GreenWater_Jon
Forum Replies Created
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Thanks for the report! I fish often just north of there, from about Crooked Island in Bay Boudreau out to Elephant Point Pass and Martin Island, so I appreciate hearing of your epic trip.
I think you’re right – there DOES seem to be a lot of fishing pressure around Isle au Pitre. I went the other day (August 1st) and had to get in line at Flatboat and Creole Gap key. It appears to be a great area, though, with shallow sand bars and shell banks adjacent to deep water in Creole Gap and Mississippi Sound, so I’m sure I’ll be back there again, too…
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Good report, thanks!
This is my favorite area, too. I strongly agree with Gr8White that the East Biloxi Marsh is an amazing place, vast and mostly unspoiled, with some excellent fishing opportunities. I’m trying to re-learn the northern portions around Grand Pass, Oyster Bay, Creole Gap and Isle au Pitre, so I really appreciate getting reports from this area…
I live on the water in Slidell, and my trailer used only for short trips to the dealer for maintenance once or twice a year (or emergency hurricane haulout), and it’s barely capable of that, so I come to the East Biloxi Marsh by boat – across Eastern Lake Pontchartrain, through the Rigolets, across Lake Borgne, then usually south into Bay Boudreau at Three Mile Bay and east to Chandeleur Sound. However, I think there’s some incredible potential between Grand Pass and Isle au Pitre, and want to start fishing this area more often. Years ago, I often trailered my boat to Pass Christian and came across to Isle au Pitre and the shell keys that used to lie a few miles southeast of there, but until recently I haven’t been there since before Katrina, so I’m sure there much to learn – thanks again…
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Agree with Captain Devin – there will be plenty of other people out there. I also wanted to add that on my last trip out there (June 28) I found the speckled trout rather scarce behind (west of) the islands, and noted that the water was not as clear as it usually is. (The water was still gorgeous by almost any Louisiana standard, but had a bit of a brown shade, and ‘only’ 2-3 feet of visibility.) Anyway, I pulled out my little aquarium salinity meter and was amazed that it read only 14.3 ppt. The Pearl River was at flood stage then, which evidently had some effect even way out into Chandeleur Sound, bringing fresh, muddy water on every outgoing tide. I would expect this to have cleared up by now, but with all the recent rains it might be worth having a look at the Pearl when planning your days. You can find that information at https://water.noaa.gov/gauges/PERL1, and can also check the Grand Pass monitoring location, which has salinity, dissolved oxygen and loads of other data in addition to water level here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/300722089150100/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D&showMedian=false
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So, once you’ve had your fill of fishing the grass flats behind the islands, you can find some decent bottom fishing on the ocean side a few miles east of the north tip of Chandeleur Island at the Fish Haven 12 artificial reef sites. Fish Haven 12 is actually 27 separate locations composed of sunken boats and barges, concrete rubble, concrete and steel culverts, etc. Depths range from 45-55 feet, and I’ve caught mangrove and red snapper, white trout, cobia, Spanish mackerel and various sharks here. I’m going to try to attach a complete report for this area, showing exactly where these spots are and what each reef site is composed of, including some color sonar images. It’s a large file, but hopefully it will be of use if you should get a chance to head a few miles offshore during your trip…
