Here we go!
April is the beginning of it all. Warm weather, warm water and great fishing everywhere. Early April will still be a crap shoot due to cooler temps. However, by mid month to the later part, look for fishing to kick into high gear. Bait(shrimp, mullet, pogies, bay- chovies) will start showing up as the water temperatures hit that magic range between 68-72. When this happens, fish, especially speckled trout, will feed like mad. The Biloxi Marsh(LA Marsh) is where we will be on calm mornings. Oyster reefs in the Isle Au Pitre area will be full of big trout, and boats. Please be courteous to the other boaters. Come into to your fishing spots SLOW SLOW, use your trolling motor or the wind, as not to spook your fish. If you are deploying an anchor, DO NOT just throw it as far as you can. Simply ease it over side, quietly as possible.
Live shrimp on carolina rigs will be lethal. If you can get your hands on live croakers, even better. Later in the day, look for flocks of diving gulls. The shallower the water, usually means the better the size of the trout. Popping corks rigged with a single soft plastic or tandem rigged will give you much needed weight for longer casts. If the fish are undersized or the catfish are thick, move on to the next flock. Red fish will be all over eastern side of the marsh, feeding on the waves of incoming bait fish. A good bank of broken marsh, having points, with shells should hold plenty of reds. Spoons, spinners or shrimp tipped popping cork and soft plastic should do the trick
Those opting to stay in close will have a great time on the near shore man made reefs. Early morning trout bites can be off the charts in mid to late April. Do not be hesitant on throwing top water baits along side these structures. The white trout should be in massive numbers by mid month. Bottom rigs with live shrimp, dead shrimp or cut bait, should produce plenty of action. Just be ready in case a bull red or gigantic black drum decides to bite your hook.
Last year we started catching triple tail at the end of April, so start checking floating structures. As always, have fun and be safe.
Capt Sonny Schindler
Shore Thing Fishing Charters
Bay St Louis, MS
www.shorethingcharters.com
228-342-2295