Louisiana fishing reports
127 reports for Louisiana — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Delacroix Trout Bite Leading the June Louisiana Gulf Coast Action
Capt. Chris Danos is calling Delacroix his go-to June trout destination. Per a June 7 Louisiana Sportsman dispatch, the captain runs charters out of Beshel's Marina in Pointe a la Hache and frequently heads toward Delacroix for specks, singling it out as a reliable June trout ground. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data was available for this report period, so water temperature figures are withheld rather than estimated. The Last Quarter moon produces moderate neap tides this week, which generally ease running the shallow marsh cuts between Pointe a la Hache and the Delacroix basin. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag covers the northern Gulf rig scene in depth, noting that platforms from Mobile Bay to the Texas coast represent the region's most diverse fishing opportunity. Redfish and flounder remain seasonally expected throughout the coastal marshes, though no direct conditions reports confirmed their current activity level.
Atchafalaya basin heats up as summer bass and catfish patterns settle in
The USGS gauge 07374000 logged 617,000 cfs and a water temperature of 78°F at the start of June 8 — elevated discharge that pushes fish out of the main channel and into the softer currents of the Atchafalaya Basin's backwater lakes and cut-offs. Louisiana Sportsman's June 7 report confirmed Louisiana's inshore bite is cranking, with charter captains dialing in June trout along coastal marshes; the same warm-weather momentum is extending into the freshwater system. At 78°F, catfish, largemouth bass, and Atchafalaya staples like bowfin and gar have fully transitioned into summer mode. Expect bass to hug shaded wood cover and deeper lake pockets during midday, then move up on transitions at dawn and dusk. Catfish, particularly blues and channels, respond to the warm-water current with an uptick in feeding activity through the night. The last quarter moon this week reduces surface light, historically a favorable window for night-fishing catfish anglers working bottom rigs.
Delacroix trout run peaks as June delta marshes come alive
Speckled trout are the prime draw along the Louisiana delta marshes this week, with Louisiana Sportsman flagging Delacroix as the go-to June destination — Capt. Chris Danos, running charters out of Beshel's Marina in Pointe a la Hache, is making regular runs toward Delacroix for trout on productive days. Offshore, Sport Fishing Mag's recent deep-dive on northern Gulf rig fishing underscores what Louisiana anglers know: the state's oil and gas platforms rank among the most species-rich bottomfishing grounds on the continent. No NOAA buoy data is available this cycle, so current inshore water temperatures are unconfirmed — check local sources before launching. Warming summer conditions are keeping speckled trout oriented toward structure, shell banks, and current breaks during midday heat. The Last Quarter moon this week means softer tidal swings, generally a productive window for finesse presentations fished slowly through the back marsh on an incoming tide.
Toledo Bend bass firing on crankbaits and big plastic worms for June
Per Louisiana Sportsman's June 7 report, crankbaits and big plastic worms are the top producers at Toledo Bend right now, with Matthew Loetscher noting these presentations have been stirring up consistent action across the reservoir. The USGS gauge at site 08025500 on the Sabine River recorded just 32.6 cfs as of Sunday evening — well below typical spring levels — indicating inflow has tapered sharply and reservoir clarity is likely improving heading into summer. Post-spawn largemouth are transitioning off shallow staging areas toward offshore structure and main-lake points. Tactical Bassin notes that early June is an ideal window for pairing a crankbait search with a wobble head or shaky head worm to dial in depth and bottom composition before committing to a slower presentation. The Last Quarter moon this weekend tends to extend the productive morning bite window, with lower overnight light pushing surface-feeding activity hard into the first hour of light.
Gulf Platforms and Delta Marshes Prime as Louisiana Summer Arrives
NOAA buoy 42001 recorded open-Gulf water temperatures at 83°F in the early hours of June 7, confirming the northern Gulf has locked into its summer pattern. Sport Fishing Mag's recent feature on northern Gulf rig fishing describes the region's oil and gas platforms — stretching from Mobile Bay to the Texas Coast — as "the continent's most diverse and abundant fishing opportunity," with warm-season conditions drawing amberjack, red snapper, and a range of bottom species to structure. Offshore seas are running 4 to 5 feet at buoy 42001, with winds at 13 to 16 mph across both buoys — manageable for larger boats making platform runs. Inshore across the Louisiana Delta, speckled trout and redfish are following a typical early-June pattern: trout staging near tidal grass edges and channel drops while reds push onto shallow marsh flats on the flooding tide. Saltwater Sportsman notes bull redfish are prized for their fighting ability, and June delivers plenty of opportunities along the Louisiana coast.
Louisiana bass finding slack water as summer heats up on the Atchafalaya
Per Louisiana Sportsman, Alexandria angler Will Carstens landed a 13.42-pound largemouth at Indian Creek Reservoir during a May 25 tournament, a benchmark catch that signals quality bass are active heading into early June. Water temps have reached 78°F at USGS gauge 07374000, squarely in the range where bass move predictably between shallow feeding flats and nearby deep structure. The Mississippi is running at 616,000 cfs, a strong flush pushing fish out of the main-stem current and into the Atchafalaya's maze of oxbows, cut-offs, and timber-choked backwaters. Tactical Bassin notes that June bass respond well to a wobble head jig and shaky head worm combo worked on offshore structure, a one-two punch worth deploying on the outside flats and submerged timber that define the Atchafalaya system. With the moon in last quarter, plan for the sharpest feeding windows at dawn and dusk. Confirm current limits and seasons with state regulations before heading out.
