Pontchartrain

[bayouchub]

On the causeway

[SuperDave]

Originally Posted by bayouchub

On the causeway

Lmao. North or south?

[PUREBAY2200]

Originally Posted by fishinpox

I'm going in the am , just cuz it looks dirty on top does not mean its dirty down low .......

We talking about fishing or women....... Cause you told me that one nite out n Baton Rouge.

[TarponTom]

Anyone catching or targeting Striped Bass on the causeway this year? The causeway is one of the best Striper fisheries in the Gulf coast. White plastics and red jig heads and you won't catch one under 5 pounds. Limit is 5 per person but if you target them you will wind up catching 100 and they are much more fun to catch than the Speck and Reds IMO.

[Sightwindow]

More information on stripers on Causeway, please! How deep? How big of a jighead? Paddle tail or a straight tail? Slow jigging action, fast jigging action, steady retrieve? How far out on the Causeway? Are they up against the pilings or more in open water? Northshore or south shore? Is there a distinct season?

Thanks in advance!

[PUREBAY2200]

Originally Posted by Sightwindow

More information on stripers on Causeway, please! How deep? How big of a jighead? Paddle tail or a straight tail? Slow jigging action, fast jigging action, steady retrieve? How far out on the Causeway? Are they up against the pilings or more in open water? Northshore or south shore? Is there a distinct season?

Thanks in advance!

Sorry u got all excited.... But the prevouus post is just bad info.
People have caught stripers in LAKE P.... But not like this guy is talking about.... Stick to the trout fishin.
Ur wasting time chasin stripers on lake p.

[TarponTom]

Originally Posted by PUREBAY2200

Sorry u got all excited.... But the prevouus post is just bad info.
People have caught stripers in LAKE P.... But not like this guy is talking about.... Stick to the trout fishin.
Ur wasting time chasin stripers on lake p.

You clearly don't know what you are talking about so I would suggest hijacking another thread with your lack of knowledge.

Fish the upside current portion of the pilings (3 pilings hold more fish than the 2 pilings), the cross-overs, and the bridges (the drawbridge is a great spot along the wood fenders) and actually the wood fenders before they pulled them out at the 3, 12, 17 mile bridges always attracted them this time of year. The season for them in the Lake begins when the water drops below 65 degrees (late fall and ends early spring). They leave the Rivers, Gulf, and marsh where they are spread out most of the year and converge on the Causeway foraging on pogies which is why white grubs with a beetle or paddle tail style are so effective. You also need to find the clear water as the clearer the water this time of year the more the fish tend to school up and bite. You also have two strains of Striped Bass here: Hybrids and true Striped Bass.

4 to 9 foot range is the most effective range jigging the lure in an up motion while letting it drop or just throwing it past the pilings & reeling it back with a steady retrieve. We have been fishing them since the late 70's in this area and during the 80's most of the people who fished the Causeway during this time of year only targeted the Stripers and jigged up redfish no one really fished for Trout because the Striper fishery was soo good and so much fun. Another lure is a white deep diving crankbait which also is deadly but I like throwing the white beetle with red spot and a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce jig head. 20 pound test is a must due to the pilings and the size of the fish.

[meaux fishing]

Originally Posted by TarponTom

You clearly don't know what you are talking about so I would suggest hijacking another thread with your lack of knowledge.

Fish the upside current portion of the pilings (3 pilings hold more fish than the 2 pilings), the cross-overs, and the bridges (the drawbridge is a great spot along the wood fenders) and actually the wood fenders before they pulled them out at the 3, 12, 17 mile bridges always attracted them this time of year. The season for them in the Lake begins when the water drops below 65 degrees (late fall and ends early spring). They leave the Rivers, Gulf, and marsh where they are spread out most of the year and converge on the Causeway foraging on pogies which is why white grubs with a beetle or paddle tail style are so effective. You also need to find the clear water as the clearer the water this time of year the more the fish tend to school up and bite. You also have two strains of Striped Bass here: Hybrids and true Striped Bass.

4 to 9 foot range is the most effective range jigging the lure in an up motion while letting it drop or just throwing it past the pilings & reeling it back with a steady retrieve. We have been fishing them since the late 70's in this area and during the 80's most of the people who fished the Causeway during this time of year only targeted the Stripers and jigged up redfish no one really fished for Trout because the Striper fishery was soo good and so much fun. Another lure is a white deep diving crankbait which also is deadly but I like throwing the white beetle with red spot and a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce jig head. 20 pound test is a must due to the pilings and the size of the fish.

