Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana Fishing Report Today

Artificial Lure here, giving y’all the September 17th fishing rundown for the inshore and nearshore Gulf out of south Louisiana—your boots-on-the-bow report for marsh, bay, and a touch of blue.

Sun got up around 6:48 this morning and will duck behind the cane about 7:03 tonight. Skies are mostly clear with a muggy high near the mid-80s, and light southeast winds picking up through the day—that’ll keep the skeeters honest but shouldn't put a damper on the bite. Expect a bit of haze, as humidity’s true to form. Heavy dew at sunrise, so your deck shoes might get slick but that’s just par for the marsh.

Tides are perfect for serious action today. According to Tides4Fishing, the tidal coefficient is at 59—a healthy average that puts some water on the move without making the marsh a washing machine. There’s a decent mid-morning incoming, meaning bait’s pushing into interior ponds and the current’s sweeping around all those points in the bayous. With the moon setting right after dawn and a nice evening rise, peak fish feeding should overlap perfectly with daybreak and late afternoon.

September’s the heart of the transition. Inshore, redfish are rampaging—just last week, Nicole Chavers wrangled a 42-inch bull red on half a crab near Lafitte, proving the big ones are prowling the passes and edges of Barataria and Timbalier Bay. Live or cut crab, big shrimp, or mullet chunks are top natural baits for bulls right now. If you’re like me and love tossing hardware, paddle-tail plastics—especially in shad and chartreuse under a Pro-Cure slather—are deadly around grass lines and oyster mounds. Gold spoons are always money on a bright day, especially near Fourchon and the edges of Grand Isle’s surf.

Speckled trout are in transition: some nice slabs came from Elmer’s Island and the Ship Shoal rigs, as Maurice Terrebonne showed off a beauty caught on live pogies under a Carolina rig. Early fall calls for mixing it up: topwater plugs at dawn (bone or chrome), then switch to shrimp-tipped Vudu or Matrix Shad under popping corks as the sun climbs. If you find birds working over shrimp or pogie slicks anywhere outside Bayou Dularge or Lake Pelto, stop and make a few casts—September birds are a dead giveaway for trout, as written up recently by Louisiana Sportsman.

Out at the last gasp of snapper season, those heading out of Venice and Fourchon have been getting red snapper and mangrove snapper right up to the wire, with the feds closing red snapper September 15, according to RodnReelGirls. Mangroves are piling up on nearshore rigs and reefs—try cut pogie or squid for quick limits.

Best bets today:

- Fourchon surf and Queen Bess Island breaks for reds on gold spoons and cut crab.

- Isle Dernières chain and the mouth of Terrebonne Bay for trout—topwater at sunrise, Matrix Shad or live croakers under corks when the sun’s high.

- Venice east passes for late-migrating bulls and the last shot at snapper close-in.

Don’t forget: if you’re running marsh or bay, polariz

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Artificial Lure here with your Sunday, September 14, 2025 Gulf of Mexico and Louisiana coast fishing report.

Today brought humid, late-summer conditions with late-afternoon highs near 89°F, humidity pushing the muggy meter, and a south wind steady at 10–12 knots. Coastal showers popped up but were mostly scattered and short-lived, perfect for that classic “duck-and-cast” rhythm. According to Tides4Fishing, the morning high tide hit just after sunrise around 7:30 am, with another low easing in during late afternoon. The bite window was best right at sun-up and again shortly before dusk—sunrise was 6:47 am, sunset 7:13 pm.

The inshore action around Cocodrie and Dulac has stayed hot all week, fueled by bigger tides and cooling overnight temps. Louisiana Sportsman reports steady limits of **speckled trout** and **slot redfish**, with Cocodrie shoreline anglers especially doing well early with “walking dog” topwaters like the Heddon Super Spook Jr. and MirrOlure She Dog before swapping to live shrimp under popping corks as that sun climbs. Redfish have been thick along flooded grass lines in Pointe-aux-Chenes; the go-to lately is gold spoons and black/chartreuse paddle tails slow-rolled through the pockets. Offshore, word is Tyler Mistich had a “fun trip” with solid **snapper**, **cobia**, and some hefty **mangrove snapper**. Tyler said the amberjack are moving a bit deeper but still hit vertical jigs. Live hardtails and blue runners are the ticket for bigger fish on rigs off Fourchon and Grand Isle.

