Scouting for Ducks

Scouting for Duck's on Public Land

Photo by John Corso.

These days in South Louisiana it is getting harder and harder to find public land duck hunting spots. Hunting pressure can be heavy, especially on the weekends. Between low water conditions and loss of open water due to invasive hyacinth, pre-season scouting is now even more critical.

Louisiana has arguable some of the best locations in the country for duck hunting. From the flooded hardwoods to our coastal marshes, vast amounts of swampy backwaters all accessible from public land.

Before we talk about tips, locations and scouting trips, we have a few rules to go over.

The Rules of Duck Club

1^st RULE: You do not talk about Duck Club

2^nd RULE: You DO NOT talk about Duck Club

You thought I was going to tell you my spot? Most hunters will not give up to much information on where they hunt. If you hunt in the cypress swamps or the coastal marshes scouting for ducks and learning your way around is key to successful hunts.

Locating Public Hunting Areas

Here are a couple links to find public hunting land.

Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Wildlife Management Areas

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge List for Louisiana.

Now, how you access our states public land is another topic. Either by mud boat, outboard, pirogue or kayak.  There is a place for you to hunt, just depends on how far you are willing to travel.

Photo by John Corso.

Go off the beaten path.

I hunt by boat and paddle in hunt too. One of the WMA’s I hunt changes year to year. Like most places the grass mats move, and the hyacinth take over a pond or two. One year you may be able to paddle from the road back a mile or so weaving around grass and rouseau cane. The next year, you may be blocked in by heavy hyacinth and force to launch from further away.

I don’t have an issue with pulling my gear over land to jump to another pond or to access another canal.  To uncover several new spots before duck season opens, you will have to scout new locations.

Are you willing to go further than the other paddle in hunters? If so you may access spots that are rarely hunted. These places won’t just drop into your lap. You may have to go into the deepest hole in the swamp are the land locked pond in the marsh that can only be hunted by pulling your boat over 200 feet of marsh grass. If they are easy to get to everybody would be there. 

Have a backup plan.

 One of the wildlife refuges I hunt has several spots hunters park to access different ponds in the marsh. If you have it in your mind you are going to hunt this pond and they have 3 trucks there already have a backup plan. What if you get out to your location and someone is there already. Having two or more spots that you are familiar with will save your hunt.

I have a few ponds that always hold water but getting there requires traveling through a few narrow cuts and a few ponds that could get low. If I commit to heading out there and I cant make it I may be stuck in the mud or hunting a shallow pond. Which is not always a bad thing. 

During duck season scout frequently to keep up with bird movements. Hunting pressure will influence duck’s locations. They may abandon the feeding spots you located preseason and pile up in isolated ponds away from heavy pressure.

Technology can be your friend or enemy. Google maps, cell phones and GPS are great tools. Lay out a course and make a trip afield. Google maps may not have the most up to date information and you may travel down a canal only to find out it is now blocked off.

Public land is not free. You must pay for it by putting in time scouting. Scouting is fun, it is like preseason before the big game. A buildup of anticipation for what’s to come. Will this be the year you get your banded duck? Add another prized mallard to your wall? Put in your time scouting now and the reward will be cupped wings.

I would like to thank John Corso for providing these great photos.

Photo by John Corso.

Have any scouting tips? Send me your scouting tips I may add them to the blog.

Canoe Fishing Tips

Canoe Fishing Tips

Me fishing in my canoe.

With the latest craze being kayak fishing why bother with a canoe? I am not going to get into comparing the two or list pros and cons of each. Every person and situation are different. If you are fishing alone a fishing kayak is the way to go. I often bring my wife or a kid fishing with me and we also use the canoe for duck hunting to haul lots of gear. We investigated buying a two-person fishing kayak that would offer us a little more room and ability to stand up and fish, but for the price you can buy a small boat with an outboard. So, we did get a boat. Our canoe is still used for fishing, hunting, scouting and site seeing.

Here are a few tips for Fishing out of your canoe.

Fishing from a canoe allows you to have mobility. No need to charge batteries or mix fuel, just load up and head to the water. You can gain access to waters boats can’t get into. One river we often fish has a low railroad crossing. Most boats cannot pass under it during the times the water is high. This allows us to have access to some of the best fishing spots all to ourselves.

Two fish one hook.

Fishing in the canoe is quiet, you can sneak up to your favorite honey hole. You can pass through shallow and narrow spots boats can’t get to. It cost less than running an outboard. I have never been stranded or broke down in my canoe.

Master the techniques of paddling and balance. Having two people in the canoe is better than one. You must stay centered at all times. Wind can make it difficult to maneuver the canoe especially when paddling solo.

Secure items to your canoe. I have never flipped or fallen out the canoe while fishing. We still secure items to the canoe just in case. While duck hunting I fell out once and flipped once.  And yes, I have fallen out of the boat while fishing and so has my wife.

