Venice area trip suggestions- EDIT: Report

[rubble]

Heading that way in a few days. Any suggestions on where to fish?  If weather is decent, we’ll run to the S and SW passes to look for the big bull schools. 
 

we haven’t had a lot of luck finding other  hot areas. Suggestions?

[rubble]

Just returned from Venice.  We were at the marina for the first day of duck season.  Man do the Cajuns love their ducks.  It was nuts down there.  And I cannot believe they drive those boats in that Big ship traffic disturbed water.  Many are out well before daylight with no lights.  It was like nothing I have every seen.  

Not to mention got to watch the LSU v Bama game in Crawgators with all of the Tiger fans.  They were entertaining.

My fishing partner and I sat out the first day due to the Duck traffic and College football games.  We enjoyed it enough without wetting a line but our cabin mates went out and caught enough to clean.

Next day we took off to the SW Pass.  As soon as we got our boat setup and ready to fish, our cabin mates came by to tell us they coiuldn’t find any fish and were heading to the South Pass.  Only problem was their boat wouldn’t start.  I ended up having to radio USCG to help dispatch Sea Tow.  That was an experience as well.  We had huge ships running by us left and right and they would just get agitated and tell us to call the CG.  CG wouldn’t answer so we went up river.  When we returned, one of the big dredge boats started helping relay messages to the USCG and Sea Tow until Sea Tow was in range.  They were right next to us for a few hours but wouldn’t answer us until we had help on the way then they chimed in to help.  Odd.

Our buddies got towed the 50 plus miles back to the marina.  They started running the codes on their brand new Zuke and found out it was a kill switch error.  They pulled the switch and re-attached.  She started right up.  Wasted a day for a kill switch malfunction. Bummer.

Next day we went to the east bay of the South Pass.  We picked up a few eaters but were not hammering them.  We cranked up and went back to the SW Pass.  After about an hour of looking we found the schools of Bull Reds.  They wore us down and we went in early.  Minimum size was 32”. Caught a few over 40lbs.  Our buddy boat is always positioned close so when someone gets a fish on we can throw in near the line.  It’s automatic.  We always pick up fish off of someone’s line in a school.  Craziest thing was a guy in the other boat hooked up while I was bringing in a monster.  His line was near mine and he broke off.  When we were pulling the Red into our boat we noticed it had two lures in his mouth and was hooked solid.  It was the other boat’s bait.  That Red had eaten mine and while on the run ate again.  Have never had that happen.

The LA fishery is special.  Lots of fun but will wear you down if you get on them.  Between the long runs, battling the ship wakes and fighting the Bulls, it’s a real challenge.  

[KimmerIII]

its a cool place!