Shrimp season just re-opened after that delay, and local captains confirm trawlers are finally pulling bigger white and brown shrimp. The haul is up, but with fewer shrimpers out—Louisiana Shrimpers Association notes that only about 3,000 boats are working an industry that used to have 20,000 licenses. The shrimp on offer at local docks is fresh, wild, and clean, unlike that imported stuff you hear about in the news.

Back bays have produced a mess of **slot reds** and an uptick in **flounder** as well, with live mullet, chartreuse Gulp! Swimming Mullet, and mud minnows getting bites. Down around Empire and Buras, bull reds are roaming in packs—chunk mullet on Carolina rigs or popping corks with fresh shrimp will put your reel to the test.

For **top baits and lures**, you can’t go wrong with:

- Topwater plugs at dawn for trout

- Popping corks rigged with live or Vudu Shrimp midday

- Gold weedless spoons and Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ for redfish up shallow

- Carolina-rigged live croaker or menhaden off the beaches for bull reds and jacks

For the offshore crowd, snapper are still on structure in 90-150 feet; squid and cigar minnows are working, but bring a vertical jig for bonus amberjack and even a shot at grouper in deeper patches.

Two hotspots you’ll want to target this week:

- **Cocodrie marsh drains and oyster shell reefs** for trout at first light, with plenty of “keeper” reds mixed in

- **East Timbalier Island edges**—excellent for redfish, with bon

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This is Artificial Lure reporting on the Gulf of Mexico action from Louisiana for Sunday, September 14th. If you’re out and about this morning, you started with a sunrise at 6:43 AM and we’re rolling into a sunset at about 7:07 PM. Plenty of daylight, and right now we’re working with a strong tidal swing—the tidal coefficient is sitting at 71 early before tapering off by evening according to Tides4Fishing. That means there’s good water movement, so expect baitfish to be active and fish feeding hard around those major tide changes, especially at mouths and passes.

The weather’s been a bit more favorable with winds laying down compared to earlier in the week. Offshore, winds are out of the northeast and east, generally between 5 and 15 knots, and waves are running 1 to 3 feet depending on how far you run out, as given by the National Weather Service New Orleans. That’s making things accessible both for inshore and just-off-the-beach action, but keep an eye out for pop-up storms and higher winds by midday.

The marshes and bays are loaded right now. Reports from local guides and anglers say redfish are thick in the marshes south of Venice and Delacroix—classic September pattern, with both slot and oversized bulls on the hunt around points and bait slicks. Live or dead shrimp under a popping cork is as foolproof as it gets in the stained water, but plenty of guys are finding success with gold spoons and Matrix Shad soft plastics on a 1/4-ounce jighead. Out around the cuts and drains, Gulp! shrimp and chartreuse paddle tails are picking up both reds and a good number of slot speckled trout early, especially on the falling tide.

Offshore at the Empire Jetty and near Fourchon rigs, anglers are picking up solid trout and some late-season tripletail. Free-line live shrimp if you can get ‘em, or throw a white or bone Super Spook Jr. topwater at dawn for those aggressive schoolies busting on mullet. The tidal swing is big, so don’t be afraid to move around until you find the bait. Recent catches have reported slot reds in double digits on moving water and solid flounder on finger mullet and Gulp! swimming mullet fished close to grass edges and shell bars.

For those targeting sheepshead and black drum, the rock piles near Grand Isle and Port Fourchon remain steady as ever—bring fiddler crabs or bits of fresh shrimp, tight line near the rocks, and you’re in business. A few reports from Lafitte indicate the drum bite is particularly strong on cut crab in the deeper holes.

