New Orleans Fishing Charters & Guides

New Orleans Fishing Charters

New Orleans is one of the country’s top vacation destinations. And it’s no wonder why.... The city is rich in history, has great food and wonderful people. Anglers looking for a great place to set-up homebase in SE Louisiana should look no further than New Orleans. It has everything you’re looking for. For the history buffs in your group, there’s no shortage of learning opportunities in New Orleans. There’s a mixture of French, African, and American history centers and cultures in and around the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, nearby plantations, and the National WWII Museum. There are several tours in the city that guide locals and tourists alike and are happy to share their heritage with you. Also known as “The Big Easy”, New Orleans has earned the reputation as the place to party. Especially during Mardi Gras, a two week party in February with parades, concerts, and beverages galore. If you happen to visit another time of year, take a stroll down Bourbon Street and just imagine every balcony and inch of the street crowded with people. And the food?! Delicious. Whether it’s a beignet at Cafe Du Monde or a po’boy in any restaurant in town, you’re going to fall in love with the food of New Orleans.

Lake Pontchartrain Fishing

To the north of the city is Lake Pontchartrain, a 630 square mile brackish estuary. An estuary is a collection of water where freshwater rivers meet saltwater bodies of water, such as the Gulf of Mexico. While the salinity of Lake Pontchartrain isn’t what it used to be, there are still a variety of inshore species to be caught here. This includes speckled trout, redfish, flounder, sheepshead, black drum, and more. You can also catch largemouth bass in Lake Pontchartrain, especially towards the northern parts of the lake where freshwater feeds into the lake. For those reds or trouts, keep to the southern parts, near the Rigolets or even into Lake Borgne.

New Orleans Inshore Fishing

New Orleans is a great place to start your inshore charter. It’s location on the Mississippi Delta gives unparalleled access to some fantastic fishing grounds. The marshes and bayou are abundant with speckled trout, flounder, and the fan-favorite in these parts: redfish. Redfish, or red drum, are bronze or tan color with distinct black dot(s) near the tail. The females can grow larger than 28”, earning the name of bull reds when they are above slot size regulations. The many shallow waters near New Orleans means that sight fishing is the most used technique in the area. When reds are feeding their backs and tails often breach the top water, this is called “tailing.” Cast to redfish using spoons, topwater baits, or swim baits. The good news is, fishing for redfish is available all year long. It doesn’t matter when you’re visiting New Orleans, charter yourself a redfish trip and see why it’s very popular among local anglers. Black drum, cousins to the reds and in the same drum family, are also found throughout New Orleans inshore waters. Similar to reds, anglers will track black drum by tailing them, sight fishing in the early morning hours. Black drum is a great fish to target during spring and summer months. Other inshore favorites include sheepshead, jack crevalle, triggerfish, sheepshead, trout, flounder, and even some alligator gar. You’ll be able to reach your bag limit in no time when fishing around New Orleans.

New Orleans Offshore Fishing

If you can boat past all the enticing inshore options, then the Gulf of Mexico has some incredible fishing for you. Trips can vary from six hours to three days; giving opportunity for everyone who enjoys deep sea fishing. Most six or eight hour New Orleans charters will target dolphin or wahoo, fast runners that can be found near the surface of the water. Your captain will troll at least four lines in the water, dragging shiny bait such as ballyhoo, bonito, or anchovies to get the pelagic’s attention. Mahi mahi (also known as dolphin or dorado) are bright colors of yellow, green, and blue that school together. When one starts eating dinner, they all tend to join in the feast. Once you have one hook set, keep the mahi in the water to target the rest of the school. You will soon have a boat full with a delicious dinner planned. For multi-day offshore charters, you’ll target mahi mahi, kingfish, along with tuna and marlin. There are a variety of tuna and marlin in the area, but yellowfin tuna and blue marlin are the most sought after species in the deep blue waters. They are both quick swimmers and give anglers a good fight. Any tuna or marlin catch is the story of a lifetime!

Book A New Orleans Fishing Charter

Sure, you can spend your day in the historic city of New Orleans… there certainly is plenty to do. But maybe try a day outside the city and on the water. Whether it’s inshore or offshore, there’s an adventure waiting for you. Find a local New Orleans charter today with FishAnywhere.com and book your trip today - the adventure starts with just a click!