Chandeleur Islands

[Landrover]

Great thread as I went thru every post. I would be all over that last two spots but I will be leopard hunting in Zambia. I may take an ole family friend from NOLA to Venice next month, or maybe out to the islands if the fishing is good this early out there? I grew up down there but HAVE NEVER fished the islands. Not to hijack the thread but if anyone has SUPERB guides out of Venice/Point La Hache please forward. If you believe the islands is worth it in mid April or May , I will take him out there. Thanks in advance!

[SaltwaterSlick]

It absolutely is Oscar! If the weather is good enough to get out there, the fish are there. Earlier in the year it's more trout less redfish... as the weather warms, the reds move in in GIANT schools... Might be a bit chilly to wade without waders, but drifting the flats works too. Water warms up pretty quick out there.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Don't have the connections any longer, but the absolute best way for 2 or 3 to fish the islands is by float plane. I know there are a few charters that do that and they either fly out of Belle Chase or off Chef Highway on the east side of New Orleans... That's my favorite way to fish out there!

[Gladesgator]

PM sent, I will go if there is still a spot open.

[bowhntrmatt]

Looks like I’m too late but hit me up if a spot opens. I’ve always wanted to go on this trip.

[panhandlehunter]

Great thread as I went thru every post. I would be all over that last two spots but I will be leopard hunting in Zambia. I may take an ole family friend from NOLA to Venice next month, or maybe out to the islands if the fishing is good this early out there? I grew up down there but HAVE NEVER fished the islands. Not to hijack the thread but if anyone has SUPERB guides out of Venice/Point La Hache please forward. If you believe the islands is worth it in mid April or May , I will take him out there. Thanks in advance!

Our captain last time said earlier in the year is the best out there, but the weather is generally more unpredictable.

[panhandlehunter]

Trip is full at this time, if we have some cancellations I will post back up.

[sharkhunter]

Last time I went I took my shark rod and used whole sand trout for bait off the back of the boat at night while having a margarita. I don’t think we landed any of them. Don’t go swimming there are monster sharks around those boats at night cleaning up the guts from those trout and reds. It was a blast pulling on them though.

[Fargus]

Last time I went I took my shark rod and used whole sand trout for bait off the back of the boat at night while having a margarita. I don’t think we landed any of them. Don’t go swimming there are monster sharks around those boats at night cleaning up the guts from those trout and reds. It was a blast pulling on them though.

This is something we have considered doing but there were a couple of issues that popped up. First was what did you use for a rod holder? The Compass Rose doesn't have any mounted on the boat. Second, how did you keep from getting tangled in the skiffs? The crew leaves our skiffs strung out behind the boat at night.

[sharkhunter]

This is something we have considered doing but there were a couple of issues that popped up. First was what did you use for a rod holder? The Compass Rose doesn't have any mounted on the boat. Second, how did you keep from getting tangled in the skiffs? The crew leaves our skiffs strung out behind the boat at night.

I took a couple of pieces of PVC and duct taped them to the uprights on the hand rail. Run the first wrap backwards so no glued gets on his railing. We only fished one rod and just free lined it. It would literally only sit out for 5 mins tops before getting picked up. The skiffs are a challenge and we would jump down on the back deck to dip the rod if they went under the skiffs. I’ve caught shark up to 200lbs on 6/0 rigs and theses are much bigger. Thinking most are big bull sharks by the way they fought. No telling what size. I bet there’s shark pushing 1k coming up in there at night.

[panhandlehunter]

They didn’t bother us wading. We drifted for a bit and they were all over the boats drifting.

[SaltwaterSlick]

I took a couple of pieces of PVC and duct taped them to the uprights on the hand rail. Run the first wrap backwards so no glued gets on his railing. We only fished one rod and just free lined it. It would literally only sit out for 5 mins tops before getting picked up. The skiffs are a challenge and we would jump down on the back deck to dip the rod if they went under the skiffs. I’ve caught shark up to 200lbs on 6/0 rigs and theses are much bigger. Thinking most are big bull sharks by the way they fought. No telling what size. I bet there’s shark pushing 1k coming up in there at night.

No doubt! And in the daytime too! I've seen 'em from the air. When we used to fly out and fish from a float plane, we'd see people wading with JAWS size sharks just yards away from them cruising along in the clear water... If you are spooky of sharks, I'd advise you not to go fishing at the Chandeleur's and plan on wading! Guy we used to fish with that flew us round and fished with us said at the time (late '90's) he'd been fishing out there for 30 years the same way and had only had 3 incidents where folks got hit by sharks, all minor, but all were wearing shorts. I have not wade fished in shorts since. Said they'd brush you, then return for the strike... brush with pants, no return... brush with shorts, get yore arse on the beach pronto!

[Mayhem]

No doubt! And in the daytime too! I've seen 'em from the air. When we used to fly out and fish from a float plane, we'd see people wading with JAWS size sharks just yards away from them cruising along in the clear water... If you are spooky of sharks, I'd advise you not to go fishing at the Chandeleur's and plan on wading! Guy we used to fish with that flew us round and fished with us said at the time (late '90's) he'd been fishing out there for 30 years the same way and had only had 3 incidents where folks got hit by sharks, all minor, but all were wearing shorts. I have not wade fished in shorts since. Said they'd brush you, then return for the strike... brush with pants, no return... brush with shorts, get yore arse on the beach pronto!

I wade fish in shorts.


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[Fargus]

I've started wade fishing in pants due to jellyfish. This makes one more good reason to wear pants.

[doug]

This is something we have considered doing but there were a couple of issues that popped up. First was what did you use for a rod holder? The Compass Rose doesn't have any mounted on the boat. Second, how did you keep from getting tangled in the skiffs? The crew leaves our skiffs strung out behind the boat at night.

I'll bring a rig if yall wana play! Got a new to me avet 30w that needs to be broke in. And notice i said yall, I'll just sit back and watch the show!