If you’re looking for hotspots, two you can’t miss this week:

- The northeast side of Grand Isle near Caminada Pass, especially near the first major tide change of the morning.

- Anywhere along the mouth of South Pass out of Venice—plenty of mixing water, bait balls, and rat reds pushing mullet up against the banks.

As for lures, the best bets right now are gold weedless spoons, soft plastics in chartreuse or opening night, and topwaters before the sun gets high. If you’re fishing under

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Artificial Lure here with your September 13th fishing report for the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana. Sunrise hit at 6:41 this morning, with sunset on deck for 7:03 tonight. We’re looking at a healthy 12 hours and 23 minutes of daylight, and the moon’s already set—prime conditions for catching fish around those early moving tides according to Tides4Fishing.

Tide activity today is medium to high across coastal hot spots. Grand Isle is seeing a tidal coefficient starting around 71 and dropping to 55 by day’s end, so expect solid water movement until the afternoon, and that means more bait pushed around—get your lines in early. Over at Southwest Pass, numbers drop to 55, which keeps things active but settles off a bit by sundown.

Weather’s muggy and winds are moderate out of the southeast—typical for September in these marshes. No major fronts moving in, so expect steady water temps and clarity. According to Louisiana Sportsman, September is a transition month: trout are moving out, reds are moving in, and the marshes are alive with action.

Fishing activity this week’s been classic late-summer. Bull reds have been rampaging inshore, putting up big fights and putting smiles on even the saltiest veterans’ faces. Captain Sean Thornton’s crew over in Delacroix boated reds up to 30 pounds last week, with multiple slot fish coming off marsh points and in deeper bayou sloughs. Specks are patchy but were holding tight to oyster reefs and channels—some boats found limits early using popping corks and live shrimp.

For lure selection, fall’s cooler mornings mean the bite’s turning on with soft plastics and swim jigs. Marker 54 Jerk Shrimp and Gulp Swimming Mullet in natural colors have been hammering reds and specks around Grand Isle and Barataria Pass—especially during the peak solunar periods at dawn and dusk. T&T Tackle’s C-4 Swim Jig in White Ice is pulling in trout and flounder when twitched around structure—looks like wounded baitfish and triggers strikes. For live bait, you can’t beat fresh shrimp or croaker under a cork, and cut mullet has been especially effective for the big reds.

Amberjack season just closed in federal waters, so folks are switching over to mangrove snapper and targeting big black drum off the deeper rigs near Empire Jetty. Southwest Louisiana shrimpers report harvests down, likely from changing river flows and industrial impacts, but don’t let that keep you home—plenty of fish moving in upriver.

Hot spots to hit today:

- **Grand Isle’s Barataria Pass:** Fast-moving tides and active marsh edges for bull reds and slot specks. Fish early for best results with swim jigs and popping corks.

- **Empire Jetty:** Deeper structure means a chance at mangrove snapper, drum, and late-season flounder. Try cut bait or shrimp on a Carolina rig.

As always, remember safety first—keep an eye on wind shifts and sudden squalls this time of year. That’s all for today from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in and make sure to subscribe for daily update

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Artificial Lure here with your Friday fishing report for the Louisiana Gulf! Let’s get right to what’s biting, what’s moving, and where to toss that line on September 12, 2025.

First light hit the water at 6:43 this morning and the sun’ll set tonight at 7:07, giving us a solid twelve-and-a-half hours out on the marshes and bays. Tides are lively right now: high water crested overnight, dropped off for most of the morning, and we’re seeing another gentle push heading toward mid-afternoon—a 1.5-foot high at 1 a.m., falling to just 0.2 by about 12:40 p.m., then building energy for another cycle. That’s classic September transition tide: strong currents early fading into easier flows midday, then picking back up at dusk. These moving tides set up some strong feeding windows, especially around the sunrise and sunset bites. According to tides4fishing.com, when that prime window lines up with sunrise or sunset, you’ll see more fish stacked and more rods bowed.