Solo Paddling

When paddling solo with all your weight in the back the front end will be raised up out of the water and wind will push you around. Paddling in a straight line can be challenging. Here are a few tips

The canoe always veers to one side. Use a forward stuck and cross forward struck to get going. Switch to the J-stroke to maintain a straight line. The J-stroke counteracts the canoes tendency to steer away from the side of the stern man’s paddle side.

Here is a link to a WIKI on Canoe paddle strokes

J Stoke

                                                                How to do a J-Stoke

More solo paddling tips.

 When I am paddling alone I sit in the bow seat facing the stern. This moves your weight and center of gravity closer to the center of the boat, keeping the bow down. Also place all my gear in the bow, the additionally weight helps keep me moving in a straight line.

Also using a kayak paddle when paddling solo helps to keep you going in a straight line.

Anchor or tie off

We use a small mushroom anchor 10-15 pounds, to hold us in position.  When approaching a location determine which way the current and or wind will push the canoe. From the rear drop the anchor so the current will keep you facing downstream. You can fish from you right or left side this way. Another option is to tie off to a tree, stump, bridge or whatever you can tie off to. We often tie a loop around a bridge to fish under the pilings. 

A canoe doesn’t provide all the conveniences of a boat, but with a few modifications you can make it better.

Adding cup holders to the rails. Here is how we did it thanks to this YouTube video.

Swamp Legends, Voodoo Queen of Manchac Swamp, Julia Brown

Tales from da Swamp

Swamp Legends
Voodoo Queen of Manchac Swamp, Julia Brown

Manchac Swamp

Some may consider Julia Brown a voodoo priestess, she lived in the Manchac Swamp just northwest of New Orleans in a once forgotten town called Frenier.  Known for her charms and curses for predicting devastating events, as well as for her guitar playing and singing. Julia Brown was a traiteuse, a woman who practiced faith healing. A traiteur is a Cajun and creole healer, combining Catholic prayer and medicinal remedies.

Frenier was a small town on the shores of Lake Ponchatrain just north of Laplace. While traveling on Interstate 55 you may notice the Ruddock exit. Only a boat landing remains now of the once thriving sawmill and town.

A cabin in Frenier.

Locals would seek out Julia Brown for her healing powers. Julia would use plants she gathered from the swamp to make herbal remedies. The locals thought of her as a powerful healer as well as a Voodoo Priestess. People would use her services but also feared her.

 As Julia grow older she began feeling lonely and used by the locals. They didn’t see her as a friend, just took for granted. They came to her for her healing powers but gave her strange looks as they passed her on the street. She was often seen sitting on her porch, rocking back and forth playing her guitar and singing. Locals would often pass by not even giving her a glance while others looked at her in fear.

People began hearing her, every morning singing the same song

"When I die...
I'll take the whole town with me...
when I die...
I'll take the whole town..."

She sang the song for months until one day she passed of natural causes.

Gate to mass grave site.

They would soon learn how much Julia felt disrespected. Even from beyond the grave, the voodoo priestess power struck fear and quilt in the villagers.
The entire town attended Julia’s funeral, perhaps to gain favor with the voodoo priestess’ spirit, or to show respect for someone who helped so many. Only two locals that were out of town did not attend.

As the hammers banged, driving the nails in the coffin a fearce wind began to blow.
Dark clouds blew in as a chill ran down the spines of the villagers. A violent
storm was approaching from the east. I can just imagine the thoughts rushing through the towns peoples minds as they recalled Julia's song.

"When I die...
I'll take the whole town with me...
when I die...
I'll take the whole town..."

 Water quickly began to rise, trees fell all around them, trapping those that attempted to leave. Houses were washed away, fields turned into lakes, logs and debris tore through the town killing all in its path.

September 29th 1915 the folks of Frenier tried to lay Julia Browns body in the ground, a Category 4 hurricane ripped the area apart, destroying three villages and killing 275 people.

Julia Browns grave.

The deceased residents were buried in a mass grave. The swamp around Manchac is still believed to be cursed. The village, now over grown, reclaimed by the swamp, is known to be a paranormal hot spot. Maybe you too can hear the cries of the women and children who perished, or the voice of Julia singing quietly in the distance.

Mass Grave

To watch the documentary made by The Weather Channel click here

Tips on Taking your Wife or Girlfriend Fishing.

Tips on Taking your Wife or Girlfriend Fishing.

Take Your Wife Fishing

Originally, I was going to write an article on the Pros and Cons of taking your wife fishing. Then I became fully aware of how much I enjoy and depend on eating dinner every night. So here are some tips on taking your wife fishing.

Wife and daughter fishing.

Have you ever taken your wife or girlfriend fishing? Been thinking about it? If your trying to spend some time with your special lady doing something you love and want to include her, bring her fishing.

When I first started bringing my wife fishing it seemed like she would go just to spend time with me. Over time she became better at casting, started catching more fish, was able to tie a loop knot, learned how to clean and fillet our catch but still to this day will not even touch a cricket.

