Gaining Ground: Fisheries in Recovery

Don’t look now but we have basically burned through the first half of 2023 and it feels like it happened in record time. We are now sitting squarely on the front edge of the summer months and the forecast looks increasingly promising. Sabine and Calcasieu have made major strides in their recovery from several years’ worth of Mother Nature’s wrath and are now showing glimpses of returning to something that could be considered as closer to normal. Typical early spring patterns began to develop in March and have continued to produce despite some unseasonably cool weather that hung around until we flipped the calendar to May. Now, as the mercury begins to climb and the winds become a little more favorable we may get an opportunity to see just how much better both Sabine and Calcasieu have become. Personally I am both hopeful as well as cautiously optimistic at this point and only time will tell the rest of the story.

In the past few weeks some tried and true late spring angling patterns for late spring anglers began paying dividends and the results did not go unnoticed. Local anglers who have been begging for a more consistent bite have seen some solid fishing, even with sometimes less than ideal conditions. Super-high water levels contributed mightily to scattering fish but in turn the high water also ushered in some beautiful water full of all sorts of bait. For a while it seemed like instead of a shallow draft boat one needed a riding lawnmower to reach the redfish in the back lakes and marshes because they were so far back in the flooded grass. In years past when we had this much water for as long as we had it early in the year, our marshes really exploded with life. Those early season purges give a real shot in the arm to the ecosystem and seem to jump start our summer fishing. The amount of crabs and shrimp, especially brown shrimp, that show up as a result of the extended high tides, will do wonders for the overall health of both Sabine and Calcasieu, which in turn will do wonders for fishermen as well.

Speaking of the summer patterns, there will be plenty to choose from and none are a bad option. Virtually everything should be in play from the marsh to offshore and everything in between. You can bet that the jetty systems and nearshore rigs will be high on the wish list and the first target for many anglers when the wind cooperates. Getting to these structures before they get harassed is key so don’t be afraid to get out there before daylight, as long as you can do it safely. The topwater bite along the jetty rocks can be absolutely insane before the sun breaks the horizon, but as quick as it starts it can also shut off, so it’s an absolute must to be there during the feeding times. The monthly tide chart provided here in TSFMag is an amazingly helpful tool for predicting exactly when the bite should kick off so be sure to consult that when planning your next trip. Whether you attack the jetties or short rigs, don’t leave home without some swimbaits or shallow diving crankbaits as they can produce some fierce strikes around those structures. I would also highly recommend some extra-abrasion resistant leader such as fluorocarbon to help with getting those fish out of the rocks or away from barnacle crusted manmade structures because these fish know how to use that cover to their advantage when hooked. Quality leader can often make the difference between success and failure.

If heading to the south end of the bay or running offshore doesn’t appeal to you or is out of the question due to weather or some other limiting factor, you can always enjoy the open water pattern on the main body of either Sabine or Calcasieu. Drifting the scattered shell, fishing slicks, or even chasing birds over schooling fish will all be options to enjoy during the summer months. If you choose to drift the open lake structure or slicks, be mindful of your approach. Use long casts, and don’t leave an area too soon to go search for steadier action. Once you have located an area that looks promising, I always like to use what I call a “search bait” to help me discover if there might be other willing fish present. A rattling cork is a terrific option when you’re drifting as you can draw fish in with surface commotion and noise created by the cork. I have really become a fan of the 4Horsemen corks in the last year and I rarely ever leave the dock without one tied on because they have such a great fish-attracting sound. I generally have a Z-Man MinnowZ soft plastic or Down South Super Model under my rattling cork because they have great action and are incredibly durable. Once I locate some active fish I can change my approach if needed but until that time I stick with a rattling cork or topwater bait to help me find them. Obviously these schooling fish will be much easier to deal with on a single hook like a jig and soft plastic, so don’t complicate that process with a bunch of treble hooks because you are asking for trouble in the middle of the chaos. Trust me on this.

One more great option will be probing the deeper water with natural bait, either live or dead. I know there will be plenty of purists who will snub this style of fishing for various reasons but for a lot of folks, it’s their favorite method. I have no problem throwing a cast net for live shad and using a Carolina rig to catch fish; it’s not only relaxing but incredibly productive as well. Live shad rigged under an old school popping cork is another way to enjoy fishing natural bait and it can produce some jarring strikes. I don’t care who you are or where you fall out in the angling spectrum, watching a cork go under is the most basic action that ties all anglers together because we all started right there, and for many, that’s still one of their most preferred methods. Just like using any other method, you must be mindful of the resource and be a good steward, using natural bait is not a license to disregard conservation.

As for me, I’m sure I will still be probing the back lakes chasing redfish and largemouth bass when I’m not hunting speckled trout on the main lake. I love this time of year and all the incredible options that are out there for us to enjoy. It will be hard to make a bad choice and I can only hope that we see continued progress in the quality and numbers of fish being caught, given that we have struggled for quite some time to regain anything that resembles the old norms. I applaud all the folks who have been so diligent in their conservation efforts and I hope more and more anglers will follow that lead. Please continue to take care of our resources and share them with others who may not know about them. Enjoy your time on the water and be sure every time you get the opportunity…take a kid fishing!