Weather’s on our side today. Light winds out the east-northeast are keeping the humidity tolerable, and the slight morning chill feels perfect for poling the flats or drifting deep cuts. Skies are mostly clear with barely a whiff of rain, so you’ll get eyes on chasing reds or slicked-out speck spots throughout the day. Mornings have been cooler than August, so fish are active at first light instead of hunkering down.

Let’s talk fish. Louisiana Sportsman and Captain Experiences are both reporting that the redfish run is stirring inshore as September sets in fully, and the trout are starting their fall transition. Capt. Sean Thornton over in Delacroix says his anglers are thrashing the marshes near Bayou Terre aux Boeufs, with plenty of slot reds in the grass and transition specks working deeper oyster lines. Trout mostly run 14–18 inches but a few gator-sized ones are hitting live shrimp under a popping cork or Matrix Shad soft plastics.

Offshore, the snapper bite is still hanging on. Dale Gleneck hauled in some beauties out of Port Fourchon last week, with boats like Recovery Room II filling limits with strong, fat fish. Snapper are hugging structure in deeper water, so drop down big jigs tipped with cut bait or whole pogies for best results.

Best baits and lures right now—

- For redfish: gold spoons along the grass, chartreuse/white spinnerbaits, and Gulp shrimp bounced through oyster shell. The Matrix Spin and Matrix Shad are hot, especially in more stained water.

- For specks: Live shrimp under a cork is tops, but if you’re artificial-only, go with clear or glow soft plastics on an 1/8-ounce jighead. Topwaters like the Rapala Skitter Walk or Heddon Super Spook in bone or chrome work well on calm mornings.

- Offshore: 1-to-2 ounce bucktail jigs tipped with squid, or Carolina-rigged pogies for snapper and grouper.

Hot Spots:

- Grand Isle’s Caminada Pass and Barataria Pass are pumping fish on the changing tides. Wade the surf in the morning for specks and reds.

- Empire Jetty is producing fo

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Artificial Lure here with your Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana fishing report for September 10, 2025. With sunrise kicking off at 6:18 AM and sunset winding us down at 7:19 PM, y’all have a solid window to put a bend in the rod. Today’s forecast from the National Weather Service says we’re looking at 10-15 knot northeast winds and seas holding steady at 2 to 3 feet—pretty comfortable for both inshore and nearshore runs. Keep an eye out for a few scattered showers and storms, especially as that weak wave slides in from the east.

Tide activity is big today, with the Empire Jetty running a tidal coefficient over 100. That’s prime for strong current movement, which lights up the bite for reds, trout, and flounder. Pay attention to those peak tide changes right at daylight and as the moon sets; when those solunar periods overlap with a moving tide, you can expect some hot action.

Now, let’s talk about what’s biting and where. Speckled trout are stacked around the marshes and bridge structures. According to Louisiana Sportsman, Captain Sean Thornton is seeing transition trout make moves around Delacroix; look for them piling into cuts and current-swept points. Soft plastics on 1/8-ounce jigheads—Matrix Shad in Limbo Slice or Shrimp Creole—are producing limits fast. For big specks, that MirrOlure 52MR walk-the-dog style still draws strikes, especially around the Causeway and MRGO rocks.

Redfish are thick in tight marsh pockets, especially at Shell Beach and Delacroix. Recent catches reported by Louisiana Sportsman show the slot reds destroying dead shrimp under Four Horsemen popping corks, and if you want a solid artificial bite, pitch Gulp! Swimming Mullets or traditional gold spoons in pond mouths and drains near the grass. The outgoing tide turns them on this time of year.

Way out near Port Fourchon, Zac Clarke hooked a hammer red snapper using dead pogie around “The Aquarium,” proving offshore is still hot if you can make the run. Soaked pogies, cut croaker, and live shrimp are the top baits for snapper and mangrove action off the rigs.

