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Low Water Lunker
 Keith Lusher
With the cold weather and northerly winds causing low water conditions on the Northshore anglers are having success finding bass in deeper water. The once dependable drains and marsh run-outs that pepper the marsh have been left high and dry.
Corey LaBostrie of Lacombe fishes out of a 13-foot Coleman Canoe. On his latest trip he decided to fish on a cold day in search of wintertime bass on Bayou Lacombe. He launched in Powell Heights and fished Powell Canal all the way out to Bayou Lacombe using a Z-Man Hula Stickz in the Green Pumpkin color.  LaBostrie with his 7.5 lunker
Corey was fishing on the bottom working it slowly but couldn’t manage a strike. When he reached the main bayou he immediately started getting bites and managed 3 marsh bass. As LaBostrie paddled towards the lake but as he looked around at his surroundings he noticed the water was getting muddier. “With the water dirty due to the tide being so low I decided to switch over to the June Bug color,” Corey says. He caught 2 more bass and then as he was casting parallel to the shoreline he felt his line tick. He set the hook but the fish ran towards him. “When I caught up to him he ran the opposite way and stripped my drag,” LaBostrie says. "I had to pull out my net for him because he was a little too big to boat flip like I usually do.” After getting the fish in the boat he weighed it and realized he just beat his personal best of 6.12 oz. with a bass that weighed 7.5 lbs. The darker colored bait did the trick as the Lacombe angler caught 5 more fish in the murky main bayou to finish off his limit for the day. Pearl River Tips for January It’s January here in south Louisiana and the cold temperatures are forcing anglers to change their way of thinking in order to catch bass. Patrick Engerran of Tangi Fishing Rods is a bass tournament angler and has been fishing the Pearl River system for years. Patrick says the Pearl River is an intimidating river to fish in normal conditions but in January there are a few rules that fisherman may want to adhere to in order to catch more bass. Avoid Current- Moving water means colder water in the winter so avoiding areas with a fast current will pay off. "It's like being cold and turning on the air conditioner. The last thing you want to do is circulate the air. Bass are looking for a heat source, not ventilation,” Engerran says. Slow Down- Colder water slows fish down and everything else for that matter. A bass’ metabolism slows down drastically in cold water causing them to feed less than in warmer conditions. “Think hibernating Grizzly, they feed during the fall in preparation for the winter. Bass do the same thing in preparation for an upcoming front,” Patrick says. Use Bigger Baits- Because of the cold water temperatures bass aren’t looking to exert much energy chasing food all day. It’s much more beneficial to cherry pick larger meals that will fill them up for longer periods of time. “If you are only eating once a day, are you getting a salad or a 1/2-pound bacon cheese burger? Going big could equal big fish this time of year,” Engerran says. With the up-size in baits it may be a good idea to go with a heavier rod with more backbone. Patrick is a rod builder with Tangi Fishing Rods so he knows a thing or two about rod selection. “The best rods to use with jigs are going to be rated for heavy power with fast action tips. A longer rod works really well with jigs, so you want a casting rod that is at least seven feet,” says Patrick. Tournament Results
Liars and Lunker's wrapped up it’s 2020 Fall/Winter Series with it’s last points tournament of the year. Between deer season and the freezing temperatures, only 13 teams showed up at the East Pearl River to battle for cash prizes and bragging rights. In the end the results were mixed. Some teams had success and caught lots of bass while others complained of not catching many at all. 
Kyle Hills and Lashun Robertson
The team of LaShun Robertson and Kyle Hills had the most success weighing in an impressive 16.09-pound stringer. Second place went to the seasons most consistent team of Jake and Bridget Impastato with 12.95 pounds. They also had a 5.61-pound lunker to win the big bass pot. Third place went to Steve Hadley and Dwain Crumby with 11.67 pounds. |
 Keith Lusher
I created NFR.com in the spring of 2012. Since then it has helped link Northshore fishermen to valuable information and has filled the void of absent information on the web about fishing on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Northshore Fishing Report has morphed into a brand name and can be found not only on the web, but on radio and newspaper. As NFR grows I will continue to work hard at keeping NFR local focusing on local anglers, reports, seminars, and fishing tournaments in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parish. I hope you enjoy the website and If you have any questions please email me at: Keith@NorthshoreFishingReport.com
Look for the Northshore Fishing Report publication every Thursday in The Slidell Independent Weekly Newspaper!
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Captain Andy Jones of Wicked Charters joins the studio by phone to talk Causeway fishing and the improved saltwater bite in Lake Pontchartrain.
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