it heats up, is a good time to start. Work for your trout first and then concentrate on your reds. In a week or so, the reds will disappear from the coast and move into the canals. Not to worry, they are not gone, just relocated and I like fishing for them in the canals just as much as on the outside.

We are catching lots of fish and Venice is the place you come and never know what you will catch: reds, flounder, trout, sheepshead, black drum, trophy cats, Jack Crevalle, shark, Lady Fish, and at times, Tripple Tail. It's the greatest place in the world to fish and the charter guides here are the best in the business. Give your favorite guide a call and get out on the water. There are fish to be caught and it might as well be YOU! Jesus is Lord.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 @ 8:31:37 AM

Venice, LA USA

What a great day today with the Thomas family; Lonnie and his wife Mary, and David.  We set out looking for trout and found a few here and there but it wasn't quite what I was looking for.  Moved to several spots with live shrimp under a cork.  We stopped on a point with moving water and it was on.  If the guys were not catching trout, it was redfish.  It was a fish on every cast and they had me moving from one end of the boat to the other.  Some sharks moved through and then I was tieing lines right and left.  The reds returned and then the trout.  Mary hooked up and the line streaked out. . . . and out . . . and out.  When it stopped I noticed a familiar wobble in the rod tip.  "It's a Jack Crevalle," I told her.  She started the work.  I mean this gal worked this fish for 45 minutes or more.  Finally she had to hand the rod off to Lonnie and this fish simply wipped his energy in the 90+ degree heat.  The big Jack made it into the net and became a bunch of digits inside my camera.  Check out the pix.  We were on the trout big time but one of my group began to suffer from heat exhaustion and we didn't take any chances.  We headed in with a full box of fish and lots of memories.  Jesus is Lord.

Thursday, June 25, 2009 @ 3:16:49 PM

Venice, LA USA

Today was an annual trip with a group of guys (about 20 or so), who went to high school together.  They are now all 60+ and this was the 16th year they have all gone fishing together.  Each year they draw numbers so I usually get a different group each time.  This year I had Jack, Charlie, and Bill.  We left Cypress Cove Marina before daylight and went out the east side of the river.  We worked for trout for a little while but when I saw this was not what we wanted I took them to the "honey of honey holes" and it was redfish catchin' as fast as they could get the dead shrimp in the water.  Since Charlie is dealing with Parkinson's Disease he did a lot of watching and encourgaging for Bill and Jack.  They had their limits in no time and then they started to catch and release.  Some days I estimate how many fish we catch and I'm pretty good at it.  However, today I kept track on the clicker to have a very accurate count.  Just before 10:00 am Bill boated #125 and the guys were exhausted!  No kidding, they caught 125 reds, plus some black drum and of course catfish, in less than 4 hours!  To say that the redfish action is "ON" in Venice is an understatement!  This was the 5th trip for one of the men and he said he caught more fish on this trip than on all the other trips together.  I like to hear that.  When I powered up the MLC we left the fish biting and I put a big X on the water.  So, if you get over there in the morning before I do, just know that it's my spot, with my X.  Move over and we'll hammer them together.  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, June 20, 2009 @ 12:54:09 PM

Venice, LA USA

It's hard to believe that you can go fishing and catch 50, 60, 70, or more redfish in one spot.  It's possible and lately it has been almost routine here in Venice.  Today I had Jack Varnado and his son Jack on board the MLC and they had smiles from ear to ear with reds on both lines on almost every cast and caught well over 65 reds before 10:30.  We just moved up against the canes and started casting.  When we found a red with a blue tail, we set the power pole and started to work the spot.  Before long it was a red on almost every cast.  We used dead shrimp under a cork but I honestly believe they would have hammered a blank hook!  The action on reds is as good as I have ever seen it here in Venice.  We have been keeping only reds in the 16" to 22" range, releasing the big ones.  I don't know how long this "redfest" will last but for now it's smiles all around.  Jesus is Lord.

