No Boat, No Problem
If you love fishing but don’t have a boat or if you want to give fishing a try, I have a found a few spots around New Orleans and southern Louisiana that have produced great days. A few years back I had no access to a boat and a lot of time, out of frustration I took to google maps to find any spot to throw a line. Naturally I began with parks and golf courses, but my hunger for saltwater grew. I drove farther and explored deeper to catch the good stuff. Eventually I found myself at one of the most southern points in Louisiana standing in waist high water bringing in trout on plastics. It possible to have great days fishing without a boat, especially in Louisiana, below are locations I found within a two-hour drive (majority under an hour) where I was able to catch bass, redfish, trout, and more. These spots are known and all legal for fishing; furthermore, there are more spots out there. Louisiana is Sportsman’s Paradise, it has it all so get out there.
Joe W Brown Park:
John Brown Park is in New Orleans East off of Read Blvd. It has a beautiful pond, but the vegetation is overgrown along most of the shoreline. The easiest fishing access is the dock, on the right over the bridge. I recommend fishing weekdays because it’s crowded on weekends. I’ve had great luck here, catching multiple 3 + pounders this summer. Bait of choice: classic Texas rig worm or spinning lure, and with ideal conditions topwater frog works well. But a major issue with the frog is that the resident gator will chase it for a while, practically the entire time. Also, I’ve spotted some nice gar if anyone is interested. Overall, great place to fish but can be crowded, and kayaks/canoes would dominate!
Brechtel Park:
Brechtel Park is on the Westbank down Gen DeGaulle Dr. This park is gorgeous, and the pond is a ton of fun to fish. I haven’t caught the biggest bass, but the fish are aggressive! They pretty much hit anything I throw at them, considering my arsenal is usually limited (Texas rig, spinning lure, rattle trap, crank bait, frog). I would highly recommend using a canoe or kayak because its shallow and the action is always towards the middle, deeper areas. The major issue with Bretchtel is its hours, it opens at 7 am and closes at 6 pm. I’m always trying to fish before 7 and after 6, so I reserve this location for fall/ winter when sunrise is later, and sunset is earlier. Overall, great place to experience Louisiana outdoors, not the biggest fish but you will get a bite, plus I wish it were deeper.
Saltwater spots
Chef Menteur Pass:
Easy access and within an hour drive, this spot is great after work fishing location. Just drive down highway 90 until Chef Menteur highway. You can park your car on the side of the road, then fish the bottom/top using dead or live bait. There is a nice hole 10 -15 ft off the small bridge, in the middle of the canal. However, this spot is weather dependent, making it a hit or miss. The tide has to be moving! I mainly catch redfish, with some trout during certain times of year. And I’m always trying to dodge the catfish. My first trip to Chef Pass, my expectations were low, and my main mission was crabs. So, for fun I casted a dead shrimp on a cork and placed my rod halfway out of my window in order to set up my crab nets. After setting up one trap about 25 yards away I notice my pole yanking towards the water, barely staying in the window. I book it to the rod just in time to catch the fish, and it was a 30 in redfish! Ever since this spot is always in the back of my mind. Overall, Chef Menteur bridge is pretty fun, but I’ve had a lot of dead days and not much luck with plastics.
Lacombe Bayou:
My main mission while fishing Lacombe Bayou is crabs. When the tide is moving, the crabbing is good. I’ve used crab nets or a strong line on a fishing pole paired with a net. On goods days you can catch a few dozen, but, in my experience, the crabs are not monsters. Fishing wise, I haven’t had much luck catching redfish, but there’s catfish for days! The best areas for action are where the bayou meets the road, circled above in red. Overall, strong crabbing spot when the tide is moving but not my favorite “drive-by” fishing location.
Elmer Island, Grand Isle:
Nothing beats wade fishing and Elmer Island is a great place to do it! While struggling to find trout spots, I just said f**k it and committed to Grand Isle. It’s two hours away but I was infected with trout fever; so, I convinced my sister to wake up at 3 am and drove the two hours without a game plan, fueled by excitement. We got there before sunrise and fished the cuts down Elmer Island rd and had no luck. We noticed a few cars drive by, so we decided to drive to the end of the road. Now when I say we had no game plan, I meant it because I was not aware of the beach access Elmer Island provided. We saw at least 10 people fishing in waist high water, our excitement exploded. Completely unprepared we ran into the water with one pole each and were able to catch 10 keeper trout on plastics, with a bunch of throwbacks. I was hooked immediately. So, if you have time, I highly recommend wade fishing Elmer island. Lures work great, I mainly use Matrix Shad or Deadly Dudley and bring a bathing suit/towel. Plus, floating nets and stringers make the experience a whole lot easier.