A mixed bag of flounder is showing up on the backside of barrier islands and at marsh drains downtide. Gulp! Swimming Mullets or live finger mullet bounced on the bottom are deadly.

Sac-a-lait (white perch) are beginning to stir with the mild nights. If you slide over to the west marsh, throw a Rebel Square Bill in craw pattern or tight-lined shiners near submerged wood—they’re stacking in laydowns, as Marsh Man Masson recently showed.

Hot spots this week:

- The marsh drains around Delacroix for limits of reds and transition trout.

- The Lake Borgne/Big Mar area and the MRGO for speckled trout on the move.

- Grand Isle and Fourchon rigs for red snapper and mangroves on dead pogie or live shrimp.

Gear tip: For the ultra-light action, Old 18’s 7’ Commando rod paired with a BFS reel handles those quick trout and red hookups all day with zero fatigue.

Summary—today is setting up for a banger bite, especially at tide c

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Artificial Lure here with your Sunday morning Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana fishing report. Fires are just waking, shrimp boats are drifting, and looks like we’ve got a ripper of a day on tap thanks to steady clear skies and gentle breezes.

Right now along the southeast Louisiana coast, sunrise cracked at 6:41 a.m. and you’ve got daylight until about 7:21 p.m. Tides in Cocodrie are running a bit low today, with the big incoming peak happening around 7:54 a.m. and a fall-off toward a moderate evening low close to 7:53 p.m. According to tides4fishing.com, the tidal coefficient’s running in the 47–62 zone this Sunday, which means the water movement will be mellow, not raging, and currents are light—good news for those working the bayous and marsh edges.

Marine forecast’s calling for southeast winds at 5 to 10 knots, seas at a foot or less this morning. That’ll make it easy to push back into the grass or get out to the nearshore rigs. Keep an eye on the horizon, though—a frontal system’s set to roll through late today into Monday, and could bump those winds up to 15–20 knots and seas to 4–7 feet by tomorrow, making inshore marshes the smarter bet for late-day and Monday outings per National Weather Service New Orleans.

Fishing activity’s been hot all week. Redfish are going wild in the Louisiana marshes, and the action’s been absolutely nuts if you’re tossing popping corks. Just this week, video reports show big bulls smashing live shrimp and cut mullet below corks, particularly in the Duck Lake area, Pointe-aux-Chenes, and down around Hopedale. Early risers have landed limits in under two hours, most fish in the 24–34 inch range. Slot reds are everywhere—if you want eating-size, hit the grass at first light, use a glow-chartreuse soft plastic or the classic gold spoon. Speckled trout are cruising deeper drop-offs and shell flats near Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and Bayou Biloxi. Trout are biting best at the change of tide on live shrimp, but also hammering pearl-white and avocado paddle tails rigged on 1/4 oz jigs.

Sheepshead showed up thick near the nearshore rigs and bridge pilings around Chauvin and Grand Isle, with mixed catches on fiddler crabs and fresh shrimp. Anglers working popping corks and flats have plucked flounder off shell beds, mostly on mud minnow and Berkley Gulp swimming mullet, especially at high slack tide. Don’t sleep on black drum near the deeper holes—a fresh crab half on a circle hook is catching the big boys.

Best lures of the week have been:

- **Popping corks rigged with live shrimp**

- **Soft plastics** in glow, electric chicken, and avocado

- **Gold spoons** for reds

- **1/4 oz jig heads** for trout

- **Mud minnow or Gulp swimming mullet** for flounder

Natural bait choice remains live shrimp, but if it’s hard to find, cut mullet, menhaden, and even pieces of blue crab are getting hammered by reds and drum. Ultralight gear’s been helping folks land plenty of reds and trout, but go heavier if you’re working the oyster be

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Artificial Lure reporting from the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana! The sun crept up at 6:41 this morning and should sink below the horizon at 7:20 tonight, giving us a nice long window for casting lines and hunting lunkers. Tides around Cocodrie and Grand Isle are running low today, with a morning high right at first light and a gentle drop through the evening—small currents and a tidal coefficient in the high 40s to mid-50s make it an easy day for fishing sheltered waters, though you’ll want to watch for any shifting breezes or storm remnants that can stir things up unexpectedly, especially this time of year.