Friday, June 19, 2009 @ 3:03:33 PM

Venice, LA USA

Dr. Scott Guidry brought his two sons today, Hunt & Brad.  We left before daylight an started catching trout before the sun was up.  Unfortunately the trout bite didn't stay hot today so we didn't get our limit of trout.  However, the guys boxed their limits of reds and boated at least 100 reds before 10:00 am!!!!!  We slipped up in water that was barely 2' deep and the reds were stacked in there.  Using dead shrimp under a cork we caught, and caught, and caught.  I had a blast watching the guys bend the rods and bring in the reds.  It makes a guide feel good to see his guests having a great time on the water.  That's what it's all about!  The redfishing is simply out of control right now.  If reds are your thing, quit your job, take a vacation, swap your off days with someone, bring your wife and come get in on the action.  Jesus is Lord.

Thursday, June 18, 2009 @ 7:41:20 PM

Venice, LA USA

Oh my!  Limited on trout by 7:30 this morning!!!!  It's on in Venice and the trout and reds are hungry.  Went out the east side this morning with Danny and Tim.  Tim used live shrimp while Danny used the D.O.A. shrimp.  Danny put a whoopin on Tim, pulling them in two to one and on average the fish were bigger on the D.O.A.  I've seen it like that before and I just have to say the D.O.A. is a very effective plastic bait.  Tim caught several reds, which he released, and they were glad to get in, clean the fish, and beat the heat.  Right now they are both back here in the MLC Lodge "cooling it."  The river has dropped and the trout are showing up in all the familiar places.  Jesus is Lord.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 @ 10:13:27 AM

Venice, LA USA

Full crew this morning with Tyler, Robert, Nathan, John, & Matt from Mississippi.  We left the marina early and headed down river to the east.  Our first stop produced some very fine trout -- to 4 lbs.  Every time one came in the net I just couldn't believe how big they were.  On the very first cast, Robert M. Green, had two pops and the cork was down with a fine 15 lb. red.  It was like that all day with big fish.  We later moved into the marsh and caught some of the biggest sheepshead I have seen all year.  Some of them were 5 and 6 pounds.  We caught black drum and easily limited on reds.  It was an easy day of fishing with a nice breeze that made it comfortable.  I can't wait for the guys to come back again.  Jesus is Lord.

Sunday, June 14, 2009 @ 8:12:38 PM

Venice, LA USA

Left the dock at Venice Marina this morning before 5:00 am.  You have never seen so many boats and people in your life!  A redfish tournament with 80 boats, a smaller tournament with 20 boats, guides, and sportsfishermen, it was crowded.  Randy and Donna were happy to get out early.  We made one stop for trout and they limited by 8:15 and then a couple of stops to limit on reds and release a bunch more.  We were back at Venice Marina by 10:45 and they immediately got on board another boat to go out for snapper and mangroves.  Now, that's a fishing couple for sure.  The river has dropped and the trout are here in big numbers.  We had several fish in the 4 lb. range today with our average easily in the 2 lb. range.  I have several week-day openings if you want to get out there.  Jesus is Lord.

Saturday, June 13, 2009 @ 2:15:18 PM

Venice, LA USA

I have been off for a few days. It was my wife's birthday and this year I scheduled a few days at home with her. We also celebrated 42 years of marriage as well. It's all been fun with the most wonderful woman in the world.

Now, it's time to get back to work. Today I had Jeff Gregg and his son Connor, and Tim Eating with his sons, Tanner and Tyler. We left Venice Marina at daylight and headed out the east side with a livewell full of shrimp. At our first stop I tossed out a shrimp just to show the guys how to cast. . . you guessed it. . . the cork went down. It was on! For the next hour or so the guys worked on the trout and just like someone flipped a switch, it stopped. We moved around looking for clean water but with the current at a standstill, I opted for reds. We moved to a small sandbar and started hammering the reds. At times the guys had fish on all lines. They easily limited out and I guess they boated at least 75 reds. These were not big reds (15-30 lbs.), they were the nice keeper size, right for frying. We worked on these for a while and went back to our original trout spot but by this time the trout not in the right frame of mind. It didn't matter since we had a full box of trout and reds.

I need to say a word about Jeff and Tim. These dads came to fish but more than that, they came to have fun with their sons. They both worked with the boys to help them bait up, cast, net, and unhook the fish. I love it when dads take the time to help their kids have fun fishing. In the end, they all said it was the best fishing trip they had ever been on and are talking about making it an annual trip here in Venice. I'll look forward to it. Jesus is Lord.

Thursday, June 11, 2009 @ 4:12:17 PM