Bull Reds in Bad Weather at Lake Calcasieu Pass

Capt. Jeff Poe with Capt. Nick Poe holding redfish caught by angler Jeff Dennis on April 19

Bending rods at Calcasieu Pass jetties

When the bull reds are biting hard in Southwest Louisiana the demand from saltwater anglers equals the supply of trips available from local fishing guides. Fortunate to book a trip with Big Lake Guide Service on Lake Calcasieu, the date of our trip was secure, but a North wind and sloppy conditions on the water dictated our plans. Sometimes though a hard day of fishing yields outstanding results, and we beat the odds to catch multiple bull redfish during a memorable day of fishing in Cajun country, followed by creole cuisine prepared by Chef Lyle Broussard.

Jeff and Will double up on slot reds

Will Precht is with Visit Lake Charles Tourism in Louisiana and he is also a native of Cameron Parish. Big Lake Guide Service is a father and son operation, founded by Capt. Jeff Poe, with son Capt. Nick Poe recently notching his tenth year as a guide. They all agree that the bayou, marshes and wildlife found in this area make it part of God’s country, and I am fast becoming a believer too. Fishing trips originate from a private dock, which is near Hebert’s Marina, and we fished out of a Dorado 25 boat powered with a Mercury 350 four-stroke engine.

Just another bull drum ready for release!

It had been windy the day before and a cool front passed through Lake Charles overnight, so I dressed for the weather wearing long pants, two shirts and a jacket. We loaded our gear into the skiff and headed out into big water, followed by a 30-minute white-knuckle boat ride to the Lake Calcasieu Pass jetties. The cold front had the bull redfish bite on fire, but only in one small area where the rip current met the tip of the jetty. I was the first to cast into the strike zone and a redfish with shoulders ate my chartreuse offering, and tore off down the jetties peeling 20-pound Power Pro off the reel, causing Capt. Nick to come over and tighten down the drag. The medium-action Falcon rod was doubled completely over but proved to be the right stick for a very sporting battle with a 35-inch redfish that was caught and released. 

To read the entire feature article in the newspaper click on Colletonian.

To view past blog links from Lake Charles click 2013 SEOPA Conference - 2013 Redfishing / Gross Savanne - 2013 Ecotour / Gross Savanne - 2013 Black Bayou Fishing

To view past blog entries from Louisiana click on 2010 Houma Duck Hunt - 2013 New Orleans Dining - 2013 Audubon Aquarium -  2015 Crawfish Etouffe / Tony Chachere - 2017 Audubon Insectarium - 2017 Rue Royal Dining - 2017 Photo Journal