Sucks being stuck overseas

[Thumper007]

I know we are a hunting forum and outside of fishing or running charters I would rather be hunting. Hence the reason I got into buying other boats and chartering fishing trips was to support my hunting habit and pay the taxidermist.
Sucks as I was supposed to leave last week for 60 days to run charters and get ready for my Greenland trip.
No one seen this COVID 19 shutting the world down but we will survive.
I have been lucky to keep my normal clients coming and had a 10% cancellation rate so far but filled most with local clients. All four boats booked for the next few weekdays and weekends. So even with New Orleans being shut down the boats are running. Down one Captain with injury and running a new guy that just got his charter license but the others are helping him along and putting him on the fish. Eats me up getting daily reports back and dock shot pictures when stick here but glad to know we are people are fishing and the boats are running. Biggest trout so far is 7.20 but the big sows should hit on the next moon. Late spawn and folks figure it is from all the water coming out the lake as they opened the spillway to dump river water into Ponchartrain and the salinity is lower than normal so boats having to run further out. It will take another week for the big trout to come in. Then we will see some 12 pounders. Tons of 2 and 3 pound trout along with no shortage of flounder and reds. Just having to get orders in for croakers the monster sea trout candy has been hit an miss. Shrimp a bit smaller but the plastics are working.

 

[LaSportsman]

Are you fishing Pontchartrain? Once upon a time I fished Biloxi Marsh regularly and occasionally Big Lake.

Love AZ for the hunting but sure miss chasing Specks and Reds!

 

[Thumper007]

I stay out the lake normally I am hitting the SW side of the Marsh and Brenton sound. Since they closed off the MRGO, build the surge wall from Chalmett to I 10 and keep opening the spillway Ponchartrain will eventually turn back to fresh water and you will not see a trout west of the 10 bridge

 

[mmcneil]

Great fishing down there. Spent half a year there after Katrina in Plaquemines Parish. We fished almost every weekend. Few years ago we took the boat down and ran out to Thunderhorse for tuna. Love the area and great people.

 

[Thumper007]

Things really improved. Actually I bought my lot after katrina and set up a modular for camp the went in half on the dock rebuild to get 5 of the slips. I guess the number of guides have tripled since then. Not digging anyone but a few of the guides or claim to call themselves guides run under the radar without a license or follow others to learn the area. But as a whole, most of the guys are legit. Licensed guides, carry the insurance and know the area. I have been asked several time why don’t I have a web site or advertise more. Simple i have established clients, word of mouth carries a reputation and if any client is not happy or I have to shut down before we hit a boat limit, then the next trip is on me. Not many folks offer that. I was charging less than others when fuel went up and when I had a few other guide tell me I was hurting them by staying at the 600 a day when they went to 800 I went up to 700 Guess I was not looking at it as I was cutting their throat by staying at the old rate but had no choice but to go up as most don’t have a camp so I said you don’t charge 50 per night like I do so I figure at 700 plus 50 a head for lodging it was the same. Looking at 50 per person per night, barely covers, utilities, cleaning and upkeep but personally it is easier on a client to to wake up, walk across the road and head out than stay in a hotel in town, drive in to leave at 0500 then head in and out. Nice to end a fishing day, go to the camp while fish are being cleaned, get a shower before heading out. From more outfitted hunts and fishing trips than I can honestly count, it is the little things that make a difference as a client one thing that will get a guide a bad rating is feeling like a number they want to rush in and rush out. I understand other clients are lined up, but any professional should account for a clients comfort and being rushed in and out sucks. Sorry but had to share that from both a clients and guides Point of view.
Thump

 

[thusby]

I miss fishing down there. I used to live 10 minutes from the launch into the Hopedale marsh. Nothing like an ice chest with a 100 speckled trout in it or catching redfish on topwater. Blue crabs were really thick when I was there as well. I had a couple traps I would leave out overnight the day before fishing and have plenty of crab when I got home too.
Thanks for the pic to bring back some memories.

 

[Thumper007]

I like Hopedale but they have a total different group over that way. Different charter outfits generally keep our areas and routines. But we have more folks from that part coming over our way. Generally you can spit them as they are the boats running from spit to spit trying to figure it out. . I also keep at least 7 or 8 traps out as it seems our weekend card games pull all sorts from the bar across the way. The bar owner will not allow betting on pool or host card games so we open house and that only opens up more boat business for Sal.
Good to have one of if not the best boat mechanic set up at my old camp. In the other pictures. He maintains my boats year round so I don’t have to come home and deal with boat issues. That is one thing about a boat if not ran frequently you will have problems. And the worse thing you can do is run fuel with ethanol. That is as bad as letting it sit. I don’t believe in additives but Ring Free is the only thing I use religiously and any top outboard mechanic will back that. As far a stay built or other stuff. I run through enough fuel that I don’t need it but will swear by that $25 a pint ring free.