Bobfish Tales

There are very few places in the U.S. like the Atchafalaya Basin located in the southern part of Louisiana. It has many miles of cypress swamp, bayous and lakes. It has more area than one could fish in a lifetime and is one of the most scenic places anywhere. The Basin is one of the best crappie fisheries when conditions are right. Not only can you catch limits of nice crappie, but the countless number of bluegill, goggle-eye, shell-crackers, and bass make it a fishers paradise. However the basin can be trying and depending on water levels can be impossible at times to figure out. Some trips you would swear there is no fish to be caught and at other times you may wonder where have all these fish have been. There are reasons for this. The number one would be water levels. When the levels are above flood stage, the fish tend to scatter through the millions of acres of marsh and be maybe difficult to locate. But when water levels recede and drop below flood stage, fishing can be fantastic...

Every year or at certain times of year, when spring floods recede and river levels drop, fishing goes crazy, especially in the Atchafalaya Basin; not only for crappie, but for shell crackers, goggle eye, and bluegill. When river levels are above flood stage, the fish tend to spread out, but when the woods or marsh become too shallow, the fish concentrate in the main bayous and in the many canals. This makes for incredible catches when you find the fish. There are peak times to look for. First being, when the water levels start to recede, the fish tend to school around points and at the mouth of canals that empty into the main channels. Other hot spots are standing timber in deeper water, especially when grass beds are present. Fishing grass lines can also produce. When river levels become steady or plateau, tidal flow can create those same fishing frenzies. It is not uncommon to catch hundreds of fish. Typically no live bait is needed in these situations. However, chinquapin can be fin...