Toledo Bend big-bass bite peaks as post-spawn transition rolls in
Louisiana Sportsman reports Brad Ferguson of Grand Cane, La., landed an 11.55-pound largemouth bass while fishing Toledo Bend solo on May 29, a late-May giant that signals the reservoir's trophy-class fishery is primed heading into June. USGS gauge 08025500 shows the Sabine River running at just 27.1 cfs as of June 2, an extremely lean inflow pointing to stable, low-turbidity reservoir conditions well-suited to finesse and reaction presentations. With the spawn winding down, largemouth are shifting from shallow staging areas to transitional structure: submerged timber, brush piles, and the first breaks off creek channel ledges. The waning gibbous moon supports prime morning and evening windows before summer heat pushes fish deeper by midday. Crappie and blue catfish round out the target list, though no specific tackle-shop or captain intel came in for those species this week. Check current LDWF regulations before keeping any bass.
Venice Swordfish Runs Deep as Gulf Rig Fishing Peaks for Early June
Sport Fishing Mag's recent feature on daytime swordfishing highlights Venice, Louisiana as one of the world's top departure points for targeting the species in the deep Gulf, with Osprey Charters noted as a local operation positioned for success. NOAA buoy 42001 recorded surface water at 82°F on June 2, and offshore seas measured around 1.6 feet at buoy 42067, comfortable conditions for reaching the shelf edge. Sport Fishing Mag also covers northern Gulf rig fishing in a separate piece, describing the region's oil and gas platform network as among the continent's most diverse fishing grounds. Inshore, Salt Strong (YT) is featuring a redfish grass flat pattern consistent with the classic early-summer push into Louisiana's Delta marshes. The waning gibbous moon supports low-light feeding windows at dawn and dusk across both offshore structure and inshore flats, making the next few days a worthwhile window for anglers on either front.
Atchafalaya Basin Opens as High Mississippi Flow Floods Timber and Cypress Edges
USGS gauge 07374000 on the Mississippi is pulling 558,000 cfs at 76°F as of June 2, an elevated early-summer flow pushing largemouth bass and catfish deep into Atchafalaya Basin backwaters and flooded cypress edges. Louisiana Sportsman reported June 1 that LDWF Inland Fisheries biologists are working to restore critical fish habitat on Toledo Bend with native submersed aquatic vegetation, a signal that state managers are investing in structure-based habitat as the region heads into its warm-weather season. The high water keeps conditions spread across the basin's swamp and timber zones rather than concentrating fish on levee edges. Expect largemouth working shallow flooded willow and cypress stands, blue catfish stacking near current seams on the main Atchafalaya, and crappie holding deeper in flooded timber. The waning gibbous moon favors an active overnight catfish bite. No specific charter or shop intel was available for this reporting cycle; conditions are grounded in the gauge reading and seasonal patterns for early June in this corridor.
Toledo Bend post-spawn bass and crappie peak under the June full moon
With the Sabine River posting just 33.5 cfs at USGS gauge 08025500 as of May 31, inflow to Toledo Bend is minimal and pool levels are holding stable. That low-inflow signal typically means cleaner, more stable conditions in the reservoir arms, favoring visibility-sensitive presentations. Bass are transitioning out of the spawn and moving toward offshore timber and structure. Tactical Bassin's current post-spawn coverage identifies isolated offshore structure as the key pattern, with chatterbaits, swimbaits, drop shots, and neko rigs accounting for quality fish when anglers target outside flats and channel transitions. Crappie are in what LakeForkGuy describes as the most aggressive post-spawn bite window of the year in East Texas reservoirs, with fish stacked tight to brush piles before dispersing to summer depths. The full moon on June 1 sets up strong dawn and dusk feeding windows across the board. Hatch Magazine's feature on Sabine River gar highlights these prehistoric fish as a legitimate summer target for adventurous anglers along the Sabine corridor.
Toledo Bend bass shift post-spawn as gar season opens on the Sabine border
Gar season on the Sabine border is front and center this week. Hatch Magazine ran a feature on the prehistoric ambush hunters that define this stretch of river, with the author's own recollections of childhood gar pursuits on the Sabine itself framing the piece. On the data side, USGS gauge 08025500 recorded 44.6 cfs on the Sabine this morning, lean inflow that points to stable, lower-stage conditions across Toledo Bend's upper arms and fish concentrated in the deeper channel bends. Largemouth bass have moved through the spawn and are now in post-spawn recovery mode; Tactical Bassin's current content targets this exact window with chatterbaits, drop-shots, and neko rigs fished around isolated offshore structure. The Full Moon overhead will push feeding activity into low-light bookends at dawn and dusk. Crappie have scattered off the beds into deeper brush, and LakeForkGuy's post-spawn crappie tips confirm slow vertical jigging is the finesse play until fish settle onto summer haunts.
Venice Swordfishing in Stride as Late-May Gulf Conditions Open Up
Gulf surface temperatures have climbed to 82°F at the mid-Gulf (NOAA buoy 42001), and Saltwater Sportsman spotlights Venice, Louisiana as one of the world's top sport-fishing destinations for daytime swordfishing, with Osprey Charters running trips out of the Highway 23 terminus into the deep Gulf. Light winds of 5 to 6 m/s and 2 ft seas (NOAA buoy 42067) are keeping the offshore run manageable for boats willing to push south. Today's full moon puts tidal swings at their monthly peak, which historically fires inshore species through delta cuts and marsh edges. Redfish are the prime inshore target this time of year; Salt Strong's recent analysis of grass-flat behavior documents how reds use flat edges, potholes, and grass-to-sand transitions during warm-water periods. Those tactics translate directly to Louisiana's coastal marshes. Speckled trout and cobia are also in seasonal play, though no additional Louisiana-specific reports are circulating this cycle beyond the offshore swordfish pattern.