t’s prime time for a change of season. After a brutally hot summer, it’s time for a little relief. We have already had a few teaser cool fronts to signal the fall season and offer a huge break from the mosquitoes. Sooner rather than later, we will wake up to a north wind with a bite to it. Sportsmen everywhere are teed up and anxiously awaiting that first real “norther.”
There are a few acorns dropping, and the persimmons are just about prime to be plucked. And it’s a fine time to roll off the couch and get out in the great outdoors.
Teal season has come and gone, much like the birds that are heading south. There were just enough bluewings to keep it interesting. The limit was raised to six this year, giving hunters a bit more bang for their buck.
Team Stacy had a great shoot at a local freshwater marsh. Gus and John set out the robo dove, and that was all it took. Multiple flights of zooming teal bought the farm, decoying in beautifully. These guys had their mojo working, and dropped their limit with beacoup fold shots.
Gus, the designated gut man, had the honor of picking feathers until his fingers were sore. Next, the pot-roasted meal put a finishing touch on a great hunt.
The Louisiana archery season is on, and nobody appreciates a breath of cool air more than this hard-core group. The mosquitoes have been exceptionally fierce, with the heavy rains we’ve had this summer, so don’t forget the bug juice. That first brisk north wind will have local archers awake long before the alarm sounds.
Just as the weather affects hunters, it also affects the critters we hunt. The cooling wind makes you want to get up and get moving, and hopefully, it will be likewise for them. There is nothing that compares to closing the distance into bow range of a wild deer. Bring it!
These early fronts revitalize fish populations, also in need of cooler water temperatures. As the barometric pressure fluctuates before a front, fish become aggressive, and are on the prowl. The speckled trout bite has finally picked up, with the booming redfish action picking up the slack during the dog days. Big trout over 26 in. have surfaced lately in Big Lake.
Captain Tom Adams and crew were going to force feed the trout on artificial baits. Tom resorted to his favorite scented Gulp bait, and waited them out. At mid-morning, with one fish on board, clearer heads prevailed.
Tom high-tailed it to the local marina for some fresh live bait, and it was Katy bar the door. His crew teamed up for a mixed bag of nice reds and speckled trout that pulled drag. When bait is abundant, sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
On the freshwater scene, Toledo Bend is hard to beat. Mike Willis has enjoyed great success on his favorite fishing hole. He put together a great trip recently, scoring a fat 8-plus lb. bass as hawg for the day.
It’s a great time of year to be a sportsman in lovely Louisiana. Whether hunting or fishing, enjoy the wildlife and your time outdoors.
Happy hunting and fishing.
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