Chandeleur Island Tips

I did a July trip last year. Shark numbers were nuts. I’ve never tried to remove a lady fish from a treble hook so fast in my life! Bone color baits were our best producers. We did not have an overall great day but I did catch my personal best that day on topwater late afternoon.

When the weather is right the water can get a bit clearer than what you usually find inshore Louisiana. So, I would recommend having some baits with a natural color and appearance.

Also pack some soft plastics you can rig weedless with either a light weight or weightless. The grass can get bad and the fish will often be in those grassy areas.

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Do you typically fish close to the island or off it a bit?

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On my trip, here's how that went. Early morning was great for reds close to the island on the marshy side. That bite tended to go away after an hour or so. Then, we did what an above poster said and drifted over the bar that used to be an island. We always caught at least a few on each drift. Check out the smallish islands just south of the jack up. We found water moving through a small cut in those and caught the 5 biggest trout of the whole trip there.

One of our boats found one of the easy places to cross the island to the beach and really did well. Every time I tried that, I caught nothing, so I suppose that's hit and miss.

I did best on Salt Water Assassin Sea Shads in a color I can't find anymore but close to Opening Night. I don't think it mattered much because my skiff partner was fishing those old Mann's Stingray grubs in a color that looked like Motor oil with red in it and he did as well or better.

On the last day, we actually found trout shallow in grass. it was very odd to me because it looked like an area I would be fishing a frog for bass. We found them just working the bank NE from Redfish point as far as we could go up in that pocket.

Where is the best place to launch from for a trip to the Islands ?From Mandeville .

Louisiana

Just don’t stop and fish in Mississippi waters on your way back to launch.

Use the search function on here. Usually a few threads each year on it. You will be fishing clear water. Approach it more like you would fish a Florida or Texas flat. I have done my best with 1/8-1/4 oz jig head and Down South Lure soft plastic “Southern Shad”. Something clear with some flake - “Bone Diamond” or “Blue Moon”. Focus on the sand pot holes dotting the grass flats. As the day gets hotter concentrate on deeper water. Points and drop offs on edges of islands. I would also try a soft dine if you aren’t fishing heavy grass

Went with a group last weekend and stayed on the Islander.

18 guys on the jack up and nobody did well. Fished it from Freemason to Harbour Islands to North Point and didn't get much to show for it.

Apparently, they smashed them in May and early June.

"Should have been here last week."

On another note, the Islander is a great set up.

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caught my biggest trout on one when we wen

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I believe it. I wear those soft dines out at Chandy. If I am out there for multiple days I bring enough to go through two a day plus some extra just for peace of mind.

The trout were smashing top water Saturday until 830 or so. Wouldn’t touch a suspending bait or plastic. One of the best top water bites I’ve seen. Caught them on the grass flats on plastic after that in 4 feet of water.