Weather’s muggy, light southerly winds, mostly cloudy with occasional sun breaking through. Surface temps are comfortable for September, but after an overnight shower yesterday, the water’s holding a little stain. That means fish will be active throughout the day but gravitating toward comfort zones—look for deeper cuts and structure, and don’t hesitate to target marsh edges where cooler inflows meet tidal flats.

Now, let’s talk action! This past week Grand Isle and Port Fourchon were hot for bull reds and speckled trout, with local catches including a beauty redfish by Elsie Sloane off Grand Isle using a custom rod and plenty of red snapper showing up offshore around the rigs according to Louisiana Sportsman. Inshore, those rampaging bull reds have been tough to beat for sheer muscle and fun—most anglers are picking up two to five good fish a session when the weather and tides line up. Out in deeper water past the jetties, Dale Gleneck and crew bagged some fat red snapper; those heading further south out of Venice are still seeing mixed snapper, some healthy mangroves, and occasional amberjacks prowling.

As far as best bait and lures, when the water’s dingy after rain, switch over to darker soft plastics (think black/chartreuse or purple) or try topwater plugs with a noisy rattle—Zara Spooks and MirrOlures are consistent day-starters around dawn or dusk. For live bait, shrimp and menhaden are the ticket, especially for slot reds and specks near marsh cuts. Scented plastics like Gulp Swimming Mullets in New Penny or Nuclear Chicken get the nod for flounder and trout on a light jighead. Offshore drop rigs are working with cut squid or live croaker.

Hot spots for today:

- Grand Isle passes—from Caminada Bay to Elmer’s Island beach—are giving up reds and drum as the tide switches. Fish the outgoing tide around shell banks or where marsh drains feed into the bay.

- The marsh edges and shallow flats close to Pointe aux Chenes and Cocodrie are packed with specks and reds, especially on falling tide. Drift and throw popping corks with shrimp just off grass lines.

- Port Fourchon rigs remain reliable for snapper and mangroves, but be sure to check regulations before heading out, as snapper limits and seasons shift.

If you’re looking for panfish or crabs, the docks and bridges near Golden Meadow have produced a mix of blue crabs and eating-size whit

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Artificial Lure here with your Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana fishing report for Friday, September 5th, 2025. Sunrise this morning kicked off at 6:22, and sunset will roll in at 7:39 tonight, giving y’all plenty of daylight for chasing a bite. Tidal movement is prime today — the high tide hits at 10:47 am and a strong low swings in at 8:55 pm. The tidal coefficient sits high, 94 at dawn and climbing, so expect heavy current and increased fish activity around those changes according to Tides4Fishing.

Weather-wise, the National Weather Service out of New Orleans says an on-again, off-again thunderstorm pattern is sticking around as a stalled front lingers over the coast. Winds are light from the east 5-10 knots, with seas running 2 feet or less inshore, but be on alert for higher gusts if a storm cell drifts through.

What’s biting? Louisiana Sportsman points out that September marks the transition month: marsh trout are starting to trickle out, reds and flounder are feeding heavy, and the mouths of the passes and deeper cuts are prime. Speckled trout catches have been steady from Lake Pontchartrain down to Hopedale and the Biloxi Marsh. Plenty of folks limited out earlier this week on slot reds and sheepshead around Delacroix, with a bonus run of black drum mixed in. In the offshore scene, the snapper bite is still on when conditions allow, with jack crevalle and bull reds showing near the rigs.

