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John's Journal... Entry 156, Day 4

SLICK FISHING FOR TROUT

How To Find And Catch Flounder In Lake Calcasieu

EDITOR'S NOTE: This week, we'll talk with Captain Jeff Poe who has fished Lake Calcasieu, near Lake Charles, Louisiana, for more than 20 years. His wife Mary, also a licensed captain and guide, has fished the lake all of her life. We'll look at the type fish that you can catch at Lake Calcasieu -- a huge saltwater lake off the Gulf of Mexico -- and Poe will tell us how to catch them.

Question: Where do you find your flounder, Jeff?
Poe: In February and March, we usually find the flounder in the mouth of the creeks and the cuts that feed into the marsh. When the tide moves in and out, the flounder are lying in the mouth of these cuts and attacking the baitfish. Our flounder will average a pound and a half. But this year, we have caught quite a few 5 to 7 pounders. In June, July and August, the edge of the ship channel that runs through Lake Calcasieu can be an excellent place to catch flounder. Fishing for flounder in the ship channel usually will stay good until October. Live mud minnows, live shrimp, or a jig tipped with dead shrimp are all productive baits for catching flounder.

Question: How are you rigging your mud minnows when you fish them?
Poe: I usually Carolina rig the mud minnows. I use the smallest weight possible to get the line to the bottom and let the current sweep the bait along the bottom. Below the lead, I attached a barrel swivel and about 1 1/2 feet of line to a No. 1 Kahles hook. I hook the mud minnow through both lips and cast it. The advantage of fishing mud minnows is that they live much longer than live shrimp, and every species of fish that swims in Lake Calcasieu will eat a mud minnow. So although you're probably fishing for flounder, you also will catch redfish and speckled trout.

Question: What is your best day of flounder fishing?
Poe: Many days, we'll catch a 10-flounder limit each or 30 flounder for the boat. We usually catch that many flounder during the spring or the fall, but we've had some excellent days of flounder fishing down here.

For more information on fishing Lake Calcasieu, contact Captains Jeff or Mary Poe with Big Lake Guide Service at (337) 598-3268, or go to www.biglakeguideservice.com.

TOMORROW: DOUBLE DIP FISH

 

 

Check back each day this week for more SLICK FISHING FOR TROUT ...

Day 1 - Captain Jeff Poe
Day 2 - Fishing The Birds For Trout
Day 3 - Rooting Out Reds
Day 4 - How To Find And Catch Flounder In Lake Calcasieu
Day 5 - Double Dip Fish


John's Journal