Summer Retains Its Grip
 Keith Lusher Jr
Meteorological summer may be over but this past week we have
experienced some of the hottest temperatures of 2013. Speckled trout are still
in transition mode and scattered which makes for quite a struggle even for the
most savvy fisherman. It’s no wonder why anglers continue to struggle across
the Northshore and are keeping their fingers crossed that fall will grace us
with its presence. On the positive side, the calm southeast winds are allowing
anglers to fish spots that earlier in the month were off limits due to the
ferocious west winds. Lake Borgne continues to be the best bet for fishermen
who are trying to put together a decent box of fish. The redfish bite has been
fantastic all summer and looks to remain strong for those who are struggling to
catch trout. White trout are starting to show up at the usual river mouths that
empty into the Lake and more flounder are starting to show up in angler’s ice
chests signaling fall is right around the corner.
Gone Sharkin'
 Rusty Mohoney and his Lake Borne Black Tip
While others battle the summertime heat for speckled trout
and redfish, Richert Mahoney takes a different route. He targets shark every
year in Lake Borgne and says that it’s become a bit of a tradition. “We go
every year and do really good most of the time. We use to catch and release
them but now we clean them for the meat. You’d be surprised by how much meat
you can get from a 5 ft. shark and the meat is delicious, Mahoney says. Shark can be prepared the same way salmon is.
Richert talks about how he likes to cook his catch. “My favorite way to cook
them is on the barbecue pit. I cut them into steaks and grill them. What I do
is make a little garlic/butter sauce and add some Tony’s. It’s very tender but at the same time it
holds together really well.” Sharks seem
to have gotten classified as one of those “trash fish” but lots of anglers seem
to be taking advantage of the great summertime bite on Lake Pontchartrain and
Lake Borgne. Lately anglers have been reporting catching shark all along the
Lake Borgne shoreline anywhere mullet is present.
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Richert says he uses cut mullet under a cork but stresses using a leader. “You have to have a steal leader and I like to make it long enough to where the shark’s tail can’t whip around cut your line,” said Mahoney. For those who want to target shark for sport, he says it is some of the most exciting fishing he’s ever experienced. “We were fishing near Proctors Point and we looked back and saw a shark fin about 200 yards back. It was swimming back and forth, honing in on the scent from the cut mullet we were using. As he got closer he was zigzagging less with every turn he would make. He got right behind the cork and his fin went down. He comes completely out of the water with the mullet in his mouth! This was a 45” shark we’re talking about!” Shark season for recreational fisherman in currently open and will stay so until April 1st.
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Bass fishing makes summertime transition on Northhsore!
Lake Pontchartrain speckled trout may be in survival mode.
Speckled trout season off to slow start on Northshore
Beat the crowds, find less stressed waters!
Got your backup plan?
Finally some stability on the Northshore!
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