A few questions about fishing in LA

[jdskeeter]

I just recently moved to Gonzales from Kentucky. I'm looking to do some fishing while I'm down here and I have a few questions. I've been looking for places to put in and it seems that a lot of tournaments go out of Doiron's, so I'm guessing it's a decent/safe ramp? I'm thinking I may put in on the verret side and give it a go this weekend. Is this area pretty safe to run a bass boat, or are there a lot of stumps, etc below the surface to be concerned with? Also, is the water in that area fresh or brackish? Another question I have is about the private water down here, I know a lot of places are gated off, but are private areas that aren't gated typically posted in some way? Sorry for all the questions, but I appreciate any help!

[Bassmaster2003]

First off, Welcome to the area! I'm in Geismar and not too far from you. Doiron's is what we call the middle of the basin (or Atchafalaya spillway). You can either fish the west side (spillway or basin side) or the east side of the levee (verret side). It's all freshwater on both sides. It's a pretty good ramp. I think the water is pretty low right now but if you stay in the middle you should be okay. It's usually about 6-8' deep in the middle when the river stages are what they are now. There are a lot of tourney's that go out of Doirons and you can literally launch your boat don't crank your big motor and fish the canal and catch 15 pounds or more! That canal is pretty deep too. I've seen 15-18' depths in there depending on the time of year. From there you can either run north in what we call Belle River to get to Lake Verret, or run south out of Dorion's canal to get to lake palourde and the Cheramie cuts. I've never been in palourde so I don't know what the depth is looking like. When in doubt, shut down at the mouth of a canal and idle to get a feel for the depth. It's going to be pretty consistant.

[BStrick]

These are the launches i use most: Doirons, adams landing, belle river public landing, bay side, gaudets, bobs bayou black marina, cannon’s, launch under hwy 90 for lake des allemands, bayou segnette launch, Venice marina, cypress cove marina, sweet water marina, rigolets marina

most of our waterways are <10’. Stay in the middle of bayous and pipelines and always keep an eye out for submerged logs. Don’t take curves/turns tight when the water gets high. Right now pick your favorite canal system and give it a try. There will be plenty of people fishing with you.

[BStrick]

Another one really close to you is st James boat club to fish blind river.

[marshman]

If I lived in Gonzales, I'd really learn blind river, old Amite river... fishing there is a lot better than most think or will admit publicly... it's an easy run across the lake on a nice day to hit ruddock as well... ruddock can be hit or miss but there's plenty of fish there..

on days to venture out the belle river area of the basin or lake verret is so close it's funny.. I grew up fishing thrrr but now I just live too far away to fish it regularly..

everythjng mentioned on here so far is all 100% fresh water, no brackish... you'll have to get south ofhighway 90 to start with any brackish water..

[marshman]

Another thing I'd do if I lived in Gonzales is I'd be scoping out neighborhood/subdivision ponds... most are gonna be older than 5-6 years old, meaning big enough bass to fish for!! I love pond fishing..

[jlsch1]

I repeat no bass in the blind river or amite river basin do not waste your time.
yeah repeat there is not fish in the blind and amite river.


Ruddock I fish it a lot hit or miss.
When they open the Bonnie Carre this area picks up for a year or two afterwards.
Years ago I caught a 5lb bass on purpose.
My rod was hanging on the side of the boat and my strike king chartreuse spinnerbait barely touched the water. That bass actually took my bait and my rod.
I got lucky my rod got stuck on a stump and I got it back landing the bass.
At times it is on and others you could not get a bite for anything.

[marshman]

I repeat no bass in the blind river or amite river basin do not waste your time.
yeah repeat there is not fish in the blind and amite river.


Ruddock I fish it a lot hit or miss.
When they open the Bonnie Carre this area picks up for a year or two afterwards.
Years ago I caught a 5lb bass on purpose.
My rod was hanging on the side of the boat and my strike king chartreuse spinnerbait barely touched the water. That bass actually took my bait and my rod.
I got lucky my rod got stuck on a stump and I got it back landing the bass.
At times it is on and others you could not get a bite for anything.

my best bass fishing at ruddock has almost always been overcast pre front days in late winter/early spring... think spawning banks..

[jlsch1]

I know I got my spots I mean no fish in here guys move on.
I started fishing it in the early1990 when I went to slow learners University.
Use to go to Billy Abel’s sporting goods to get some lures in downtown Hammond.
They gave us some good tips.
That was the days if you hit the runouts right you could catch some bass off broken back rebel tied on a cane pole.
Our first trip we caught 15 bass one was 3-1/2 lbs and rest 1/2 lb to maybe a pound all on river city lunker lures.

[joeyp]

I haven't had much luck in ruddock but have only fished it in the summer. Its an easy trip for me, Ive just found a few other places close to me that produce more. I need to put in more time in the ruddock/manchac area.

[marshman]

I haven't had much luck in ruddock but have only fished it in the summer. Its an easy trip for me, Ive just found a few other places close to me that produce more. I need to put in more time in the ruddock/manchac area.

I'm no expert at manchac/ruddock.. but.. In my experience, summer is the worst time to fish there..unless you go the day before a hurricane.. me and my stepdad hit the ruddock canal/bayou one day right before one of the hurricanes several years back(I can't remember which one, not Katrina) and I have no clue how many we caught but it was a whole bunch... had a 5er, a 4, and many many 3s.. those fish were just absolutely jumping on anything you threw but mostly a chugbug.. that's been a while but I know there is still plenty fish there.. that lake replenishes that canal.. maurepas is full of fish but it's virtually impossible to fish without ripping your trolling motor off or getting stuck on a kitchen table sized stump...

