My wife likes to tell me “I’ve never met a stranger,” but I actually have met a ton of strangers. The difference between me and other that are described in this way is that I hopped in the car with a guy that I only met hours before. Actually, this seems to be my new normal when it comes to fishing trips. While I’m not promoting dangerous behavior, the risk has been worth the reward! The difference between this trip and my other fishing road trips with “strangers” was the 750 miles we had to travel together. That’s approximately twelve solid hours of engaging or awkward conversations. My new road tripping partner and I were making the trek to Louisiana to meet Cameron and friend to chase bull reds. Luckily for both of us after the first hour we knew the trip was going to be great. He likes fish, I like fish. He likes booze, I like booze. He likes food, I like food. It was a solid pairing.
We neared our final destination and I anxiously checked my weather app as I routinely do. I’ve learned my lesson, mother nature is queen and you are only a pawn in her game. The forecast was a total toss up so we were hoping for the best.
We ventured into town and met our guides Kevin & Steve at a local seafood bar. With cajun spices in the air and Abita beers flowing we were at least off to a happy start. Plates full of boiled shrimp, gumbo, fried fish and anything else that could be battered was delivered and devoured at our table. Afterwards, we went back to our temporary houses or what could be called our fishing compound. We shared laughs, prepped our gear and finished the night with a couple local brews.
At the crack of dawn our alarms went off and the house awoke with the smell of black coffee. The weather looked cloudy, damp and chilly but this was the first day and we were unfazed. Our expectations were high as we loaded up. I was paired with Dave, my road tripping partner, and owner of Rent This Rod. We were on the water for about thirty minutes before our guide Kevin spotted potential reds. Within moments Dave’s line was tight with our first catch of the day. On the second boat Cameron and Mike landed a black drum and handful of bulls on their spin rods. The first day was exhausting but a great start to the trip. We were starving by the end and filled our empty stomachs with local BBQ.
Everyone slept like rocks and woke the next day hungry for more bulls. The weather broke and we even had some blue sky. Dave and I were paired again but this time with our guide Steve. We noticed a fishy spot that looked promising. There were nervous waters and a good flow of bait fish coming through. I was up on deck and within moments my line stopped and darted the opposite way. Within a few minutes we had the fish in the net and grins all around. The sheer size of these fish were intimidating. Holding a fish that is over 30” and six years old is mind blowing. The weather and the catch were great but the buggy conditions were rough. We had little to no wind, jungle sized mosquitos, no-seem’s and by the end of the day…no fish. We headed home, rinsed off and went back into town for some good local eats: etoufee, gumbo, oysters, frog legs, crawfish and shrimp. All were crushed as soon as they hit the table.
Day three, we woke early and crossed our fingers for fish and less bugs. The weather looked so-so but both Steve & Kevin had a game plan. After a fifty minute boat ride to our destination we were greeted by hungry reds showing tails and half out of the water. Ten minutes later, the first bull was in hand. As soon as we release another was on the line. Seeing a fish this size feeding is something every angler needs to experience. Their tails look like flags and bodies are like logs poking out of the water. The fishing is technical and many obstacles can get in the way. The ocean swells push behind you, the wind blows in front of you, all while bugs bite any exposed skin as you search through muddy water for fish. To succeed, you need to be precise, accurate and ready to rip the fly through the water. After landing our first few fish we missed many despite our best efforts. Finally, after what felt like hours, Cameron landed the largest fish of the trip and it was a beast! After this day we knew, this is why you fish Louisiana.
Satisfied and triumphant we ventured back into town for the biggest surprise of the trip. Tacos. We went to a taco truck nestled next to an office space that offered places to sit and dine. The tacos were outstanding and topped off the amazing day.
The last day ended up being a bust with pouring rain and over thirty mile per hour winds. Mother Nature was making sure we were appreciative of the day before and knew who was boss. We may have had to call the trip a day early, but fish and camaraderie of the first three days were well worth the long drive. I hope I get to go back down next year! A big shout out to Cameron, Steve and Kevin for putting this together. Dave, I’d road trip with you anytime buddy!
