On This Water

Doctrine · not a honey-hole list

Seasonal fundamentals

When a coast, a type of water, and a fish actually line up. If you elected Texas on the list, this page opens on Texas — Seychelles stays off the board until you ask for it. Filter by region, method or habitat, and species. The year bar is peak versus present. Limits cite TPWD and FWC — verify before you keep one.

Louisiana

Louisiana — river, marsh, and the birdfoot

Wind and the Mississippi move more water than the printed tide.

Venice is the birdfoot — South and Southwest Pass, ponds on the west bank, bulls in the throats, school reds and trout inside, tarpon in the heat on the south passes. Grand Isle is a different desk: one inhabited barrier island, Caminada, Barataria, a state-park surf. Calcasieu is the Texas-border cousin under LDWF rules — same fish, different bag, not Sabine Lake. Reds are 4 a day, 18–27, none over 27. Trout are a slot. Flounder typically close Oct 15–Nov 30. Do not put a Texas tag on a Cameron fish.

December. Flounder typically reopen Dec 1 — verify LDWF. Drum and reds in the remaining water. A front is still a plan.

December · peak

What is actually on

    Black drumSheepshead
Peak Present Off

Closures

No coast-wide harvest closure on the board. Still verify before you keep a fish.

Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus

Peak DecemberLouisiana

J

F

M

A

M

J

J

A

S

O

N

D

Thermal window

48°84°

52–80°F · best 55–70°F

Winter and early spring on jetty granite and pilings. Midday better than dawn. He faces the tide and picks.

Fly. 7–8 wt, short 16–20 lb leader, ugly small crab. You are putting food on a post, not presenting to a cruiser.

Spin. The honest tool. Light jig or fiddler, 15–20 fluoro, watch the line. The bite is a tick.

Louisiana. Louisiana: check LDWF coastal finfish.

Official source

Want this week’s weather on top of the doctrine? Read the Saturday Letter.