One of the great things about Southeast Louisiana is that you don’t have to drive very far to get to some of the best fishing holes in the world. Take Lafitte for instance. Within just a few miles of downtown New Orleans is one of the hottest redfish bites to be found anywhere.

“Lafitte is on fire for redfish and black drum,” said Papa Joe Bush with Cajun Wetlands Guide Service (504-689-3728). “And the good thing is you can pretty much fish any of your favorite lakes right now and catch some fish.”

Bush pointed out the hottest lakes and bayous as Lake Salvador, Bayou Pirogue, Bayou Rigoletts, Little Lake, Plum Point and Bay Dogris. These areas have deep holes, and those are the spots that are congregating redfish.

“Fish those deep holes with shrimp on the bottom,” Bush added. “You can also do well along the cement walls if you fish shrimp under a popping cork. And if you like throwing the spinnerbaits, we’ve been catching limits on them against the banks and fished slightly off the shorelines.”

Bush says it’s hard to go wrong with a spinnerbait with a black and chartreuse plastic. This color is a Lafitte mainstay, and to go fishing without a sack of them would border on being sacrilegious.

As for the trout, Bush says to start looking for them in some of the larger bays on the inside. Places like Bay Cray and Ronquille should have some trout. And on the west side, fish around Little Lake, St. Mary Point, Government Reef and Bay Five.

Try white colors until the weather gets cool. White beetles and glow/chartreuse Mud Minnows should work tightlined on the bottom. However, when the weather cools down, switch to the darker colors like the purples and blacks.