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.

April. Prime marsh. Reds in the ponds, trout on bait, the passes still honest. Book Venice now.

April · peak

What is actually on

Redfish

Speckled trout

Tarpon

Cobia

Florida pompano

Spanish mackerel

Greater amberjack

Peak Present Off

Closures

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

Black drum

Pogonias cromis

Present AprilLouisiana

Thermal window

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50–84°F · best 55–72°F

Winter/early spring. Schools with reds on Galveston mud. Roots — look for puffs and a thicker, darker tail.

Fly. Crab/shrimp a size bigger than the red. 8 wt schoolies, 9–10 for shoulders. He will eat a fly that sits.

Spin. Crab, light jig, or dead shrimp. A 30-pounder in a channel is a day that does not allow the fly.

Leads the brief on Venice, Grand Isle, Calcasieu.

Louisiana. Louisiana: check LDWF coastal finfish before you keep a drum.

Official source

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