Louisiana fly fishing report January February 2015

Ah the month's of January and February in Louisiana. Winter is in full swing for our neck of the woods. As usual the tail end of artic fronts sweep our state. Tough conditions for sight fishing to say the least. On special days, generally when a High pressure system floats over New Orleans way, the fishing is easy. Warmer stable weather patterns also produce great days for a fly. The big fish are still here until the winds of spring blow out our clear waters of the inside marsh.

 Rocky and I loaded up and went to the Beavertail Skiffs factory. I saw the unsung hero's of our passion. They toil for our enjoyment producing the tools of the trade.

The bays and ponds on the inside marsh that are not directly connected to the outside waters hold fish. The big fronts bring big winds which can blow out even the most protected areas. Sometimes I have retreated to small duck ponds in order to find big fish in clean water. Ponds may be small so patience is key. Silent entry, quiet polling, and please don't shake the skiff when you cast. Pond fish don't move constantly and spotting them motionless on the bottom does require a bit of skill.

Banks of the inside bays are worth a look see. Most days we have an incoming tide. Keep this in mind when searching. The fish are generally in the same area but may prefer a different bank for incoming tides. Certain flats are always good. If the water is blown out on the flat I idle across with the Yamaha instead of polling. If the fish are there you will see them move.  

Happy hunting:
Captain John Iverson

Louisiana fly fishing report December 2014

 

December fly fishing in Louisiana is probably my favorite month. The Florida guides have left leaving the fish unmolested for the native fly fishermen. I can not tell you how many times I have seen these interlopers run over big fish to fish the slot fish near the banks. Big fish do not like to be disturbed. It does not take much pressure and the bulls run for cover out of sight fishing reach.

 

The bigger fish have moved into the ponds at the edge of the marsh. They are basically in shallow areas where you normally find slot fish. There is one in almost every pond so patients is key. Poll slowly and wait. These fish are cold and don't move very much. A calm slow approach the area is much more effective than the run and gun attitude of warmer months.

Peanut butter patters are working well. The fish want to look up and see a big meal. Right now they are lethargic and conserve energy where they can. Large flies on the surface are producing heart pounding slow motion eats. Fish slow and poll silent on sallow flats and work the mud ponds for best results.

Mid November Louisiana fly fishing report

The Louisiana marsh south of New Orleans is no doubt a fly fisherman's dream. Huge cold fronts moved Artic air over the south. Colder temperatures cool and clear the waters of the marsh. Big redfish become much easier to spot in the gin clear shallows.


This time of year the bull reds move into more protected waters. Lounging lazily on the bottom waiting for an easy meal. Once the tide begins to move entire schools go on the hunt. Acres of fish maraud the flats. Finding the redfish is simple because they general mix in with hundreds of black drum. Find the black drum and your day is amazing.

December is my favorite month. Most of the non native guides leave the area to head home. With very few fly fisherman on the water the bull reds are free to congregate without molestation. This allows me to better control which fish I rotate into my route.

There is not a better time to fly fish than right now. If you have been planning a trip December is a great month. Email me for availability.

October fly fishing 2014

October fly fishing is in full swing. The marsh banks are crawling with giant redfish. We are seeing tons of bull redfish crawling the banks. The average size is 20 pounds with some fish weighing just below 30 pounds.

The weather is cooler and the days are mild. With good tides and some sun great fly fishing trips are almost guaranteed.

Video Jacks and Bulls  https://vimeo.com/108893657

The time is right

Cooler weather has arrived. Hopefully the dog days of summer are behind us. The mild temperatures will cool and clear the water. Clean clear water is very important to see the monster redfish that I target. The big redfish usually swim deep and cloudy water just wont work.

November is the premier month for the big reds in Louisiana. The fishing gets easy. The tide begin to be much lower in the winter months. Less water uncovers the bull redfish hiding places. Now all we need is low wind and some sunshine and the bite will be tremendous.

I still have a few days to book in November. If you can be flexible on dates I can get you on the water. This should be a great season. It has started off wonderful and should only  get better.  
 
 

 
 

 

  

WHEN FLY GUIDES ATTACK III

I am back from vacation and ready to fish. When I left we were crushing the bull redfish on every good weather day and doing pretty well in bad conditions. I cannot say how many fish are waiting on my return but I guarantee it is a lot.

I finally finished with all the footage that had accumulated. My latest video should stand on its merits without any hype.

When fly guides attack III
https://vimeo.com/84087745

Whacked

We have had some crappy weather as of late. This did not deter the bull redfish from floating to the surface and eating our flies. The fish are cooperating in spectacular fashion. When we do get good weather conditions fly fishing is absolutely amazing. Seeing tons of giant redfish a day is a quite the rush.

Giant redfish appear in the gin clear shallows. Clients claim their heart begins to pound and knees begin to shake. All their focus is on the fish as flies swish by my head. I am getting so much footage that the majority does not make it to my video's.

This is definitely the job for me. I love chasing these big fish and watching them eat. I am privileged and honored to have such a life. This is way more fun than a real job.

This weeks video is called WHAKED. If you look closely you can see a client whack me with a fly as he casts at a 30 pound bull Louisiana redfish. He actually hit me twice but the footage was too long for the video. I picked up a fly rod and whaked a few which was a rare treat. We will save that for the next blog.

WHACKED: https://vimeo.com/81148873

Bull after Bull

 

 

 

The Bull redfish are in and the bite is on. Terrible sight fishing conditions have not deterred the fish from being active and on top. Easy pickings for my excited clients. All the good guides are fully booked and the fishing is easy. I don't know what else to say except October in Louisiana is a Fly fisherman's dream come true. Here is some video I hope you will enjoy.

Bull after Bull

https://vimeo.com/77612656

Eric and Mason

https://vimeo.com/77285264