Many women like to fish, my mom loves catching sac-a-lait, my mother in law loves to fish, my wife is starting to enjoy it more, and my daughter well she likes getting some sun and being outdoors with her dad.

The first thing I noticed

Other boaters take notice.  Seems like when my wife is with me other boaters go extra slow while passing. They even turn off their motors to talk to us. Sometimes when I am alone I must sit down so their wake doesn’t knock me out the boat.  Once, a gentleman even told us his sac-a-lait fishing spot. It must be her pink Zebco fishing pole.

You will have someone to help you launch the boat, pick up the anchor and take a photo of you with your catch. Yes, you will have to unsnag her line once, twice maybe a dozen times.

 Give her some tips on casting and make sure her equipment works, don’t give her the old hand me down rod and reel that gets tangled up all the time and doesn’t cast right.

  After we filled up a few ice chests with fish, she is now willing to fish more, makes a few more cast, stays a little longer without just giving up and tanning.

Make it fun for them. Spending a day fishing with your wife or girlfriend is great quality time together.

Take Your Wife Fishing!

Pack a lunch and call it a date. Eating a meal while watching the sun set on the water on one of Louisiana scenic cypress bayous can be a romantic evening.

Don’t make fun of them. Encouragement goes a long way. She will make mistakes.

Take photos of the fish they catch, post them on social media like Facebook so their friends can be jealous.

Photo by Laura Hollier AKA my wife.

Keep it simple.

 Don’t overwhelm her with too much information the first few times out.  She doesn’t need to know a dozen knots. You don’t have to show her every frog in your tackle box and explain to her when to use each one.

My wife hates the cold.

 You may want to pick a nice sunny spring day to bring them out fishing.  Avoid raining days.

Keep it short the first time.

They may get bored if you take them on an all-day fishing trip.

Supplies.

 Yes, they do bring more stuff with them. Most of the time that’s a good thing. I sometimes need a clean wipe or sunscreen which is not part of my tackle box, but she brings it.

Bird watching and site seeing.

We often take for granted fishing alongside mother nature’s creations. This can make for some great photo opportunities.

Plan for bathroom breaks.

So, when you need to pee, and that morning coffee needs to come out you just whip it out and hang it over the side of the boat. What about your wife or girlfriend? How are they going to use the bathroom?

One time at Two o’clock bayou on a cold spring morning the wife and I were fishing, and she needed to pee.  She said, “before we leave this cove can you let me go on land?”  Sure. I slowly moved the boat towards the bank until I hit land and she stepped of the bow or tried to. I think as she stepped forward she pushed the boat back and started to do the splits until splash! I watched her in slow motion trying to grab a nearby vine as she went in I was thinking to myself she is going all the way under. I watched as her head and ball cap went under. She popped up quick and made her way up the bank. The water about 3 feet from shore must have been 5 feet deep. All I could say was “don’t panic” the look on her face as she turned around. Not only was she wet and cold but all her multiple layers, shirts and hoodie all wet.

Like a good husband I told her we would head back. But, like the great wife she is she refused and said, “no I will figure something out.”

She did have a blanket she brings to cover up during the boat ride, between that and my jacket I let her wear she made it work. Lesson learned.

Just another day on da Bayou,

Swamp Legends - The Rougarou

Tales from da Swamp

Swamp Legends – The Rougarou

New Orleans Zoo exhibit.

The Rougarou, I just love saying it. I may name my next dog Rougarou, so I can run around the woods yelling for him. The beast known as the Rougarou a Cajun legend that dates to medieval France where it was known as Loup-Garou. French Catholics claimed you would turn into a loup-garou if you did not follow the rules of Lent for seven consecutive years. I am on year six. 

Cajun language, a mix of French and English and well-known for changing words to roll off the tongue easier, the name of the beast merged from loup-garou to Rougarou.

Legend tells us that if you survive an attack of the loup-garou, then you too will become one. Should you go out in search of the creature and your eyes meet his red glowing eyes, then you too, will become the loup-garou. Like the legendary vampire, the loup-garou can bite and drink the blood of its victim as well as devour his flesh. Once the curse is passed on, the previous victim is freed from the spell. If the creature becomes injured or killed, they will instantly become human again.

One legend from the late 1890’s tells of a wealthy gentleman from New Orleans who moved to the bayou and took a young woman named Madeline to be his bride. He had often heard stories of the rougarou from her family. One evening while he was visiting a local pub, he heard a young hunter and trapper bragging about his kills. In a drunken state, he challenged the young man to go out into the swamp and kill the rougarou, offering him a large sum of money for his catch.

The next day the young hunter left on his journey. When he returned late that evening, he told a story of being attacked by a large wolf-like creature. He fired his gun at the beast scaring it away, but not before taking his knife and cutting the off the creature’s left paw. He held out the bloody bag for the gentleman to see. He quickly opened up the bag and pulled out not a wolf’s paw but a slender hand of a young woman. The hunter stared in disbelief. The gentleman recognized the ring and hurried home to find his beloved Madeline with a shawl wrapped around her left arm. He demanded that she remove the shawl. When she did, he saw that there was nothing more than a mutilated stump at the end of her arm! Because she was injured, the spell had been broken.

