Bobfish Tales

Its spring and that means one thing, warm temps and a fantastic perch bite. Technichly we don't have perch, but thats what we call them here in south Louisiana. We have parts of the sunfish family, such as bluegill, shell crackers ,etc. In many places, such as the Atchafalaya basin these fish get really big. It is not uncommon to catch them in 1 lb range. No matter if you are fishing the marsh or basin, there are certain things to look for. In canals with lots grass, look for breaks or clearings in the grass. These fish will clean out an area of grass for their beds. Finding these beds will mean great catches. Another give away for finding schools of "bream" is when catapillars show up. They will eat the leaves off of trees and there will be bunches of hungry fish waiting for them to fall. Look for evidence of leaves that are being eaten and you will find fish under those trees. Spawning fish also love cypress knees. You may have to fish a bunch of trees in an area to fin...

The small impoundment in north Louisiana is perhaps one of the best crappie lakes anywhere. Sure, recently it has its problems. There is fishing pressure, predator fish taking over the lake, but year after year, it produces some quality Crappie, not to mention some really big bass. That being said, I am drawn to the lake for what it has to offer. The stained green water seems to be just what those big crappie like, never too clear or too muddy, but just perfect. The fish that come from the lake are a brilliant greenish color. They are just absolutely beautiful. Even in a so-called off year, the average fish is still well over one pound. Coming from the deep southern part of Louisiana, the average fish is more in that 12-14 ounce range, so catching fish this size is a bonus. I had the chance to revisit the Point this March and it sure paid off. It was the "perfect storm". The weather was perfect; cool nights, warm days, light winds and the fish were biting. I reverted to my yo...

There are certain times of the year when the late bite really is great; summer being one of them. But, spawning times can be another great time. Although its never set in stone that there is a better time to fish on into the dark, or for that matter, early in the dark. But catching crappie with no visible light is possible, if not one of the best ways to net more fish. Most folks hang out lights to catch crappie at night but that's not necessarily necessary. Crappie have a keen sense of sight and smell. This is noticeable in the muddiest of waters and the darkest of night. Catching crappie in black of night may be more difficult for the fisher than the fish itself. Perhaps the best way is to tight line, single pole or two pole method. You don't need to see the bite when you can feel it. It is possible to spider rig in the dark by putting out lights to see the end of your rods. Reflective tape or fluorescent paint added to the tips can help. Bait selection can vary. Glow in the ...

Bobfishtales ....... Perhaps the number one question about fishing different places is how to adjust from shallow water to deep or vice versa. Being from the very deep south, where typically the marsh is an average of 5-8 feet, going to a lake or area where the water may be up to 30-40 foot deep can be a daunting task. After all, the typical technique for the South is a jig under a cork fished about 18 inches deep. That is an easy adjustment for folks that fish the deeper lakes. But adjusting from south to north is more involved. If you are a novice fishing a new body of water, you may need at least one day just to explore. It is imperative to have a good depth/fish finder. Two preferably, one dash mount and one mounted on the trolling motor. This will aid in finding structure as well as the depth of the fish. Unless crappie are spawning in shallow water, the single pole cork method won't be as effective. You can use the cork method in these type of places, but a slip cork may be ...