Newbie from Houma

Hi guys I'm new here and I'm from Houma. I've been a saltwater fisherman since I've started fishing. I've actually never gone fresh water fishing in my boat (went on side of the road a couple of times). But recently I've been itching to try some freshwater fishing. What are some places near Houma that you guys would recommend? Also what type of baits would you recommend to try and catch both Sauc-a-lait and Largemouth? I'd like to try for both. I hear that Sac-a-lait is some good eating! Thanks in advance guys!

:welcome Chadzilla..........caution, you can get hooked on sac-a-lait fishing....I don't fish that area but there are several guys here that do so I'm sure they will chime in with some help....

Can't help you with where to fish around Houma as i am about as far away as you can get from there and still be in louisiana. But I would imagine any of the slew's of the mississippi river could be good spots to try for crappie and bass.

Minnows are a tried and true favorite for both bass and crappie. You can catch crappie on small crankbaits but if there's a lot of hangups it would be tough to do. Bass tend to prefer larger style baits, while crappie tend to prefer a little more finesse.

Good luck you outa have fun regardless. Us crappie guys occassionally play hooky and make it to some salt also.. :)

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Nice to see you keep those drum and sheephead. I know many people around here that say they are 'trash fish' I think they're crazy! That's good eating!

Lol me and a buddy caught 27 real nice sized specs that day (most are on the bottom of the basket) and I wouldn't even think of turning loose a sheepshead or a drum... Little bit harder to clean but even finer meat than a trout IMO.

Chadzilla, welcome to the forum. I can't help you with the area you're from but i can attest to how additive crappie fishing is, nothing more satisfying than putting together a pattern and wackin some slabs.

Hi Chad and welcome to the forum. I'm from Houma also. There is a lot of fishing to be done around here, you'll never run out of places to fish. Most of the fresh water fishing is done between Houma and Gibson. Launching in Houma at the fire station you head west in the Intracoastal to reach all those well canals including Orange Grove, Seventy Mile Canal, Copasaw and all the other nameless canals that tie the system together. Lauching at Bob's which is on Big Bayou Black (highway 182) nearer to Gibson you can reach Turtle bayou, Bay Wallace, Lake Hackberry and the miles of canals that connect to them. You can also get into Bayou Penchant and hit another hundred miles of canals that go south into the deep marsh. The lower Atchafalaya is as close as Amelia. So there is no shortage of places to fish. Look on Google earth at all the canals between Houma and Gibson and you'll see what I mean.

As far as equipment is concerned, you'll need much lighter tackle than you're using for saltwater. A good lite weight or ultra light weight reel and a 7 foot ultra lite rod that can handle 4 pound test line and 1/32 ounce jigs is the starting place. A 10 or 11 foot jig pole is also handy to have. Don't worry about the 4 pound line, it plenty strong enough. You just have to learn that you can't horse them into the boat. I caught a 7 pound bass on a 1/32 ounce jig on 4 pound test line a couple of years back. Lures are mostly going to be hook and bobber for using minnows if that's what you like. Myself I use mostly 1/32 and 1/16 ounce jigs tipped with tube jigs, panfish assassins, and many other straight and curly tail grubs.

It takes a while to get use to such light tackle but it sure is fun. Maybe we can get together one afternoon and talk about it a little more in detail. I'd be more than willing to do that. Just drop me a line.

"gene"

CZ..welcome to the board. I once caught a sheepshead with dentures and a little one with braces....SLIP

Those sheepshead fish are freaky looking.....

My Dad used to call them Jimmy Carter fish, because he said they had teeth like Jimmy Carter.
"gene"

I agree. Sheepshead are so weird looking.

Hi paw paw gene. Nice to see someone on here from the same area as me. So my normal medium to MH rods with bait casting and spinner reels wouldn't be ideal for Sac-a-lait? I'm completely new to freshwater fishing in general. I don't know much about it at all. We should definitely get together sometimes km sure there's a lot I could learn from you. Also for Sac-a-lait would it be ideal to have a trolling motor? I currently don't have one installed on my boat but have been thinking about investing in one very soon.

Welcome aboard, glad to have you!

Chad yes a trolling motor will help many times, but there are times when you can just do without. When I first starting fishing I didn't have one and caught a lot of fish. It made me fish each spot longer and more thorough. It help when seeking aggressive fish to run down a bank casting away. Let me know when it's a good time for us to get together. I'm almost always available for a few hours.
"gene"

Welcome Chad, I am also living in Houma, I saltwater fished for most of my life and recently started hitting the freshwater about 2 years ago. I fish in the same area's as Gene. Very different for me as I had no one to help me figure things out, CDC has been one of my best resource's for Sac-A-Lait fishing, I mainly use 1/16 oz jig with tube type baits. I still have not Acquired all the skills to become proficient at it but it has its rewards when I manage to get one on the line, A Trolling motor for me is a must it just makes it more convenient and enjoyable. Maybe I will see you on the Water, I own a bass tracker 175 TXW (red) Just look for the crappie.com sticker on the transom. If there is anything you need just shoot me a PM. Again welcome aboard

Thanks D I hope to see you and gene on the water very soon. I was hoping to go fishing yesterday and today but my boat is in the shop because my power trim was acting up. It's been there for two weeks and thought I would have had it back by now but they say they had to order my part from Canada.

Would any of you guys happen to know what would be a good trolling motor for my boat? I have a 16'x48" aluminum boat. I am not too sure on how much thrust would be sufficient for my boat

Chad I have the motor that came with the boat it's a motor guide foot operated 46lb thrust 12 volt with 5 speed settings, I use it for many hours on the water each trip with no issue's. It is hard to say what will work best as some people like foot operated and some like hand operated, IMHO if you have a flat deck up front I would go with the Foot operated type. as far as the thrust 46 moves my boat through the water really well, if I had to buy a new one I would upgrade to a little more thrust for the extra power to cut through the underwater grass.
I hope this helps,

Hi. I'm outside of Orlando and my neighbor moved back to her hometown of Houma several years ago.I never knew anything was south of New Orleans till then and a long while south. You should have the best of all worlds there

Crappiegirl, there is a lot south of New Orleans and even more southwest through Houma. I once was talking to a Dr. in Charston, SC and when he found out that I live south of New Orleans, he wanted to know if we lived in a house built on stilts. I got a good laugh out of that one. Yes Crappiegirl we do have the best of all worlds here. At least I think so. You need to come visit you friend and see for yourself.
"gene"