Two years later, Madeline gave birth to a baby boy. The child was born with a small crescent shaped birthmark on his back. The midwife saw the mark and said, “He is bewitched!” The child had been born with the mark of the devil. “He’ll be fine, as long as you keep your eyes on him when there is a full moon.” Shortly after the boy was born, the couple hired a young woman named Michelle to help care for him. She was a rather strange girl, with funny shaped eyes, who always wore a cloak hiding her face. But she had shown up just as they need a nanny for the child and she seemed very mild natured. When Michelle saw the birthmark on the child’s back she told her mistress, “It is the mark of the rougarou. He will be one by his 16th birthday.” The young mother became frantic. She had thought that the evil curse that once gripped her had been lifted and now it seems as though she had passed it on to her little baby. She asked if there was anything she and her husband could do to save the child. Michelle told her to kill a white pigeon and smear its blood on the birthmark. Then they were to place the child on a soft blanket under full moon. She said that the moon would draw up the mark and the curse would be lifted. The next full moon they carried the child into the woods, armed with a shotgun, to wait for the full moon. As the moon rose a large wolf-like creature with red glowing eyes appeared. It stood snarling over the child. The parents ran toward the wolf screaming and firing the gun grazing the beast on the left side of its neck in an effort to scare it off, but it was too late. As it howled off into the woods, its jaws dripped with the blood of the infant child. Later, they found Michelle lying in the woods. Her neck had been blown open by a shotgun and she had bled to death. The spell had been broken. But the legend says he who breaks the spell and tells the tale before a year and a day has passed will become the rougarou. No doubt Madeline and her husband told no one, but what became of the young hunter that freed Madeline?

The New Orleans Zoo has a Rougarou exhibit and there’s an annual Rougarou Festival in Houma.

Rougarou Festival





Kalila Smith, "Werewolves" http://www.neworleansghosts.com/werewolves.html (accessed July 13, 2018).

Tales from da Swamp Part 2 Mysterious Gator Attack

Tales from da Swamp

Part 2 Mysterious Gator Attack

A series of short stories and first-hand recollections of hair-raising moments from da Swamp.

Years ago, on a cold winter morning, me and my lab Buddy headed out to our duck hole in Sherburne WMA. It was a full moon and the visibility in the swamp was good that morning. This year was a dry year, with the water being low our honey hole was mostly mud. As I finished setting out my duck decoys I started making my way towards my hiding spot when I noticed the unmistakable ridges on the back of an alligator. The head was not visible at first just the plates on his back sticking up out the mud.

With my paddle I splashed water on him, the gator didn’t move. I banged a cypress stump right next to him, the gator didn’t move. I figured he was dead, why else would he be stuck in the mud.

The sun was coming up and I had to get ready for the fast flying wood ducks that would soon come in. I pushed my canoe past the gator and set up in the brush about 10 feet away. Soon after I shot the first duck of the day which Buddy quickly retrieved running right near the gator in the mud. It was a great day to duck hunt, the grey ducks came in flock after flock. A few quacks from the duck call and they circled in range of my 12 gauge. Buddy would have to run in the mud jump over the gator at the water’s edge to retrieve the ducks, he even stopped to smell him a few times.

After making the last retrieve of the day, I dragged the canoe out of the bushes and made my way through the sloppy swamp mud. With Buddy next to me with his nose down he sniffed and pushed on the gator, with lighting fast speed the gator rose up hissing and snapped at Buddy. With my shotgun pointing towards the gator I yelled at Buddy to get back.  Just as soon as I yelled the gator put his head back down in the mud and never moved again.

PHOTOGRAPH BY GEOFF WALSH

The next morning, we went back to the same spot and there was no sign of the gator until the sun came up. To the right of our honey hole was a willow tree coming out the water at an angle. Spread out a few feet above the water was the remains of the mysterious gator. Head still attached the body cavity was open and eaten out. Something dragged it across the mud, up the tree and ate most of it. Swamp cat? Maybe a Rougarou. My guess would be a large freshwater otter attacked the cold-blooded gator while he couldn’t move and had him for dinner.

Maybe it was the rougarou, or just another day in da Swamp.

Tales from da Swamp Part 1

Tales from da Swamp

A series of short stories and first-hand recollections of hair-raising moments from da Swamp.

Part 1 -  Just some sticks.

Just some sticks

For those of you that have hunted before I am sure you have walked in the woods at night, alone in the dark. Have you ever walked through the swamp, at 4 AM, the morning after watching Blair Witch Project? The only part I found scary was the ending until I woke up the next morning to go duck hunting in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Alone with my yellow lab Buddy, I made the walk down the ½ mile trail I had made many times before. This time was different, my head lamp seemed to be fading in and out, catching the shadows of the branches as I walked. The branches! Stick figures that haunted the characters from the film are now coming in and out of focus.

