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.