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This week’s Louisiana Delta Fishing Report features host Andre’ Savoie with a post-storm summer report from the Northshore, Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne, the Biloxi Marsh, Shell Beach, Breton Sound, Curlew, Freemason, and the eastern marsh. The episode starts with Capt. Danny Hunter of New Orleans Best Charters, who explains how heavy rain, high river water, east winds, and changing salinity have affected the trout bite around the Lake Pontchartrain Basin.
Andre’ then checks in with Capt. Jimmy Corley of Waterfowl Specialist Guide Service, who gives the Shell Beach and Breton Sound report. Jimmy says the storm did not push as much high water into his area as expected, but wind, low water, murky marsh conditions, and summer heat are all shaping where trout and redfish are holding.
The main theme this week is finding clean, moving water and adjusting to the heat. Trout are being caught on oyster reefs, rigs, eastern structure, and deeper summer water, while live croakers, live shrimp, Carolina rigs, sliding corks, Undertaker corks, and Marker 54 shrimp-style baits are all part of the conversation.
Conditions Recap
Across Southeast Louisiana, the recent tropical system brought a lot of rain, especially around the Northshore and Pearl River area. Capt. Danny Hunter says the river was already high before the system moved through, and the added rain pushed even more freshwater into parts of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne. East winds have also helped move that freshwater into the lake system, keeping salinity lower than normal in some areas.
That has pushed many speckled trout out of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and toward more traditional summer areas, including Lake Borgne, the Biloxi Marsh, the Chandeleur Islands, and Breton Sound. Danny says this is one of his favorite times of year because he can get away from the heavy boat pressure in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin and fish oyster reefs in the Biloxi Marsh.
Out of Shell Beach, Capt. Jimmy Corley says the storm brought rain, wind, and nearby tornado damage, but his area did not see the major high water that had been predicted. After the weather passed, west winds dropped the water out and left some marsh areas muddy and low. The inside water is still trying to clean up, but the water farther out in Breton Sound has been much prettier when the wind allows boats to reach it.
Summer heat is becoming a bigger factor. Jimmy says water temperatures are running around 85 to 86 degrees, which means trout will increasingly hold deeper as July arrives. He recommends looking in 18 to 20 feet of water and fishing closer to the bottom as the heat builds.
Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Borgne, and Biloxi Marsh Fishing Report
Capt. Danny Hunter fishes the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, Lake Borgne, Lake Catherine, Bayou Bienvenue, and the Biloxi Marsh with New Orleans Best Charters. This week, he says the trout moved out of the Lake Pontchartrain area fairly quickly compared to last year, largely because of freshwater, wind direction, and seasonal spawning movement.
For speckled trout, Danny is spending more time in the Biloxi Marsh, especially on oyster reefs. The draw is twofold: the trout fishing is strong, and the area allows him to get away from the crowds that can build up around the Lake Pontchartrain Basin. On those reefs, he is mostly fishing artificial baits and popping corks.
Danny says one of the biggest issues with live bait in the Biloxi Marsh is that it catches too many unwanted fish, including catfish, small trout, hardheads, and big gafftops. On long runs, live bait also creates timing issues because waiting on bait can delay the trip and cost anglers the early bite.
His preferred setup has been an Undertaker cork paired with a Marker 54 shrimp-style plastic, especially the Glide. Danny says the bait looks very close to a live shrimp in the water, holds up far longer than many soft plastics, and has produced well enough that he has gained confidence taking clients out without live bait.
He has compared the Marker 54 bait directly against live bait on the same boat and says the artificial has often outperformed live shrimp. For charter situations, that matters because beginners do not have to constantly rebait, deal with shrimp flying off the hook, or burn through bait while learning to cast.
Danny also shared a triple tail report from Lake Borgne and the Biloxi Marsh. In his area, he is usually sight-fishing them around anything floating, including corks, crab trap markers, and other floating debris. He often runs past likely targets from an elevated position on the boat and looks for fish turning on the structure. Triple tail are not as common in Lake Borgne and the Biloxi Marsh as they are in areas like Venice, but Danny says they are a fun bonus fish when conditions line up.
Shell Beach, Breton Sound, Curlew, and Freemason Fishing Report
Capt. Jimmy Corley of Waterfowl Specialist Guide Service fishes out of Shell Beach, Louisiana, about 35 minutes from downtown New Orleans. His route often takes him through the MRGO and out toward Breton Sound, including areas around Curlew, Freemason, and the eastern structure that has been holding quality trout.
Jimmy says Black Bay is full of river water right now and has been very dirty, with catfish being one of the main things he has heard coming from that area. Instead, the better trout action has been farther east. Curlew and Freemason have been holding a good number of fish, including quality speckled trout.
For trout, Jimmy is keeping several options ready. He has been fishing live croakers, live shrimp, Carolina rigs, sliding corks, and Marker 54 baits. Some days the fish want a lighter presentation, while other days they may need more weight to keep the bait in the strike zone. He says anglers need to have everything ready because the bite can change quickly.
One recent pattern has been trout holding higher in the water column. Jimmy caught good trout about five feet under a cork instead of on the bottom, showing that it pays to experiment before settling into one depth. Still, as water temperatures keep rising, he expects more trout to settle deeper, especially in 18 to 20 feet of water.
Live croakers have been especially important. Jimmy says when he cleaned trout recently, their stomachs were full of croakers, and the fish have clearly been feeding on them. His advice is to bring live shrimp and live croakers when possible, especially for anglers making the run into Breton Sound.
Marker 54 baits have also been strong for Jimmy. On oyster reefs, he says he has seen the Marker 54 outfish live shrimp by a wide margin, though catfish will eat the plastic too. The durability of the bait makes it a useful option when trout, catfish, and other fish are all feeding in the same areas.
Redfish, Tide, and Summer Heat
Out of Shell Beach, Jimmy says redfish are still available, but recent low water drained some ponds and left mud under the boats in places that are normally more productive. When the water is right, he is still finding redfish in the marsh, but the inside conditions have been more inconsistent since the storm.
Tide movement is one of the biggest keys. Jimmy prefers an incoming tide because it pulls cleaner water from the outside into the fishing areas. Right now, he says the early morning tide has been very low, with more water movement coming later in the day. Even out around rigs and sound structure, that moving water still matters.
As July approaches, the heat will become a major part of the pattern. Jimmy says the fish can still bite well in hot weather, but anglers need to leave early, get out before daylight, and take advantage of the morning window. On calm days in the sound, the heat can be intense, but the fishing can still be strong when the water is moving and the fish are positioned correctly.
Upcoming Shell Beach Fishing Rodeos
Jimmy also mentioned several fishing rodeos coming up around Shell Beach. The Mardi Gras Invitational out of Campos Marina was on the schedule, with categories for redfish, speckled trout, sheephead, women’s divisions, kids divisions, and even a trash fish category. The event includes music, food, drinks, and a strong local turnout.
Looking later into the year, Jimmy also mentioned the Valero Rodeo on October 3 and his Fishing for Faith Rodeo on October 10. For Fishing for Faith, he says every kid who enters receives a T-shirt, fishing pole, and tackle box, making it a strong family-focused event for the local fishing community.