This can’t be I thought to myself, it’s just a movie. I push on. Feeling the hair raise on the back of my neck, the glare from my now fading light intensify my thoughts. Thoughts of those stick figures hanging from the branches of the cypress trees.  Never been more scared to walk through gator invested water than this night, so I had to do it.

Loaded my shotgun. Just in case.

 Old Buddy, he wasn’t scared he walked and sniffed around in the dark just like any other day. Turns out it was just another day in da Swamp.

A beginner’s guide to crawfishing.

A beginner’s guide to crawfishing.

Crawfishing at South Farm

How to crawfish with nets.

After making a few trips to South farm I decided to put together a little "How-To Crawfish with Nets" information. My friends always ask, how do you catch crawfish, what do you use for bait, where do you get the nets? If it is so easy how come more people don’t do it? Because it's hard work. It can be a great family fishing trip, kids love crawfishing and they will have memories that last a lifetime. You can use set nets in flooded timber or swampy bayous along the roads and spillways.

First, let’s talk about where to go. I have been going to a section of Sherburne WMA called South Farm. Just off I-10 at the Ramah exit. For directions, you can see my other post South Farm Crawfishing here

I don’t have a four-wheeler, so I have to walk with my garden wagon. I have seen people walking, riding lawnmowers with a cart attached, even saw a man with a wheel barrel walk out there.

The set up

I purchased my first set of nets a couple years ago from Superior Bait and Tackle. These are 19” high set nets and they work great until the water gets deep. This year with all the flooding and high water we had, I purchased a dozen 28 “nets from Alario Bros from Westwego LA.

The Bait

Almost everyone I talk to uses beef melt, which is a cow’s spleen, for their nets. Beef melt seems to be the best bait for nets, but they will eat it fast, so if you're using crawfish traps trying using fish for bait. Before you go to Walmart to buy bait, let me stop you right there. I have not seen it at any Walmart around the Baton Rouge area, so find a local butcher or make a trip to Oak Point Fresh Market or Scallans meat market on Airline Hwy. I have purchased from both places, so I know they sell beef melt.

Beef Melt in the net.

To attach the beef melt to the nets I use shower curtain hooks. After I cut all the bait into 3-4” inch square pieces, I pass the hook through the beef once or twice and then attach it to the middle of the net. You can purchase these from Walmart for around $2 or less per dozen.

Net placement

Once I set up the nets, I use my telescopic push pole to set the nets out in the water.  I am reaching out 6-10 feet or more with the pole. I will place the nets 10 feet or more from each other. Near grass seems to work best. After putting the nets out for the first time I may take a break for about 10 minutes and then pick the first one up.

Picking up the nets

Once we start picking up the nets, that is when the real work starts. Lifting the nets up with the pole and dumping the crawfish into a fish basket or galvanized tub. I keep the basket in the garden wagon I purchased from Academy and pull it to the next net, pick that one up, dump the crawfish into the basket and go to the next one. Once I pick up all the nets and walk back to where I started, it is about time to pick them up again. On a good day, after the 10 minutes or so it takes to pick up a dozen nets, the first net should have crawfish in it. If you wait too long, they will eat all your bait.  I have used anywhere from 12 -24 nets.  Once with a friend, we put out about 2 dozen nets each. If you think of a pond as a square, we put out nets on the left side and on the top close to the left corner, we walked back and forth picking up the nets, I think we made about 6-7 trips and we each had a sack of crawfish.

If one nets slows down, it may be time for fresh bait or move the net to a new spot. After I have caught enough for a boil it is time to pack up. Take the time to remove the beef melt from each net and store them by collapsing the nets and folding the twine part of the net around itself.

Now it’s time to have a drink and head home for a crawfish boil. If you're too tired to boil the crawfish that same day you can keep them over night. I put a sack of crawfish in the refrigerator and kept them alive for a few days. Note: this was an outdoor refrigerator that we use for drinks only and yes, I had to clean it out afterwards to get the smell out.

Crawfish boiling time! 

I am not going to talk about how to boil crawfish or how to peel them. I will say that most of the crawfish we get out of South farm is in the medium size range and lots of small ones. I don’t have a way to sort them while fishing if you do please share your methods with me. Most people I see out there just dump them in a bucket or something and take them all home. I will pick out the small ones while fishing but this is not easy when they are trying to pinch you.

Youth Duck Hunting in Big Branch

Big Branch Marsh Youth Duck Hunt

Youth Duck hunt.

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge located in Lacombe Louisiana 18,000 acres of habitat along the northshore of Lake Ponchartrain. All hunters must possess a Refuge permit. Waterfowl hunting is only allowed on Wednesday, Thursday. Saturday and Sunday of the state season. Please see the rules and regulations on their website. Big Branch Marsh.


