What Time Of Year Is Best To Go Fly Fishing For Redfish In Louisiana?
Fly fishing for redfish in Louisiana is a year round affair, so success depends more on the conditions than the season. Sight fishing is best when the wind lays down and the sun comes out, which can happen any time of year, but you can stack the odds in your favor by fishing late summer, fall, and early winter.
Summer:
In the early summer you will find me fishing in shallow grassy ponds chasing slot fish where the water is clear and the fish are plentiful. Due to the freshwater influence from the Mississippi River, these ponds are home to shrimp, crabs, bluegill, bass, crawfish, and a variety of other redfish forage making for fat and happy fish that turn a beautiful golden/copper you just have to see to believe.
Later in the summer, when the weather is hot, the fishing gets hotter. Bull reds and crevalle jacks begin to school along the outer fringes of the marsh starting as early as July, increasing in numbers as the summer progresses.
When these schooling fish encounter a pod of shrimp or baitfish, all hell breaks loose. The water begins to boil as redfish and jacks rush to fill their bellies. It’s not uncommon to see bull reds launching themselves into the air, breaching like golden submarines, as they smash bait on the surface.
These schools are often marked by diving seagulls and frigate birds taking advantage of the corralled forage having been pushed to the surface ripe for the picking. When you encounter a situation such as this, just chuck your fly into the midst and hold on - you’re going for a ride.
Fall:
As the weather begins to cool and the white shrimp begin to leave the interior marshes they’ve been calling home all summer, the action moves closer in. The bulls are still schooling, smashing shrimp, and creating a general ruckus like they were during the summer, but it is happening closer to the dock.
The best part about the fall, aside from the ridiculous quantity of easily accessible redfish, is the weather. October, November, and December are easily the best months to be in Louisiana.
As the cold fronts begin to roll in and the water drops out, the fish become more solitary and prowl shallower flats and ponds leading to exciting sight fishing opportunities. Big fish in little water is a thing to behold. Since they can’t go down, they go out, sending water flying into the air as your drag begs for mercy.
Winter:
Due to the mild winters down here in South Louisiana, fishing year round is a viable option with plenty of redfish prowling the marsh. During the winter, water levels drop, concentrating fish and putting oyster flats at the perfect depth for sight fishing - Winter is all about oysters.
The shrimp have left the marsh, so redfish have turned their attention to fin-fish. The jagged, algae covered surfaces of oyster flats provide food and hiding places for baitfish, which in turn attract predator fish. That, combined with the fact that the sun heats up these areas first and most quickly, entices these predators into the shallows making for easy targets.
Another great winter perk is the prevalence of monster 30lb plus black drum. They lumber along those same flats eating oysters and waving their broad black tails in the air, practically beckoning you over to them. When you hook up to a black drum, settle in, because he’s going to dog you.
Spring:
Early spring is a windy time down here in South Louisiana which restricts the areas we can fish and makes sight fishing fairly difficult. March is by far the windiest month of the year. As we head into April, the wind begins to die down and things stabilize. The grass is beginning to grow in the interior marsh, and you can feel that summer is just around the corner. The baby shrimp are coming back into the marsh and the redfish are hot on their tail.
April and early May bring “the crawlers” - redfish slithering in water so skinny their backs stick out and can be seen plain as day. These crawlers work along the grass lines devouring shrimp as they go. You can often see one coming down the bank tens of yards away, giving you plenty of time to make the perfect cast...or psych yourself out and completely blow it.
These crawlers are generally big fish, ranging from just over the slot (27”) to bulls. Late spring into early summer puts me back in the grassy interior ponds chasing beautiful golden slot fish, starting the cycle all over again.
LA Tails - 1539 River Oaks Road East, Harahan La 70123 - Capt. Will DePass
LaTailsGuideService@gmail.com
(504) 554-2505