It has been a good sign of late with signs of life showing great progress in Lake Pontchartrain. Small shrimp sightings are being reported under diving birds all over the lake and it is only July. This is a very good sign for things to come for this upcoming fall. When running around the lake make sure to keep your eyes peeled for any bait or bird activity. Now while temps are still sky high do not be surprised when you pull up to a flock of birds and it is all Lady Fish or Jack Fish underneath. Have fun with them as they both can be a blast but they are not well known for table fare. What is most desired when approaching a diving flock of seagulls is redfish and speckled trout. Once temps cool and we get closer to fall the lady fish and Jacks will give way to the more desirable species.
On a recent trip, Amanda and Blane Lewis struck gold on their first ever trip to Lake Pontchartrain and first trip on their friend Jason’s brand new boat. While cruising around a slick calm Lake Pontchatrain they ran across a huge flock of birds and they were lucky enough to have redfish in a frenzy just below. They both tied on a Matrix Mullet and went to work on big bronze back redfish. The reds were aggressively blowing the Matrix top water out of the water and they boated their limit in no time.
When you are lucky enough to find a feeding frenzy of any species in south Louisiana under the birds there is no more enjoyable and exciting was to catch them but top water and the Matrix Mullet is a perfect choice for game fish of all shapes and sizes. If you are an amateur to throwing top water don’t worry just follow the instructions in the video below. No matter what brand or style you prefer a top water is a must have on board at all times. For all DockSide TV videos chasing birds subscribe to our youtube channel.
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.