Me and Chris launched the boat for the first day of youth duck season once again an almost empty parking lot. We launched the boat on Lake road and went out the mouth of Bayou Lacombe into Lake Ponchartrain. Headed north around Goose Point and back into the marsh through one of the small cuts inland. We could only go so far in the outboard the rest of the trip will have to be made through the shallow water in the canoe. After paddling a few minutes in the dark through  the ponds of never ending islands of grass we set up at the corner of a small island and a larger pond.  I set up a small spread of decoys in the larger pond to our left and a few decoys in the opening in front of us.  We pushed down our marsh seats into the thick  grass and set up a temporary blind using camo painted PVC pipes and  leaf blind material.

It wouldn't be long before legal shooting time just enough time to enjoy a cup of coffee and take in the view. Its a pretty site watching the red glow of the sun raising up from the swamp. Before sunrise we could hear the sounds of ducks feathers ruffling in the wind as wood ducks flow over head, we could start to see ducks flying over the ponds I had a good feeling this was going to be a great day.

A few wood ducks were flying right at us I told Chris to get ready here they come they are right in front of us shoot. And shoot he did but no ducks fell. Reload more are coming from our left. Bam! Bam! Once again a miss. I gave Chris a few tips on how to lead them and told him not to shot the high ones, don't worry I said you will get another chance. Another flock was approaching from the lake, I starting blowing the duck call and they circled around us. Let them come in looks like the want to land. When they lowered their feet to land I yelled shoot. Bam! Bam! I watched the entire flock fly away. After a few more misses he was finally able to get that first wood duck. And then another.

The ducks were working and I was able to call in a few flocks of scaups or dos gris as we call them in Louisiana. We would let them circle a few times a beautiful site to watch as large numbers of birds  made their way closer and closer. Little Chris was able to shoot a couple but I soon realized the box and a half or shells I brought was not going to be enough. There was plenty of ducks flying one of the best days I have seen out there. Large numbers of diver ducks where rafting on the open ponds we could see hundreds of dos gris circling the open water. Only one other boat came by that morning with a couple of kids and we could here them shooting in the distance. Chris was able to take a nice bufflehead a small duck with a large white head. And with only a couple of shells left he needed one more duck to make a limit. I nice red head duck flew in range on his second and final shell it fell in front of us.

What a day they ducks were still flying around us as we packed up. Large flocks of divers where coming down and landing in front of us as we picked up our decoys.  Ducks where flying up as we made our way back through the winding twist and turns of the marsh. I talked to one other hunter at the boat landing that brought his nephew. He was around 11 years old and had a nice mottled duck he was proud to show off to me.

Youth Duck Hunting at Joyce WMA

Youth Duck Hunting at Joyce WMA

Bayli doesn't like taking photos.

I have made some great memories duck hunting. I remember some of my first hunts in the early 90's in crawfish ponds and out in the Atchafalaya basin. I remember shooting my first wood duck that I got mounted my first green head, encounters with gators, falling out the canoe. Looking back on those days brings a smile to my face but seeing my kids hunt now brings joy to my life. They are part of the reason I stopped hunting I had to raise three kids alone so that didn't leave any time to hunt or fish. Now that I am married to a great Cajun woman and my kids are older it's time to make them some memories of their own and pass on a tradition.

Youth only duck hunts is something I look forward to each year. The season is early ducks haven’t been pressured, the marsh and flooded timber is mostly empty. We don’t often even see other hunters on public land and it’s a great time maybe the best days for kids to hunt. The first year me and Bayli my youngest daughter went for her first youth duck hunt was also the first time we hunted in Joyce WMA. I had only explored the area a few times. We made it out to the parking area before sunrise and we were the only vehicle in the parking lot. We crossed some of the floating marsh walking carefully and dragging the canoe along with us. After getting to open water we paddled around until we found a spot to set up. We set up some wood duck and teal decoys and hid in the marsh grass waiting for the sun to raise.

Now at 13 Bayli was not an experienced outdoors woman, she never hunted ducks before and only fired the shotgun a few times. The night before I asked her if she wanted the 20-gauge youth model or the 12 gauge over under. She chose the 12 gauge. The first ducks that passed by was a group of black belly whistling ducks I got low and told her to shoot, Bayli followed them with the barrel of the gun but decided not to shoot because they crossed over my side. Ducks seemed to be flying over and around us but not landing or coming in range, so I decided to pick up and move to a new spot closer to the tree line.

I have watched my kids play sports all their lives I watched Bayli play soccer and win game after game score hundreds of goals. I watched her run track and cross country, she has won first place overall in 5k’s, won parish cross-country championship, set middle school long, triple and high jump records. But when that blue wing teal came flying around the rouseau cane and she fired off a round and it dropped to the water nothing made me prouder. There’s no participation trophies in the swamp you must earn it.

And so, it begun Bayli was able to take a few blue wing teal that day and I let her shoot some pouldeau. She must have shot a case of shells and never admitted to having a sore shoulder.