Charter reports from FishingBooker back up the buzz: captains in Lake Charles, Venice, and Grand Isle are bringing in limits of specks most mornings, with solid flounder and a few doormat-sized ones caught on moving tides. Big bull reds are making boatside chaos in the South Pass on popping corks. Even a couple of late-season tripletail have been taken off crab trap buoys.

Best baits right now: Live shrimp is still king, especially under a popping cork for specks and reds. If you’re looking for artificials, try Matrix Shad in “lemonhead” or “purple haze” colors, and topwater plugs like the Heddon Super Spook at daybreak for explosive trout strikes. Soft plastics on 1/4-ounce jigheads work great over grass beds for flounder and slot redfish. For offshore snapper, cut pogies and squid are getting the nod, while chunk mackerel remains the top bait for sharks and big jacks.

Top spots: Delacroix marshes are hot right now, especially around Oak River and Pointe Fienne. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is giving up big trout along the pilings on outgoing tide, and South Pass at the mouth of the Mississippi has been wild for bull reds on the evening tide swing.

Pro tip: With these strong tides and weather popping up, always check your radar and leave a float plan. Pack a few different leader sizes and keep those hooks sharp — with the water temp settling, fish are getting feisty.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s report with Artificial Lure! Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up with the latest on coastal fishing action and tactics. This has been a quiet please produ

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Artificial Lure here with your September 3rd, 2025 Gulf of Mexico and South Louisiana fishing report.

We started the day down in Plaquemines Parish with perfect late summer conditions—sunrise hit at 6:37 a.m. and you’ll get daylight until just about 7:45 p.m., so there’s plenty of time to wet a line. The tide across points like Empire Jetty and Southwest Pass is running a regular cycle; high water rolled in just before daybreak and low tide’s expected come evening, with relatively mild tidal coefficients around 48 to 58. That means slower moving currents along the beaches and the marsh entrances—ideal for targeting the deeper troughs and ledges, especially with the morning cool-down and midday build in solunar activity, peaking between 9 and 11 a.m. according to Solunar Forecast’s day rating.

Morning started off humid, mid-80s with a slight east wind and a few clouds but no storms in sight—not much pressure on the fish and just enough chop to work a popping cork. Water temps are holding steady for this time of year, perfect for specks, reds, and flounder to keep feeding.

Word from Empire, Grand Isle, and Bayou Lafourche: the speckled trout bite’s been firing on moving water, especially on the first drop at the mouths and along the oyster reefs. Folks anchored on the edge of Pass Abel and over at Caminada Pass reported limits by 9:30 using live shrimp under rattling corks. When the baitfish got nervous, switching to 3-inch paddle tails in white/chartreuse and soft plastic shrimp got the job done—especially when tipped on a 1/4 oz jighead for a slower fall. Wired2Fish raves that the new weedless jigheads this season have been key for working right up in the grass and shell, where the reds have been thick.

Redfish are cruising flooded grass and points all afternoon. Cast up tight with a gold spoon or a bone-colored topwater early and you’re liable to get hammered. For the deep holes under birds and mullet schools, that bright spinnerbait or a black and chartreuse curly-tail grub on a heavy hook’s your go-to—KrakenBass and Bassmaster have been pushing these patterns on both structure and open flats. Don’t forget, if you’re targeting those matted hyacinth and lilies in the marsh, Bassmaster’s Top Tackle Tuesday reminds us that punching a dark-colored creature bait through the mats is money for the bigger slot reds.

Over on the beaches and rigs just offshore, there’s word of some bigger Spanish mackerel and the first bull reds starting to show on the inside—troll a flashy spoon or drift with live pogies and you’ll have a fight on your hands.

Hot spots today: The long oyster shell banks just east of Empire Jetty and the cuts around Grand Isle’s Barataria Bay side. Also, the north end of Bay Batiste up by the grass flats for that late-afternoon redfish run.

All in all, the fish counts this past week have been some of the best of the summer—limits on trout by brunch, some slot reds every trip, and even a handful of healthy flounder mixed in on mud

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