Hello, Myself and my fishing buddy are planning a trip to Louisiana for inshore fishing. We plan to drag our boat but go out with a guide for a day or so to get the lay of the land.. Would you select Hackberry lodge,,, Bay hippie outfitters,, this is lake Calcasieu area.... or Venice / Barus/ Delta marine area. I do see a down side to the additional travel. Who, what, when, and where do you suggest??? Thanks old ducker

I've been with Paradise Plus in Buras 3x and had a great time every trip. The food alone is worth it. I was told Hackberry if you want to catch trout and Venice if you want to catch redfish.

I have been to both many times. If you never have been to either I would start at Calcasieu Fishing isn’t as good there as it used to be but it’s still pretty good. Venice is pretty massive to get the lay of the land. Another 4 hrs to Venice.

Fishing is definitely better in Venice plus you have all the big offshore action coming into Venice Marina. Everyone who likes fishing needs to go there at least once. Headed back for our annual spring trip in May. Rent a house boat at VW. Fish a week straight.

Calcaseiu rent a house off VRBO. Usually make a fall trip.

Finding the fish is easier at Calcaseiu. In Venice you can get on ridiculous schools. Last spring I sat in one place and caught a 17”+ trout on almost every cast for close to 2 hours. I had the perfect limit. Every fish just under the 20” mark.

Get the right guys together who you can count on to pay their part and it’s surprisingly affordable. Our Venice trip is $500 per man food, houseboat and boat gas. I usually spend less than $1,000 total for the whole week. $200 a day for that level fishing is cheap.

If I were planning to use my boat , I would Go the Big Lake route. Much easier to navigate than Venice.
The fishing is definitely better in the Delta. I have been to Venice once , inshore , and the Shell Beach/ Delacroix are many
times. I've never taken my boat to either location. I have taken my boat to Sabine lake . Caught more fish at
Calcasieu.
I hope they have improved I 10 in Louisiana, it used to be like driving on cobblestone. I pulled my boat to Biloxi one time ,
and swore never again

have a great trip

MO

My preference is the Shell Beach/Hopedale area. I grew up fishing there so I remember enough that it puts me in my comfort zone.

I was coming back from a florida fishing trip a few years ago and stopped for gas around daybreak near, Slidell.. asked a guy at the gas station the best place to fish in the area... he told me to fish The Rigolets... said his brother guided there.. he called his brother on phone, asked him where I should fish with a kayak, and I was on my way.. only spent half a day as I was on my way home... caught, reds, trout, and black bass in a 50 yard stretch of marsh.. keep saying I will do it again when I have more time but have not been back. Beautiful area... always wondered if anyone else had fished that area of Louisiana.

bought license and launched at Rigolets Bait and Seafood...

https://maps.app.goo.gl/r1dyhbJ5mawXG5EH6

I second the Shell Beach / Hopedale area. Grew up fishing there.
The MRGO ship channel was blocked off after Katrina and now serves as a 50ft deep x 100/200 yrd wide - 20 mile long fishing lake connected to Lake Borne on N side and
the Louisiana marsh on the S side. Amazing fishing.
Check out Marsh man Masson on UTube and current vids and the trout he is catching. Watching just kills me over here in N Houston area.
I sure miss it.
Check out Jar fishing on You tube too.
VENICE - amazing place, you got to go once. Make sure the river is down though. Its the best time to go.
In the spring you got to watch the fog. You can easily spend the night down river.

I can highly recommend this Captain if you want to go to the Shell Beach area.


https://www.saltydogchartersllc.com/

good luck

MO

Going to Venice in a few weeks, looked at the Louisiana web site on fishing license, so if I’m fishing south of the so called salt water line and I’m fishing for reds and trout, do I have to buy both a freshwater and saltwater license?

YES