Capt. Chas Champagne is an avid angler, located in Slidell, LA. Capt. Chas owns and operates Dockside Bait & Tackle and also manufactures his own tackle producing the Matrix Shad fishing lure and the Golden Eye jig heads.
If you are wanting to chase doormat size flounder no matter what area you fish across the Gulf Coast there is no better time than NOW!!!! It is one of the most complicated species to target as most of them are caught by accident, but not this time of year. During the Months of September,…
Capt. John has a lifetime of fishing knowledge and over 18 years of experience fishing the northern gulf coast in the Pensacola, Navarre and Perdido Key waterways. “I have enjoyed fishing all my life. While living in the Midwest, I fished Kentucky & Barkley Lake for years along with the Ohio River and many local…
Captain Bill Willis is a native of Pensacola and has fished the waterways surrounding Perdido Key and Orange Beach for over twenty five years. In addition to local knowledge he has fished Key West ,Marquesas Islands, Sebastians Inlet, Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River, Apalachicola, Sarasota sound, Indian Pass, Louisiana Marsh and most lakes and ditches in…
An avid fisherman who has been fishing the Lake Pontchartrain estuary for several years and is a Matrix Shad sales representative. Tyler regularly is on the road with Chas Champagne, owner of The Matrix Shad fishing lure, and helps promote and market the lure all over the gulf coast. Tyler’s specialties include sightfishing for redfish…
Born and raised in San Francisco California. Grew up saltwater and freshwater fishing alike along California’s coast for striped bass and large mouth bass. Joined the Navy at the age of 21 traveled the world and had the opportunity to fish places like Dubai Thailand Singapore Japan and Hawaii. Still currently active duty and a…
Capt. Chad Dufrene and Capt. Barnie White just recently added another “W” to their already impressively strong redfish career this past week. Amongst a very competitive 80 boat field during this year’s IFA redfish event held in the Houma area Dufrene and White were able to do more than hold off the other competitors, they actually…
Where did the Salinity go? Lake Ponchartrain has been seeing the most drastic salinity readings I can ever remember. The gauge which usually averages 6-12 parts per thousand of salt has been sitting at a dismal 1.5 parts per thousand since February and has done this the last three springs into summer. Trout can…
This is the time of year when crowds can get out of control and the usual community holes are over fished there is ways to get the water to yourself. Not only here in Lake Pontchartrain but all over the Gulf coast there are everyday common community holes and the pressure can be unbearable. …
The time is know to get out and get on some hot speckled trout fishing action. The lake is as hot as it will get this year and trout are flying in over the gunnels of all the DockSide Guide boats. Matrix Shad, Vortex Shad and Live shrimp has been the ticket. If you are…
By Alex Smith On March 28th I had no idea what I was going to catch that night. I went out in some sloppy conditions with three to four footers and a stout SE 20 mph wind. I had no idea I was going to catch the trout of a lifetime, a ten and a…