I have spoken with a game warden about the lack of hunters on youth days and he thinks it is  because the adults don’t get to shoot. I am fine with that I can wait until opening day of big duck to get my turn. Let the youth have their fun and turn it in to a teaching moment it’s something they will remember for the rest of their lives.

Jigging for Goggle eye.

Getting Jiggy with it

I am not a professional fisherman I am just normal southern boy who was raised by a single mother. I learned to fish by fishing with friends and going out there on my own.

I recently received a 12 foot jig pole as my 5 year award from Turner Industries. It is a B’n’M Sam Heaton Super Sensitive Crappie pole. When I picked this pole out I figured 12’ is a very long pole. After a few trips using it I don’t think 12’ is long enough I may get a 16’ or 20’ pole. I often find myself bending over trying to reach just a little further.  I came home one day with a sore back I had the boat anchored just a little bit out of my 12’ reach and I was bending over trying to get closer to where the sac-a-lait where hitting the surface chasing them minnows next to a cypress tree.

I have been jigging for goggle-eye or warmouths as some people like to call them.  I made a few trips out to Blind River and I have been learning where the goggle-eyes are and what color jigs they like. One thing I will say about this river is water depth matters a lot. We have done much better when the water was higher. When we have to duck down to get under the railroad tracks and water is flowing out the small cuts in the woods it makes for a better day fishing.

When the water is higher there is more cover I can fish, more cypress stumps and knees available. Some of the knees are setting in mud when the water drops . I am looking for a stump or cypress tree that is out in the water away from the bank. I troll up in my small boat and drop a jig right next to the tree. With a 12’ pole and 4-5’ of line hanging down I can drop a jig right down next to the tree without casting. I start about a foot down and if they don’t bite immediately I give it a little wiggle just a gently shake of the rod tip will have that jig dancing. Normal water depth I have been catching them in is 2’ or less.  I may drop it down to the bottom and pick it up a few inches and wham! Goggle-eye normally bite hard, all I do to set the hook is pull back the rod a little. I don’t real them in I just pick the rod tip up and that pulls them closer to the boat. Lift them up and take them hook the off. We normally catch a few from each tree or stump. One tip is that if you bump the tree or get snagged up they will return pretty quick.

My wife always says I catch more fish than her and we use the same jigs. She is casting hers out under a cork. If nothing bites she has to reel it in and cast again. Meanwhile I am just lifting my rod tip up and dropping it down around the next cypress knee or slowly swimming it around the tree. I am covering way more ground jigging then she is casting. Not to mention I can lower the rod and now I am fishing deeper.

Here is my set up B’n’M Sam Heaton Super Sensitive Crappie pole, Mr Crappie spincast reel which I will never buy again. Pink and white 2” fat grub on a 1/32 oz jig head. Will switch colors and bodies around until I find what they are biting on the best. Black and chartreuse crappie magnet split tale, and blue and white tube has been there favorite lately. Crickets and worms will also work.

Ice chest tip.

I will add a bag of ice and then fill it up about half way with water. This ice slurry mix will keep the fish colder and straight. So when I get home to clean them they are not all curled up when we scale them. This also gets all sides of the fish cold.

Blind River Goggle-eye fishing trips

I made a couple solo trips to Blind River and brought the wife a couple of times to fish for bream and goggle-eye or warmouth like some people call them. We found out about this location from a kayaking article I read. It described a scenic cypress swamp with little boat traffic.  Our first trip out there was a photo session and we just took in the scenery.  

We launched our canoe from Hwy 61 across from the St James Boat Club. There is a small gravel parking area with a shell launch.  After paddling north and west a few hundred yards we crossed under the railroad.  We had to lay down in the canoe to go under the bridge. This is the reason for little to no boat traffic. After enjoying an afternoon paddle and taking photos of owls, ducks and other birds, a few small gators we decided to come back the next day to fish.

Launching from the same location we hit a few spots here and there looking to catch some sac-a-lait. What we started catching was goggle-eye. When then each tied on a blue and white tube jig under cork about 12-18 inches.  We found them near cypress knees in 2-3 foot of water. We managed to catch a few bream and a small bass along with some goggle-eye.

Over the next few trips this time with crickets and worms we targeted bream and goggle-eye. What we found was the goggle-eye like to be near stumps and knees. We fished a few locations where water was coming out of the flooded woods, with not much current. We would catch them right next to a cypress tree or knee always in about 2 feet of water. I also noticed that the best spots where right next to a drop off into deeper water.  In these spots we would catch both bream in the flats and goggle-eye next to the stumps. We would often see bait fish fleeing the surface being chased by fish below.

Goggle-eye would hit our bait quick and suck down the bait in one aggressive gulp. The thicker bream like fish don’t fight as well as big bream do. They seem to attack the bait and just allow us to pull them in. I will have to make another trip in the boat with my 12’ jig pole and see if I can get in the stumps and knees easier without casting.

