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Welcome to this week’s Louisiana Delta Fishing Report, the weekly local fishing report for New Orleans, Venice, Lafitte, Hopedale, Grand Isle, and everywhere in between. Host Andre’ Savoie checks in with three local captains to break down what late-winter conditions are doing to the bite and how anglers can stay on fish right now: Capt. Rich McCloskey of Blue Line Charter Service (Venice), Capt. Christian with Bayou Obsession Charters (Lafitte), and Capt. Jonathan Allen with Louisiana Fishing Guide Service (Hopedale).
Conditions Recap
Late-winter weather has kept things interesting across the Louisiana coast, with low water, temperature swings, and fog all shaping daily decisions. In multiple areas, redfish are still willing to get shallow when conditions allow, especially where the sun can warm skinny water quickly. Sheephead are a major player this time of year, stacking on rocks, rigs, and ledges and providing steady action when other bites slow down. Fog remains a real factor in the mornings and can roll in unexpectedly, so safe travel plans and navigation tools matter as much as finding the fish.
Venice Report: Capt. Rich McCloskey, Blue Line Charter Service
Venice is producing serious “meat haul” trips right now, with consistent limits of redfish early and fast action on sheepshead after. Rich is finding reds surprisingly shallow, even under two feet of water, and says the pattern is already feeling like spring on the right warming trend. When the bite is right, crews can knock out a three-man redfish limit quickly and then slide to a deeper edge for sheephead that are stacked and willing.
Sheepshead are holding on a 10-foot ledge where the program is simple: position the boat and jig straight down as fast as you can keep up. Rich notes the river is low and relatively clean, and he expects spring to ramp up as the river starts rising. He also stresses that Venice fog can be dangerous and radar is a must if you are running the river on your own.
Gear and bait notes from Venice: live bait (including live shrimp) for redfish when available, then switching to dead bait for sheepshead as needed. The sheepshead bite is a vertical jig-and-drop deal in deeper water, while reds are coming from shallow flats and edges…