Shore Thing Fishing Report, 6/26/2024

June 26, 2024

Mother Nature dealt us a double-whammy of heavy rain and high winds this week. Despite less than ideal conditions, the fish are still cooperating - if you can find the clearer water.

​- by Sonny Schindler, Shore Thing Fishing Charters

Ryan and Rory with two nice redfish caught near Cat Island.

This past week was a doozy with the weather. We had a bunch of rain, followed by a bunch of wind, followed by a full moon and flood tides. The water has been murky out to the barrier islands and throughout the Louisiana marsh.
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An early morning speckled trout for a very lucky lady, fishing with Capt. Josh Ellis out of Pass Christian.

​Despite all of this, we are still catching fish, and it seems to get better every day. I would imagine, when this tide cycle gets right and this water drains out of the marshes, the fishing will drastically improve. 
  
Our offshore boat has only been able to get out a couple of times, but on those days, the big red snappers are still chomping. Captain Alex is a firm believer that big bait equals big fish. Using large bait helps to get through the more abundant smaller snappers and gives the bigger ones a chance to get to the bait.
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Big red snapper caught with Capt. Alex south of the barrier islands.

 
Regardless of where you are fishing, you need to keep moving to find clean pockets of water. From there, it’s the old standby method of looking for bait, diving birds, slicks, and moving water, then putting it all together. 
 
I imagine the redfish bite should get much better. The amount of mullet and pogies we have seen this week from Bay St. Louis to the barrier islands and even towards Lake Borgne should bring the reds in close.
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Clara and Justin with a slot red caught in Bay St. Louis.

 
Please do not forget that as of June 20, 2024, Louisiana changed its redfish limits. These guidelines apply to redfish caught in all Louisiana waters:
 

• A limit of four fish per day per angler
• Minimum size of 18 inches
• Maximum size of 27 inches
• No harvest of redfish over 27 inches

Also note that charter captains and crews on for-hire trips cannot keep redfish.
 

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