Man that sounds like a blast...thanks for sharing the info. Ive always wanted to catch some stripers

[Salty]

Christopher, sounds like the man knows what he's talkin' about. Wanna geaux try 'em?

[TarponTom]

Since I've been inundated with PMs on the subject I'll give up a little more info.

Where to start if you are fishing from the Northshore--if the water is clear the first place I would try is the drop-off under the Causeway by the extra bridges. Sometimes they are there early in the morning and sometimes late in the afternoon. If they aren't there then I would suggest hitting the 1st cross-over area (the more pilings the better) and then hit the bridges. The draw-bridge's wooden pilings is one of my all time favorite places when the water is clean and calm (unfortunately calm also tends to bring in the fog so becareful). Then all of the other cross-overs and bridges AND do not forget to hit all the 3 legged spans--the 2 legged spans can be productive but only a falling tide but they don't hold as many schools of fish as the others typically do.

If you coming from the Southshore--I would advise fishing the old turnaround on the original span first and then head towards the North fishing in the same areas.

There are a couple of people who have said they have fished the Causeway hard for years and never caught a hybrid or striper. The reason is due to 3 things: (1) wrong lure choice (if it ain't all white then you are wasting your time); (2) fishing only lasts from Nov to early March typically when water Temps are below 65; and (3) the number of days are fewer due to muddy water (esp. Southshore), winds from fronts, and fog.

I can't say I was the founder of this type of fishing because the expert on the Lake P striper fishing but if you were around Mandeville during the early 80's you might have visited a tackle shop called Toledo Tackle of Mandeville (where George's Mexican restaurant is today). The owner and his son were the two pioneers and really promoted the fishery until their deaths. After they passed away most of the local knowledge went away with them but the fish stayed year after year.

One person asked me how do you clean them--filet them the same way you would any other fish but it is very important that you cut out the entire blood line otherwise the fish will taste terrible when you cook it.

Below are my suggestions
H&H #41 in the Queen Cocahoe or #14 in the Split tail version. Size 3 from H&H

Or use the all white curly tail below. Size 3 to 6 inches for the soft tails. The white pearl isn't as productive as the all white and the all white with a small red spot is even deadlier so long as the spot is close to the jig head.


PS--this has to be one of the best Striper fishing seasons in the Lake because i just came across a Louisiana Sportsman's article from Dec 2012 on the Stripers tearing it up at Seabrook. Striper fishing at Seabrook has always been inadvertent but if they are catching them there as this article suggests then the Causeway should be stacked this year. http://www.louisianasportsman.com/details.php?id=4650

On a side note--at one time most of the Top 10 Hybrid Striped Bass were caught in Lake Pontchartrain. Today William Hungerford still has the #1 (Causeway), #4 (Causeway), & #10 (Pass Manchac) La. State records for Hybrids. The 16.25 was caught in 2000. In the late 80's/early 90's the gill fisherman would bring in even bigger Hybrids and Stripers than that. The biggest Striper I've caught was #25 pounds in 1998 at the draw bridge.

[swamp snorkler]

That's some good info. I didn't realize they had stripped bass in Lake P

[youmyboyblue]

Can't wait to drive home this evening on the causeway and see how boats are fishing the turnarounds with white plastics.

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by youmyboyblue

Can't wait to drive home this evening on the causeway and see PureBay and Salty fishing the turnarounds with white plastics.

[PUREBAY2200]

Originally Posted by TarponTom

Since I've been inundated with PMs on the subject I'll give up a little more info.

Where to start if you are fishing from the Northshore--if the water is clear the first place I would try is the drop-off under the Causeway by the extra bridges. Sometimes they are there early in the morning and sometimes late in the afternoon. If they aren't there then I would suggest hitting the 1st cross-over area (the more pilings the better) and then hit the bridges. The draw-bridge's wooden pilings is one of my all time favorite places when the water is clean and calm (unfortunately calm also tends to bring in the fog so becareful). Then all of the other cross-overs and bridges AND do not forget to hit all the 3 legged spans--the 2 legged spans can be productive but only a falling tide but they don't hold as many schools of fish as the others typically do.

If you coming from the Southshore--I would advise fishing the old turnaround on the original span first and then head towards the North fishing in the same areas.

There are a couple of people who have said they have fished the Causeway hard for years and never caught a hybrid or striper. The reason is due to 3 things: (1) wrong lure choice (if it ain't all white then you are wasting your time); (2) fishing only lasts from Nov to early March typically when water Temps are below 65; and (3) the number of days are fewer due to muddy water (esp. Southshore), winds from fronts, and fog.

