By O’Neill Williams
An awful lot of guys aren’t working for a multitude of reasons we needn’t get into, so allow little O’Neill to recommend a few ‘bucket list’ trips and destinations since you may have some time. In each case, these are places I’ve been fortunate to have visited multiple times. Each can be researched easily on the internet for up-to-date availability, contact information, pricing, and other details, which we will not bother with today.
Cajun Vista Lodge, Barataria, Louisiana: Where the Mississippi River has been dumping fertile waters into the Gulf for the last 11,000 years, makes this area possibly the best ‘in-shore’ saltwater fishing on the coast of the US. Anytime of the year works, but the best is in late September through November. That’s when the speckled trout and giant reds visit by the billions. On most of the coasts, the limit on speckled trout is five per day per angler. At Cajun Vista, it’s 25 per person, and unless you’re extremely unlucky or just can’t catch fish at all, everyone in the boat will have a limit by lunchtime. One of the most attractive attributes about Cajun Vista is, once you park the truck, you don’t have to go anywhere else. How’s that? First class lodging is avialable in a completely remodeled old schoolhouse that can sleep 50 easily and very comfortably. Three fabulous Cajun style meals are served, and the boats and experienced guides are within 100 feet of the breakfast table. Unless you want to use your tackle, you don’t even have to bring that. I’m taking a group there on October 22nd this year for two days of fishing.
Blackhawk Fly Fishing, Clarksville, Georgia: Abby Jackson operates a first-class excursion on what may be the best mountain trout stream on the East Coast. She owns the river. Food, lodging, equipment, guides – all standing ready. What about the fishing? It’s a fly thing. If you are one of those guys, this is for you. What’ll you catch? With your guide’s help and advisement and fishing both before and after one of Abby’s spectacular lunches, you’ll catch and release 20 rainbows over 20-inches and a couple of browns in the area of 26-inches. There are many 30-inch browns in the river. Again, look up Blackhawk Fly Fishing. It’s a treat. I go there at least once a year and wouldn’t miss it. When? Spring, then fall through the winter. To me, the colder the better. Better hurry though as Abby only allows about six rods per day on the two miles of river she owns and operates.
Pensacola Bay Redfish: Search out and telephone Eddie Woodall and Full Net Charters. In December, thousands of huge redfish fill the bay. You just follow the birds, cast curly tail jigs on Road Runners with medium line and hold on tight. I spent about three hours with Eddie a few years ago, and we caught and released at least 20 reds over 20-pounds each. That day, following Eddie’s advice, I caught a 25-pounder on the first cast. You’ll have one on all the time. Reds are dumb as a post, so getting them to bite is no trouble. Just cast under the birds. Boat Ride? No, it’ll happen in sight of the ramp and you might see one or two other boats during the day.
St. Simons Island, Georgia: Captain Mark Noble. Look him up. I’ve fished with Mark probably ten times over the years shooting television shows. During those trips, I’ve caught several 100+ pound tarpon, 30-pound kings, boat loads of trout and too many giant reds to count. Mark is an island native and no one knows these waters better. In a morning of fishing for reds, with many triples on at once, I’m sure we boated and released 500-pounds of reds. If I recall correctly, the minimum length to keep a red is 22 inches. During all my visits, I never kept a single redfish. They were all too big. My personal record with Mark exceeded 50-pounds. When to go? Full moon in September and October for reds, summer for tarpon, and spring for kings.
OK, there are few for your consideration. Again, look them up.
O’Neill Williams is the author of O’Neill Outside People and Places Along the Way. If you’d like a copy of his book, you can get it at Amazon.com or just visit his website, oneilloutside.com or net. Buy the book off the home page and he’ll sign it. Never can tell, it might be a collector’s item one day. Visit O’Neill Outside on YouTube and subscribe where there are lots of
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