A look into the diverse fishery that Louisiana's Gulf Coast has to offer
by Capt. Woody Woods
One of the most exciting aspects of fishing in Venice is the diverse variety of species which inhabit our native waters. On a typical day, depending on time of year and what the customers have requested, we make our 25 mile trek down the mighty Mississippi River , and then stop relatively close to the pass in water ranging in depths of 200’ to 400’. Our nearshore rigs are absolutely covered up in the 'endangered' red snapper, grouper, amberjack, triggerfish, cobia, and a variety of other non-targeted species such as various reef fish, sharks, etc. Jigging has proven to be extremely effective at luring (no pun intended) big groupers out of the structure, especially during the winter months when live bait is scarce.
Below: Paradise Outfitters claims another tripple digit Tuna ...
With the wide availability of jigging tackle such as the Trevala line of rods and the torsa line of reels, jigging is no longer a chore, and has developed quite a devout following amongst some of our customers. On any given day, probably 25-50% of the fish which we catch jigging are those pesky red snapper. These lucky fish get vented and released to fight another day.
Below: Quality table fare such as Snapper and Grouper are happy to call these offshore rigs home..
If the water is clear and bait is present in the area, we will deploy the trolling baits for Wahoo . The waters off of Venice hold wahoo twelve months a year, but our biggest wahoo seem to come in the winter months, specifically February and March. Although the big ones can certainly be found in the summer, it seems that the smaller ones are a bit more prevalent, especially on the weed lines which we troll for dolphin and marlin. The nice thing about wahoo is that they school heavily, and double and triple hookups are common. Wahoo generally take off on a blistering initial run, then will do a quick 180 and come right back to the boat.
It is at this point that we lose some fish because the customer thinks the fish has shaken the bait due to the slack line. Number one rule with Wahoo fishing is keep the line tight! These fish shake their heads like a pit bull and it is nothing short of amazing how these fish can shake loose two giant treble hooks from their jaws. Right when Wahoo come boatside prior to receiving the cold steel, they are lit up like a tiger-vertical stripes cascading down the length of their bodies. The only thing more beautiful than seeing these fish boatside is seeing them on the dinner plate a short while later, as wahoo yield some of the finest steaks one has ever had the pleasure of consuming!
Below: Large Wahoo nearing 100lbs are not out of the question during winter/spring months out of Venice...
Below: At times great numbers of Wahoo can stack up near the rigs and other structure
On a good morning, with a few grouper and jacks in the box, and maybe even a couple fat hooters, we continue to head offshore to any of the numerous floating oil rigs off our coast. Usually we will stop en route at a buoy to catch live bait, but sometimes we catch it on-site right on the rig pylons. When the fishing is good, and it usually is, the first two baits in the water don’t last long, and next thing you know, we are doubled up with two solid Yellowfin Tunas . We will generally do this until we have a good amount of red meat in the box. Yellowfin tuna is another one of those fish which we catch every month out of the year, but October-March yields our biggest fish of the year, with fish averaging 150-180 pounds, with a shot at a 200 pound fish very realistic on any given day of the week. Summertime fish run smaller, with 60-80 pounds being in the norm, but what we lack in size, we make up for in numbers, with 6-10 fish in a day trip being common. During the wintertime, the tuna push into shallow water, in as little as 200 feet of water, chasing the massive schools of pogies which migrate through the area at this time.
Below: Another monster Gulf of Mexico Yellowfin ...
In the summertime, the loop current brings in a large influx of sargassum weed, and when the current and winds are opposing, it creates a rip line, with the grass and other flotsam stacked up for miles sometimes. Bait congregates on these weedlines, and where the bait is, the predators aren’t far behind. Dolphin, Tuna, Wahoo, and my personal favorite, Blue Marlin, can all be caught trolling the weedlines with either lures, natural bait, or bait/lure combinations. It is not uncommon for us to get multiple shots a day at Marlin. One of the most alluring aspects of Marlin fishing is that even the small Marlin are still huge, and put on quite an aerial show when hooked. These fights can last anywhere from ten minutes to several hours.
Below: Woody helps hold up a beefy Big Eye Tuna
One of the best aspects of fishing in Venice is not only the incredible variety of offshore fishing that we offer, but also the option of inshore fishing. Our nearshore marshes are a rich ecosystem, complete with redfish, tarpon, black drum, speckled trout, catfish, and more. When it is too rough to get offshore, the flats and marshes nearshore are a great alternative, and our multi-faceted captains can put you on the fish. Our days off usually find us on the water, whether offshore, nearshore, or with a board attached to our feet.
Below: Inshore and Bayfishing near Venice is home to a copious amount of Red Drum and Speckled Sea Trout
Below: A Bull Redfish on lighttackle can satisfy the thirst for any inshore angler...
Southeast Louisiana truly has something for everyone. When it’s nice offshore, we fish every day for the big ones. When the wind is howling, we stay close and enjoy some great light tackle action on the flats and in the marsh. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, and that’s just another day at the office.
-Captain Woody Woods
For more information on fishing with Captain Hunter Caballero and Paradise Outfitters , please call 504-610-1686 or visit www.paradise-outfitters.com
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