I can't say I was the founder of this type of fishing because the expert on the Lake P striper fishing but if you were around Mandeville during the early 80's you might have visited a tackle shop called Toledo Tackle of Mandeville (where George's Mexican restaurant is today). The owner and his son were the two pioneers and really promoted the fishery until their deaths. After they passed away most of the local knowledge went away with them but the fish stayed year after year.

One person asked me how do you clean them--filet them the same way you would any other fish but it is very important that you cut out the entire blood line otherwise the fish will taste terrible when you cook it.

Below are my suggestions
H&H #41 in the Queen Cocahoe or #14 in the Split tail version. Size 3 from H&H

Or use the all white curly tail below. Size 3 to 6 inches for the soft tails. The white pearl isn't as productive as the all white and the all white with a small red spot is even deadlier so long as the spot is close to the jig head.


PS--this has to be one of the best Striper fishing seasons in the Lake because i just came across a Louisiana Sportsman's article from Dec 2012 on the Stripers tearing it up at Seabrook. Striper fishing at Seabrook has always been inadvertent but if they are catching them there as this article suggests then the Causeway should be stacked this year. http://www.louisianasportsman.com/details.php?id=4650

and these guys are always putting out quality info .......:*****:

On a side note--at one time most of the Top 10 Hybrid Striped Bass were caught in Lake Pontchartrain. Today William Hungerford still has the #1 (Causeway), #4 (Causeway), & #10 (Pass Manchac) La. State records for Hybrids. The 16.25 was caught in 2000. In the late 80's/early 90's the gill fisherman would bring in even bigger Hybrids and Stripers than that. The biggest Striper I've caught was #25 pounds in 1998 at the draw bridge.

my point exactly.... long time ago poncho....

[PUREBAY2200]

Originally Posted by Salty

Christopher, sounds like the man knows what he's talkin' about. Wanna geaux try 'em?

yea, lets call duma$$ and go catch em after we load the boat trolling and hook into a few tarpon.......

[PUREBAY2200]

Originally Posted by youmyboyblue

Can't wait to drive home this evening on the causeway and see how boats are fishing the turnarounds with white plastics.

honk when ya see us...... or saltys smoke trail.....lol

[PUREBAY2200]

Originally Posted by TarponTom

Anyone catching or targeting Striped Bass on the causeway this year? The causeway is one of the best Striper fisheries in the Gulf coast. White plastics and red jig heads and you won't catch one under 5 pounds. Limit is 5 per person but if you target them you will wind up catching 100 and they are much more fun to catch than the Speck and Reds IMO.

:*****::*****::rotfl :

u smokin some good mean green..... or ur memory is more elaborate then a sci fi movie....

["W"]

Originally Posted by TarponTom

You clearly don't know what you are talking about so I would suggest hijacking another thread with your lack of knowledge.

Fish the upside current portion of the pilings (3 pilings hold more fish than the 2 pilings), the cross-overs, and the bridges (the drawbridge is a great spot along the wood fenders) and actually the wood fenders before they pulled them out at the 3, 12, 17 mile bridges always attracted them this time of year. The season for them in the Lake begins when the water drops below 65 degrees (late fall and ends early spring). They leave the Rivers, Gulf, and marsh where they are spread out most of the year and converge on the Causeway foraging on pogies which is why white grubs with a beetle or paddle tail style are so effective. You also need to find the clear water as the clearer the water this time of year the more the fish tend to school up and bite. You also have two strains of Striped Bass here: Hybrids and true Striped Bass.

4 to 9 foot range is the most effective range jigging the lure in an up motion while letting it drop or just throwing it past the pilings & reeling it back with a steady retrieve. We have been fishing them since the late 70's in this area and during the 80's most of the people who fished the Causeway during this time of year only targeted the Stripers and jigged up redfish no one really fished for Trout because the Striper fishery was soo good and so much fun. Another lure is a white deep diving crankbait which also is deadly but I like throwing the white beetle with red spot and a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce jig head. 20 pound test is a must due to the pilings and the size of the fish.

He DOES not have a clue.....So carry on with your info for others!!!

["W"]

I just text Josh Hall and they are catching lots of Striper in Lake P right now

["W"]

Originally Posted by PUREBAY2200

:*****::*****::rotfl :

u smokin some good mean green..... or ur memory is more elaborate then a sci fi movie....

Dude when is the last time you fished Lake P???? And when is the last time you caught a limit on Lake P out of your boat not with a person who can fish???