Grand Isle, LA, August 8, 2020

Wind: mostly 0-5 mph SSW, but gusted at times from variable directions due to storms in the area

Tide: no tidal range today, slack tide

Water Level: about 6” above normal, allowing fish to move up into the grass

Water Temperature: ~85 F

Water Clarity: dirty, a foot or less visibility

Water salinity: pretty salty – 10 ppt or more

Weather/sky: mostly clear, some thunderstorms moving around the area

Temperature: 78 degrees F, up to ~94 F for high

Moon: Waning ¾ moon

Solunar period: minor period at 11 a.m.   

Launch in and out: slipped the Hobie Compass in about 4:30 am, out about 2:00 p.m.

Water covered: ~ 4 miles

Other fishers: Kevin A.    

Gear: White gurgler with brown epoxy shrimp dropper about 18” below tied on an 8 wt rod. A Bishrat’s pole dancer was on the 10 wt. in case I saw a big redfish or gar.

Strategy/ patterns: try for trout under the lights, then sight cast to redfish after sun up.

I have wanted to try flyfishing under the lights of the fishing camps for some time. In summer the speckled trout move out of the marsh and go to the saltier water to spawn. This means I had to drive further toward the coast to get to the trout. I got up early and headed for Grand Isle. I put my kayak in at the bridge by the turn off to Elmer’s Island and went to the camps along a canal that were nearby. The lights were only on at a few camps, which could be a good thing as it might concentrate the fish.

I got a few half-hearted taps on the gurgler at the first light. After a dozen casts or so I moved about a hundred yards to the next light. Nothing there. I circled around an went up the canal to the third light – this one was at an intersection with another canal. Again, fish made a few swirls at the gurgler on top, but no real takes. I went to the last light at the end of the camps and started to get some action. Fish were hitting on both flies. I hooked a few small trout and croaker that came loose. Finally a 10” trout bit the brown shrimp fly and I got it to the kayak. I had a few more strikes but it seemed the fish were all small. The sun was coming up in the east so I headed back to the truck and went to meet Kevin at a launch a few miles up the road.

I launched again and got on the water about 7. Kevin went one way and I went another. Every now and then we would spot each other across the marsh when one of us stood up to cast and we were nicely spaced throughout the day.

The high, dirty water made for difficult flyfishing. I couldn’t see fish unless I was on top of them, and the fish were being secretive and not showing themselves. Sometimes I can move around and find cleaner water, but I couldn’t find any good water today. I saw 3 redfish all day and did not get to cast to them. I did a bit of blind casting at obvious looking places but did not catch anything.

While the redfish were being difficult I did see about a dozen sheepshead over the course of the day. They were working shallow along the edge of the grasses on the shoreline. I cast to them and got the fly close but got no reaction. When I moved the fly really close they spooked. I even got a really big one to strike at the shrimp fly, but it avoided the hook somehow. Sheepshead are pretty easy if you are using bait such as shrimp or small crabs, but they become schizophrenic when it comes to taking flies. Anyway, it was a frustrating day because of all the grief I got from chasing sheepshead around the ponds. They are heartbreakers.

About noon, Kevin took me over to a flat in a pond that he liked to fish. We spotted a large sheepshead that was feeding in some partially submerged grass. I staked out nearby and tried to cast to it but wasn’t having success. After about 20 casts I felt a tug on the line and I strip set what I thought was the sheepshead, but it turned out to be an 18” redfish instead. This redfish lacked the typical tail spot. Kevin kindly snapped a picture and sent it to me.

We fished around for another couple of hours, I was refused by a few more sheepshead, and then we called it a day. My fishing buddy, Kevin, put up a version of the trip on his blog as well (https://kevinandry.wordpress.com/2020/08/09/the-drumming-sounds-of-the-red-drum-redfish/). Kevin is a good fly tier and he does some wonderful ones with deer hair. Check it out.

#hobiefishing #hobiecompass #Allenreels #TFOrods #redfish #speckledtrout #kayakfishing #bayoucoastkayakfishingclub #neworleansflyfishersclub