Warm Gulf water keeps LA redfish holding into late September

What's next

With both stations still reading in the mid to upper 80s, expect redfish to stay scattered along marsh edges and grass lines rather than pushed hard into the passes, a pattern that typically holds until Gulf water eases into the upper 70s. If a cold front moves through over the next few days, look for redfish to tighten up on points and drains as the water cools even a few degrees on the falling tide.

The waning gibbous moon this week means moderate tidal movement, worth checking against a local tide chart before heading out. The coming weekend is a reasonable window to work marsh edges early, ahead of the day's heat.

Context

Late September in the Gulf Coast and Delta region typically marks the start of the shift from summer holding patterns to the fall push, as water temperatures ease down and redfish begin grouping up ahead of winter. At 85.8 to 87.8 degrees, this week's readings run on the warm side for the date, suggesting that shift is a touch behind schedule this year. That tracks with the kind of warm-water estuary activity Sport Fishing Mag describes continuing along the southwestern Louisiana coast into early fall, before the first real cool fronts settle in.