Fishing Maurepas

You can hammer the yellow cats in the summer

And sometimes specs in the winter

The areas around the lake hold fish.

Lake has a lot of stumps just do not haul butt in the canals from the lake and align straight to the canal. Idle in the canals if coming from the lake the stumps are huge.

Summer I catch some nice bass in the lake when rivers have been low and no storms. The water clears up and you don’t have huge fronts like spring or fall.

Tides which I watch are out of Lake Pontchartrain.

Guage usually Pass Manchac by Pontchtoula.
LINK

Winds East least and West the best.
East wind brings in water and pushes water back in the swamp.

West along with North pushes the water out.

I-55 canals which would be Ruddock or North Pass Maurepas area. The actual canal deep that runs North and South. Protected from wind and you can get under I-55 and catch fish in a rain storm. Affected more by wind than tides. I actually charted this area from LaPlace to opening at Maurepas which has helped me understand this area a lot. Jan/ Feb they spawn in this area and easy to catch just find clear water and my pet bass as my friends say like shad type minnow lures. Bass size wise is 1/2 pound to 3 lbs common. There been some 4 to 5 lb bass in the area just not common. I had a few trips post spawn March where I got into 4 to 5 lb bass sitting right off secondary points. Ps watch where you enter the ponds under the canals. Just because it looks like open water it is not. It shallow land under I-55 under South bound lane with stumps. Find the main opening to get in the ponds.

Rivers off river like Amite, Blind, and Tickfaw also hold some ok size bass along with Reserve canal and Dutch Bayou.

It harder to fish than the Atchafalya spillway. Once you figure out how wind affects this area it comes easier.

Lures shad based (stickbaits 3”, small plastic shad example zoom fluke Jr), senkos, frogs, punching with heavy crawfish lure, jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits if you work secondary points, and soft plastic crawfish in run outs.

I personally get there in late spring or early summer and throw poppers. Walk the dog or pop it and you will have fun. I take 2-1/2 academy H20 poppers, take split ring off, tie to lure, and hang on. Easier to walk the dog and like it better than rebel pop r catfish, bass, and rat reds like it.

Again now good time to fish I-55 canals. A lot of bass were moving up to spawn. This cold weather may move them back on the secondary points. They will be back and stickbaits, smaller zoom fluke Jr, and 4” senko.

What about bream and white perch?

Water is chocolate right now but bass fishing should be really good when the water clears up a tad.

Rocket pretty much spot on with info you need. Be thankful you have access and keep fishing. Spring run on blue cats will start soon in south pass and the lake. Everything for bass what he said. I’ll add
after all my years of catching bass in the area, number one thing I find in bellies is small crab. More than crawfish and Minnows. Don’t underestimate a light 1/16 ounce weight and a finesse worm or senko. Obvious spots are slough run outs and stumps in this area. Good time to scout is when the water is really low. You’ll understand just how many stumps this place has and how to better pattern where the fish are holding. Last thing is don’t listen to guys that say there aren’t any bass or it’s dead. Too many guys I see fish lightning quick or move way to fast. Taking your time and working your bait and area slow will help you out also. Good luck!

Are you talking Maurepas or Pontchartrain?

Where are you launching? Lots of hidden spots around that place. Like someone said before we slaughtered the crabs out there. If you run out of Tickfaw the last inlet to the left is a gold mine for bass. Good luck!

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I need to get my boat registered in LA first. How big of a pain will that be?

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If it is currently (or at least recently) registered in another state, it won't be too painful.

You'll also need to get your trailer registered which may prove to be more difficult if your previous state didn't require trailer registration.

Boat registration is through Wildlife and Fisheries so hopefully you can dodge that bullet.

And yeah as long as you're not on public roads with the trailer you should be fine. My brother is currently months into getting his trailer registered in LA and it has been a huge PITA because it came from a state that didnt require it and he has had to make all these upgrades and changes to it to get it registered and inevitably everytime he thinks he is done there is something else they didnt tell him last time he needs to do.