Hopedale or Delacroix

I fish both but it's totally different. Delacroix has much more marsh to fish but the trout just haven't been there recently. Hopedale definitely more open water. I'm choosing between the two for Monday.

Fairly packed on the weekends at Hopedale as well. The line is usually pretty efficient to launch though.

I'm always in a kayak out there, so I don't have to worry about it as much, though. I'll probably be out there Sunday. Gonna see if the trout have made it into a few deep holes I have marked in the Marsh.

I got a buddy that posts pictures out of Hopedale all the time, I never seen limits, but I see SOLID boxes of fish on a regular basis. I need to get some spots down there!

Hopedale is super busy on weekends get there early while still dark and have your boat mostly loaded and ready to go before you arrive. Parking is never an issue and has more dock space than Sweetwater, although I like Sweetwater as well.

The past 2 years Hopedale for me has been easier to find specks than Delacroix, less to no fresh water from the river but could be different this year with a lower river. Still, if Jack at Sweetwater knows where they are he'll tell you, as will Pat at Hopedale which in my experience are usually closer in. Plenty of folks pass up fish on their way out to other spots.

It was slow out of Hopedale yesterday with virtually no tide, managed 10 12"-15" specks and 4 nice sized smaller 16"-20" reds. The tide improves starting Sunday so the fishing should too. The morning spec bite lately has turned off by 0930.

I usually kayak in hopedale because you can catch specs on the MRGO dam, if they aren't biting there you can go to the marsh. If they aren't biting in the marsh you can go literally right in front of the marina where the two bayous meet and cast in a 30' hole thats infested with 18-45" black drum and a few big reds. Also alot of big sail cats and hardheads in that hole if you get bored and the drum aren't biting and you wanna catch fish. Ive broke plenty of 20-30lb braid in that hole from huge fish lol.

There are quite a few abandoned crab traps down there, so if you have a rope gaff / rope treble hook and would like to clear them out it would be much appreciated. Signed your friend Hurricane2020, guy that hates snagging 10 times a day and losing gamatsu circle hooks....

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MRGO dam

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Do you drag your kayak across the MRGO and fish the south side?

Hopedale can be just as chaotic but there's a little more room there and easier to launch without having to back down across the road.

It just so happens I got an invite with a buddy to hit Hopedale tomorrow so I'll be out there. Being that it's cooler we're not too worried about being out there before the crack of dawn so hopefully it won't be too crazy by the time we get there.

Reggio bruh. No ones there February-October.

Was windy as hell today. Steady 20-25mph with higher gusts. Water was pretty murky all over. We were able to find some cleaner water in smaller lagoons, bayous. Stayed inside, obviously. Hit lagoons and bayous off Bakers Canal, Little Half Moon, Half Moon, Blind Lagoon and St. Malo.

Struggled to get on any kind of steady action, except for once we found the reds in the early afternoon, but managed to put together a mixed box of 6 reds, 8 specks, 2 bass, 2 white trout. Not a great day but will take it with the conditions we fought.

LOTS of throwback specks and reds.

Used combination of live shrimp and saltwater assassin minnow in opening night color on 3/8oz lead jig head, all 2-3ft under popping cork.

Specks from. 12-16"
Reds from 18-24"
Bass were 11-12"
White trout 10-12"

My buddy kept the white trout and I kept the bass. Here's my share.

Stay out of MRGO and lake borgne. Also I wouldn't run out to the long rocks. Should be fine in the small lakes and marsh.