We had several successful trips out there catching fish in what seems like feeding frenzy. We fished one day right after a rain and ran out of crickets and worms. A cold front was moving in and the fish where baiting everything we throw at them even the bobbers. I even caught two fish with one hook. The second fish both goggle-eye was wrapped up in the line.  All thought not the largest fish is quite enjoyable to see those bobbers going down and pulling in fish after fish.

South Farm Crawfishing

South Farm Crawfish trip

South Farm is located on the east side of Sherburne WMA.  Sherburne is located just north of I-10 between Whiskey Bay and Ramah. It is part of the Morganza Floodway system of the Atchafalaya Basin. Over 43,000 acers of bottomland hardwoods, dense ground cover and bayous.   From Baton Rouge travel west on I-10 and take exit 135 Ramah. Turn right on Ramah rd and take the first left near L&L Bait shop, then take the first right and another right on the levee. Follow the levee north be on the look out for cows crossing or sleeping on the road. You will see a sign for South Farm you will have to go up the levee and down to the other side to park.

To access the ponds, you will have to walk or ride a four-wheeler. A gravel road will lead you to the ponds take note that some of the roads do not allow four wheelers or ATV’s.

My first trip to South Farm I was by myself. I arrived just after sunrise on a foggy March morning. After checking in at the self-clearing permit station. I started my long walk pulling my garden wagon with all my supplies down the gravel road. After arriving to the first set of ponds I could tell the water was low. The water on the edge of the ponds was shallow and clear. Crawfish don’t like clear water maybe because birds that prey on them can see them. It was foggy and I couldn’t see but maybe 50 yards. It’s a great area that I now love to revisit to see the birds and wildlife. Wild swamp hibiscus grow in abundance along the roadside. You can see garfish swimming in the ditches and sometime a small gator or two.   

Most of the crawfish we caught where small to medium. 

I set up a few of my set nets. A triangle set of 4 wires that spread out like a pyramid, a mesh net on the bottom holds them together. I tied a small strip of reflective marker to the top of each one and tied on a piece of beef melt to the center of each net. I later learned from a couple I meet out there that they used cheap metal shower curtain hooks to hold the beef on the net. After placing them in the shallow water with my push pole I waited about 10 minutes before checking them. I had great dreams of coming home with a sack or two of big red crawfish and inviting my friends over for a crawfish boil. But when I picked up the nets they were empty.  Some other people had rode by me in the morning with four wheelers and nets.  I followed the direction they went in and tried some other ponds. These are old rice and crawfish ponds now managed by the department of wild life and fishers. Some are clear with open water and pockets of grass. Some have flooded timber and have become overgrown.

My son picking up the nets,

These ponds also looked low but had some spots with knee deep water. I placed a few nets in these ponds and decided to walk through the fog out towards the middle of the pond. After walking off the road into the pond the water seemed to get shallower the grass began to get thicker through the fog I could  see open water and ducks. There were had about 20 teal swimming in the water without a care. Seems like they know when duck season is over.  Once they flew off I moved towards where they were swimming. That water was to shallow for crawfish nets. After returning to my nets I picked them up and then had a few medium sized crawfish each. I put them back in and walked to another pond. This one had knee deep water and grassy areas that crawfish seemed to like. I set out a few nets and returned to my first few. I walked back and forth until a found a pond that was catching the best.

I set about a dozen nets out in the pond some about 15 feet or more apart and as far as I could reach out with my pole. As the sun started to come out and the temperature started to warm up the nets started filling up. With each net I picked up sometimes they had only a few sometimes a dozen or more. All this hard work and walking back and forth made me thirsty. I looked in by bag for a bottle of water and could not find any. This is not good I was hot and sweating and getting thirsty. I was maybe a mile or more from my truck.  I meet an older couple from Central Louisiana out there, they  also flooded in the great flood of 2016. They were kind enough to offer me a bottle of water.

I walked up the side of the pond picking up the nets and dumping the crawfish in a basket.  After my basket started get about half full around 25 pound I started thinking to myself. It’s a long walk back pulling this wagon and I am out of water. I better head back. I didn’t want to dehydrate. I wanted to stay longer I was still catching crawfish but my lips started getting chapped and thirst kicked in.  On the walk back pulling the crawfish and all the nets, I had even brought some crab nets rigged for deep water just in case I need them, my folding chair, hip waders which I never used. I was really getting hot and tired from not drinking. I looked in the wagon for an extra shirt I had brought what did I see? Two bottles or water! All this time I was so thirsty and I had water the whole time.

One my next few trips out to South Farm I learned what to bring and what not to bring. If your walking in bring minimum supplies but please bring water. I rarely stopped moving so a chair is pointless. I bring my retractable push pole, 1-2 dozen nets, plastic fish basket, beef melt, water and a couple snacks.  I also bring scissors and a machete, I like to walk out there in my tennis shoes and will sometime bring a pair of boots to crawfish in.