[jlsch1]

I mean that lake has no fish repeat none.
i fished it since early 1990’s.

The lake has some ripping off your el boat stumps.
Ruddock has some 5 lb bass will not lie.
All these years I have not figured out the tide.
Fisherman 64 that moved to Texas can fish if well.

an old wise tell told me how to fish the lake itself.
Old man back in the 1990’s while shopping at Billy Ables sporting goods in Hammond.
He also told me a hooker was cheaper than a wife but didn’t listen to that either.
Now when I fish it I fish the stumps in aluminum boat and gracefully glide over the stumps.
i caught some 4 lb and 5 lb bass.
In the summer when you don’t have slot of rain to muddy the Tickfaw and Amite etc the lake clears up.
Typically July/ August you can fish trick worm I like H&R, but zoom or anyone would work.
Some claim red or orange I like green/ white.
Fish it up around stumps buy opening like Ruddock canal etc I caught great bass.
Dont get up next to the stumps get off of them alittle ways.
Near the stumps it is inches of water.

i caught some nice bass when Amite and tickfaw drain after big rain at the mouth of Ruddock canal the clear water mixes with muddy lake water to make a breakline. They have stumps and a lot and gravel from interstate. Throw in those stumps which tides right and slammed some decent bass bigger than what Jeff, Fisherman 64 has caught. Bigger ones probably come out of the lake. Jeff, did great in that area but there are bigger bass just harder to catch. I even caught redfish.


The morning of the day of my my sisters wedding May 1993 or 1994.
We were out of college by a week.
I caught 6lber one Morning eating a sandwich under I-55 and saw bass swim by. I basically dangled a Mann’s jelly worm and caught him 5 ft from me. Then fished banks inside the pits and caught 3 more off spinnerbait before 7:30 am all 4lbs and up.

It is not an easy place to fish but has fish.
I think fisherman64 use to fish it early which they do school up.
I done well on small jigs and rebel/ rapala small minnows using Diawa pixy and custom made 6ft 8” by me 6-12 lb medium light fast tip made by rainshadow rods for trout fishing.

Yes, I caught trout in the lake it has been a few years again toward summer.
Yes, I caught some nice fish right outside reserve canal.
1994 and I had Joe Diffie on the radio in my boat.
Saw a big gator and said wow that is a big gator.
I fished making sure that gator would not eat me.
My father laughs at me watching the gator while he lost a huge bass at the boat.
He then caught 3 bass (2-1/2, 3, 4-1/8 lbs).
I caught 2 small 1 lb bass in grass and just around the opening of that canal.
Then around 10 am white trout turned on it was on dad caught back to back.
I was on huge gator watch patrol making sure he stayed on the Bank use to be a camp there.
Kept an eye on that gator as he was big and wanted to eat me but dad was with me also Joe Diffie was on the radio good tunes.

Guys at Billie Ables told me about this spot
Spring 1991 (had new 1991 fisher bassboat with 40 Mariner so I know it had to be that year)
The L canal that is private now by the landing where a camp is use to be a great spawning canal.
It is legally posted now so until it becomes legal those stories will be left alone.
ok, I was fishing it pre posted days 90’s.
Fog just misting on water.
Right when you turn into it there was a runout and owl near it.
Threw four feet under the owl with small lunker lure bam 2 lb bass first cast.
Next cast bam and that owl come after my fish and came near me and scratched my arm.
Next cast bam another 1-1/2 bass.
Next cast bam 4 lb bass.
Then next cast two owls come after me I got the heck out man.
I had to lie in the boat and they kept flying over me.
I left that area.

[jcdogfish]

From Gonzales you can go just about any direction and find places to fish.
North you have the oxbows off the river. East, Henderson. Farther northwest the red river and toledo bend is 4 hrs away. East and southeast there is a good landing and area every 20-30 minutes from blind river, signette and down to venice less than 3 hrs. Too many stops in between to list. South starting with bayou corne several launches in verret and spillway including doirons, and out to the wax. Some launches in the Amelia area and down to bayou black in the marsh. Also some areas between bayou black and signette. If you want to fish it all I hope you are young and have a long healthy life, that may get you through half of it. Any specific areas you have questions about just post it,someone will be along to answer. Welcome to louisiana, we have a lot of problems but finding a place to fish or eat good food is not one of them.

[marshman]

From Gonzales you can go just about any direction and find places to fish.
North you have the oxbows off the river. East, Henderson. Farther northwest the red river and toledo bend is 4 hrs away. East and southeast there is a good landing and area every 20-30 minutes from blind river, signette and down to venice less than 3 hrs. Too many stops in between to list. South starting with bayou corne several launches in verret and spillway including doirons, and out to the wax. Some launches in the Amelia area and down to bayou black in the marsh. Also some areas between bayou black and signette. If you want to fish it all I hope you are young and have a long healthy life, that may get you through half of it. Any specific areas you have questions about just post it,someone will be along to answer. Welcome to louisiana, we have a lot of problems but finding a place to fish or eat good food is not one of them.

Man thats a lot to read.. did you type that or copy/paste it? I honestly lost interest after the first sentence or so.. my apologies.. I'll try to read the rest later..

[marshman]

Dang I quoted the wrong post/comment.. just delete me, I'm stupid.