As I passed through New Orleans and east on the ICW along the South shore of Lake Ponchartrain I noticed a grassy marsh. Miles and miles of grass and cuts, like golden wheat with blue all around. It looked like great fishing but I couldn't imagine that it was being so close to New Orleans. I made a mental note to check it out.
When I returned to Dallas I researched the area and confirmed my first impressions that it was in fact teeming with speckled trout and redfish.
I had my boat moved from the Northeast side of unpredictable Lake Ponchartrain to just East of New Orleans and close to Lake Borgne which was surrounded by the vast marshy grasslands I was targeting. I interviewed several fishing guides and chose Captain Greg Henry, a veteran of the area with an intense love of fishing and a thick Cajun accent. I told Captain Greg that I wanted to learn to fish. I had never had much luck fishing and he agreed.
I drove to New Orleans and the next morning after I arrived Captain Greg and I headed out before daylight. It was scary driving 40 mph in the dark through the highly indutrialized ICW and across Lake Borgne. But after an our and a half we arrived on the Southeast shore of the lake. It was more beautiful than I had imagined.
We anchored just outside of a cut and Captain Greg explained that the fish move throgh the cut and scatter as they exit.
We had no live bait. We fished with an artificial grub bait and a topwater lure. We caught 6 trout and 3 large redfish. Captain Greg was dissapointed. The wind was out of the North instead of the Southeast, so the water was not just right. I was estatic. I had gone on so many fishing trips where we caught nothing.
Captain Greg was a gracious host and let me mark his fihing holes on my GPS. I went back two more times on this trip, catching 10 trout on my first return.
On the second trip back I was frustrated. The wind was out of the Southwest, the water was rough and I couldn't get anchored well. Captain Greg suggested that I head West back across Lake Borgne to a peninsula's North shore that was protected from the wind. I was on my own hunting for a fishing spot. I wasn't having any luck and was about to give up. I was putting out three lines and while I was placing the third, bamb! My cork dissapeared and I had the first of 20 trout and two large redfish.
It was exhiliarating. As I left, I spotted a large flock of crystal white pelicans.
The next day I drove back to Dallas knowing my boat would be there for a while. In fact I will probably move it to a marina more Southeast, deeper into the marsh. I can't wait.
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