Wading vs. Boat Fishing the Chandeleur Islands

In the human psyche, islands are a symbol of safety and strength in the midst of a daunting and dangerous sea. Think of the countless movie scenes you have watched where desperate people drag themselves up the beach of an island and gladly collapse onto its solid back. More than any other Louisiana barrier island, the Chandeleur Islands have the power to transport the traveler to that mythical place.

Speckled trout and redfish can be caught both on the inside of the island and among the troughs of the Gulf side. Fishing for these species on the inside of the island consists primarily of targeting the shallow water flats that line the length of the island. Wade fishing is an effective technique for fishing the shallow water flats and is a common approach for anglers. The firm sandy bottom of the flats make walking almost effortless, but watch out for the numerous stingrays that cruise these same waters.

If you happened to have a boat suitable for fishing on flats, is wading or fishing from the boat a better approach? In this video I explore some of the strengths and weaknesses of both fishing methods.

[garybarrere]

Sting ray story: I 14 and my cousin Cathy14 fished every day of the summer of 1962 in Pass Christian from a 17 foot cypress skiff, row boat. 20 minute row out to a reef in 6 foot of water. Bait shrimp were 3 lbs. for a dollar. We also had four crab nets around the boat. We caught specks, sand trout, channel mullet, and big blue crabs. I had an old man neighbor who hated to lend you anything. After signing away my life he lent me an old rusty cracked handed hammer to smash hard head catfish heads in. Well I caught a good size sting ray and had his head up on the gunnel to give him a head ache. The hammer went in so deep it stuck. The sting ray tail tip curled up and touched the back of my hand and o turned loose of the hammer and kaplunk it fell out of the rays head and into the gulf. Well me and Cathy were sure we would have to sell the rights our first born children to pay for the hammer.Well we lost all the joy of the trip and decided to up anchor and row in. I was pulling up the last crab net and low and behold there was that old rusty hammer. I would give anything to be 14 again with Cathy a pound of bait shrimp in the old skiff going fishing.

[garybarrere]

Frequently I have to tell my son 30 and grandson 19, I did not buy my 21 ft. Frontier to wade fish. I can fish 18” of waster. Sharks and stingrays are not my cup of tea. I have good waking shoe and sting ray guards, ok sand bottom, west bay, San Luis Pass, beach wade, but Greens lake red fish hole is too muddy for this 71 yeAr old 250 lbs old man. I wade only when I choose. I have to says it’s a blast to fight a fish and be able to be so stealth. But those moments when the hair stands up on the back of your neck as you notice the man in the grey suit is admiring your stringer of fish, or a ship passing near at Seawolf Park is sucking the water out around you and what goes out will soon come back, quickly be you can get to shore. It will lift you up fill your waders and dump you on shore wet and it’s 4o degrees. Yeah give me my boat and my minn koda.

[getore]

Really like your videos. Brings back so many memories that I miss so much. I no longer live in the area but go back twice per year. Quick question: i recall that the boat ride to those islands was pretty long in open water. Been really thinking about buying that boat...REALLY like it. Can you make that long run on 1 tank of gas and, weren't you concerned about the wind kicking up and having to get back in rough waters? Also, would you feel comfortable taking it out to the mud lumps out of southwest pass, Venice?

[captainjoesanglingadventur]

Great vid Jon.... Ol Dave.. " Thats enough your not goimg anywhere"... Then he Hoist him in lol... Great stuff. That cork was mi e from a couple weeks ago I got smomed a few times we past you all on our way out just as we entered the MRGO

[tealnexttimebond]

I’ve caught more trout over 25 “ out of my boat than u can count.

[davidroyer]

Outstanding video! It’s Paradise in the Chandeleur Island chain.

[lowtidesskyview]

How do you like that rod n reel setup and what gear ratio did you go with on the reel? I have the same reel, im still trying to decide on a rod to go with it.

[ElDiabloLocoPoco]

Spent my first 10+ years being limited to wade fishing, mostly Grand Isle and Fourchon. This was late 70's & early 80's, before all of the rock jetties were added parallel to beach. The luxury of a boat provides the HUGE advantage of being able to move easily to find fish. And staying mostly dry is good too. The rip tides can be[are] a danger while wading, gotta learn to spot them both for safety and for good fishing spots.
As an old geezer the only advantage I would now value about wading would be getting into the water to cool off. I always thought the sharks were a problem, lost fish to them a few times. My regular fish pardner always liked to walk out to the first sandbar to be able to fish both sides. I never did that.
I was never concerned with stalking the monster fish, just wanted enough to eat. For me that would not be a good enough reason to abandon the boat. O'course that all became moot after moving out of Bigg Swampy.
Best trout I ever caught was a 24 inch fatty. The odd thing was that I caught it about 10am on a hot July day off the bridge at Grand Isle. Was fishing a shrimp colored sparkle beetle, jigging it parallel to bridge in shadows on a slow moving falling tide. Thought it was a catfish when I hooked up, and was really surprised to get it over the railing, but she was hooked solid, not quite gut hooked.
Very much enjoying your thoughts on the various subjects - and living vicariously through the channel. Thanks. Catch while you can and good fishing!

[thingsthatzachsees]

I'm taking my first trip to chandeleur this weekend weather permitting of course. And your videos have been super informative, especially on the safety precautions getting out and back successfully. I love the content, tight lines and stay safe out there!

[mikelocke]

Steelhead. I was obsessed with them in another lifetime.

[Dcj]

I fish p.m but would of loved to ride the boat to see how it performed

[redchaserron]

Hey Jon, I've watched a bunch of your videos and have never seen you push poling, if you're not poling, why a poling skiff?

[robertwalley]

I fished out at the islands before Youtube video, great video: I would advise a bigger boat weather gets rough out there.

[sumrica]

Back when I went out there often, I would do well on the surf side of the island. I no longer know the lay of the land at Chandeleur. But, if there's a cut you could motor into to get you close to the island, the walk to the surf side wouldn't be so butt kicking...especially if you could find some land to walk on.

[mhedges]

John, where did you get the satellite image of the sediment from the Mississippi river from in a previous video?

[Craig-mr]

I just think it’s so overfished has been for years

[paulhuval]

Great video. I use my boggle grip to get the hooks out of the stingray and they work good.

[antnyd]

Nice videos Jon!! Love to watch u put nice trout in the boat having a small skiff myself most my trout trips turn into redfish trips due to weather wind. Like to stay close around the lake robin area and have room to move around instead of fishing the long rocks parking lot. Have yet to put a really nice box of trout in the boat since I had it but there’s always fall when they come back in. Till then ill just watch u do it. Keep up the great videos stay safe out there

[karlrockvoan]

You are a brave fella to go out there in that little boat, I’ve gone out in boats bigger than that and got caught up in a storm that came out of no where, good luck on your next trip out there

[boashna]

I am not a wader but benefit of wade fishing is that you move and your feet will be the best sonar to find all the dips and rocks in the area further more you create a mud track that other fish can terrace and you force all the creatures in the area move out of their shelter same as watching grasshoppers move in a grass field. down side is it takes more energy to walk and if you ever field your wader with water, you have to cut it open in less than 30 seconds because you become so heavy that you will sink .
Plug for my channel: make your engine last longer for free watch my video made on may 2020
Many fisherman die because they fall in a drop off wearing waders . yes you will catch more fish .. my experience is that bigger trouts are less aggressive and lazy and they live in places that are difficult to fish
or they would have been caught already by being aggressive .