Fishing Trips in New Orleans

The Super Bowl took place in New Orleans this year, and while the city has a lot to offer for those fortunate enough to be there for the festivities, there's one group of people who are luckier than others - anglers. Fishing in early-February is a hidden gem for Louisiana. Many locals consider it an offseason due to the colder weather and less prolific catches, but it?s still warmer than the most other states in the country and the fishing?s still better than average. Best of all, with less people fishing, there are more guides available for hire and fish available to catch. Check out the fishing trip destinations below for some ideas.

New Orleans City Park

If you'?re leery about leaving the city limits for fishing, you?'re in luck ? New Orleans City Park has 11 miles worth of lagoons filled with popular freshwater fish like largemouth bass, bluegill, shellcrackers, and catfish. Bayou St. John, located just to the east of the park, feeds into the salty waters of Lake Pontchartrain and contains spotted seatrout and red drum. The shoreline along the lagoons is angler-friendly, and a fishing pier in the middle of the park between Harrison and Filmore Avenue make dropping a line all the easier. The park sits just a few miles north of the Superdome, making it quit accessible for those who needs their fishing fix.

Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Borgne

An aerial view of the southern shoreline of Lake Pontchartain, where it meets the city of New Orleans. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers On the northern and eastern shores of New Orleans are two lagoons that offer some quick and easy options for fishing close to the city. Though both estuaries are best known for spotted seatrout in warmer weather, they can produce during the winter in their deeper sections as well. Redfish, southern flounder, and black drum are also available to catch in Pontchartrain and Borgne. The far east end of Bogne and nearby islands along the Gulf of Mexico are particularly effective winter spots. Being so close to New Orleans, there are numerous guides and charters for hire, of which a few of them are mentioned below: Bayou Boyz Fishin BIGFISH Charters & Lodging Sea Hagg Charters Therapy Charters Swamp Stallion Fishing Adventures

Venice

An aerial view of Venice (top left corner) and the surrounding region to the south. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Perhaps the most famous community for saltwater fishing in Louisiana, Venice sits as far south as you can travel down the Mississippi River by car in the country. Not only is it in the heart of the Louisiana Delta - an inshore angler's dream spot - Venice also serves as a major gateway to offshore fishing. There are few places where you can boast catching trophy largemouth bass inshore and yellowfin tuna offshore on the same day and from the same launching pad.  As if that wasn?t enough, there are several oil platforms nearby that fish like snapper, grouper, and amberjack love to hang around.  Despite its proximity to the gulf, it is recommended you hire a guide rather than rent a boat yourself to traverse through the Mississippi and surrounding estuaries due to all the floating debris, sandbars, other boats, and fog. It takes over an hour-and-a-half to drive from New Orleans to Venice, but if you have the time, it?s more than worth the trip getting there. Venice has one of the largest fleet of fishing charters anywhere in the United States. Here are few charters that cover Venice: Adventure South Guide Service Cajun Fishing Adventures FishVenice Charters Fry?n Pan Fishing Go Long Charters Outback on the Bayou

Midnight Lump

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The term ?Midnight Lump? sounds like some kind of football play designed by a coach who?s trying too hard, but it?s actually the name of Louisiana?s most famous offshore fishing spot ? and does the fishing ever come to life in February. If you only have time for one offshore fishing spot during Super Bowl week, than Midnight Lump is your best bet. The hotspot is located about 50 miles southwest of Venice, and just five miles north of the underwater Mississippi Canyon. Though fishing can be a little iffy during the winter in the Gulf, yellowfin and blackfin tuna actually hit their peak around this time of year. In addition to tuna, a mako shark record was caught near here back in February 2009, weighing a massive 1,149.5 pounds.