Chester Moore Jr.

SPECKLED TROUT
In recent years, speckled trout fishing in Louisiana has exploded into an extremely popular pastime, with water body records caught in several of the top destinations. “Since Hurricane Rita, we have had what is probably the best fishing we have ever experienced. We’re catching large numbers of fish and big ones as well,” said. Capt. Buddy Oakes of the Hackberry Rod and Gun Club.

Big Lake (Calcasieu) is the top pick in the state for catching a wall-hanger, especially in the marshes. On the east side of the lake, the best spots are the little lakes and weirs around the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge, which have been excellent in recent years. On the west side, lots of fish are around the cuts in West Cove and to the north around Lake Charles in the marsh surrounding the Intracoastal Waterway corridor. Don’t let the developed look of this area fool you. Some of the most non-pristine areas hold the most fish.

On nearby Sabine Lake, anglers have dozens of miles of shoreline and hundreds of thousands of acres of perfectly pristine marsh to fish. When it’s open -- up until Oct. 15 -- the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge is a top pick with areas like Bridge and Willow Bayou holding nice fish up until just after the first cold fronts. Johnson Bayou is another great spot that is not under the control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and it gives anglers access to lots of shallow lakes and cuts. During the summer, it has the best tidal flow on the entire Louisiana shoreline.

To the south, target Green’s Bayou, which has become one of my personal favorite hotspots. It has everything a trout could want: tidal flow, shell and lots of baitfish.

The oil rigs docked in the Intracoastal Canal all along the coast are loaded with specks during the summer. The best fishing is at night under green fishing lights, allowing anglers to beat the heat.

Proper boat positioning is crucial for success at any rig. Position the boat at the corner of the down current side if possible. If the seas are not choppy, consider hooking up as close to the structure as you can safely. Game fish like speckled trout bond to the structure. My best advice for choppy waters is to get as close to the rig as possible with the bow facing into the current.

Once you are hooked up, put out a couple of green lights to lure in the trout. Rig trout that will eagerly take offerings of live bait, as well as soft plastics and small, silver spoons. The key is to fish when the water is clear. If it is sandy green or even gin clear, there likely will be trout there to catch, but if the waters are murky, chances are the action will be poor.