Weekend Locks for Dec 14-15

Finally, a normal winter pattern! This weekend is looking really good with winds 8-12 MPH. High temps will be in the 60’s, with overnight lows dipping in the 40’s. I’ve got two “locks” for you to kick off your Friday. Let’s start out on the saltwater side!

The Chalmette Wall

As the Trestles train bridge cools off, The Great Wall is gaining steam producing bigger fish this week!

After a slow start because of above average temps in November, the Wall is back to its old self producing limits of trout with a few studs mixed in.

This weekend looks really nice with pressure falling, winds 8-12 and only a 20% chance of rain. Saturday looks like the colder cloudier day with Sunday sunny and highs in the 70’s

Instead of getting drawn into the wall like a moth to a flame, here’s a different approach for you. Start at Bayou Thomas and sniff around in there for specks.

If nothing’s happening in Thomas, come back out to the ICW and fish the main channel. Look for canals or small drains that intersect with the ICW.

Post up near the shoreline and cast toward the middle of the canal and work your way all the way to the wall.

Also, give the rocks in the MRGO a shot to escape the crowd at the wall.

Live shrimp on a drop-shot will work but expect a ton of blue cats mixed in.Live shrimp on a drop shot will be your best option (All the marinas still have shrimp).

But plastics will produce a cleaner box of specks. Matrix, Speck-Drum, and Blue Collar Bait work best on a jighead will all work.

Try different colors and figure out what they like best. The cleaner the water - the clearer the bait is my standard operating procedure.

If you want to nose-hook a plastic and fish it drop-shot style, give the Zoom Tiny Fluke a shot. Arkansas Shiner or Baitfish colors are working right now.

Wastehouse Bayou

Forget the marsh bass this weekend! Let’s go catch some real bass!

I’ve got credible sources, that all say Wastehouse is turning up some really nice-sized bass.

With the last deluge that came through on Monday and Tuesday, the main river is struggling.

But about 15 minutes north of the Hwy 90 launch (the Green Bridge), Wastehouse is producing - and producing big! Quality fish - two to five-pounds.

There have been 2 break-offs this past week, and that’s only the ones I’ve heard about.

This weekend you’re going to want to pound the drains.

Pick yourself up a Strike King KVD shallow-running crankbait (dark brown on top with a white bottom) and reel very slowly.

You’re likely to pick up a few at each one with the likelihood that you’ll have a stud coming out of one of the swamp drains.