Father’s Day, new redfish regulations coming soon

So, you have a few days between now and Father’s Day — it’s next Sunday — to think of that can’t-miss gift.

If Dad is a fisherman, make that a coastal fisherman, then you might consider a Golden Rule.

Not the “Do unto others…” Golden Rule, but a golden measuring stick. He’s going to need it with the second of the new regulations coming a few days after Father’s Day.

Yep, come June 20, the new regulations will be in force for redfish.

Like these:

• A new minimum size of 18 inches with a maximum size limit of 27 inches total length;

• A daily creel limit of four redfish;

• A prohibition of keeping redfish measuring longer than 27 inches;

• And, charter skippers and their crew(s) will not be able to keep a redfish while on a paid trip.

The new limits reduces the daily per-person limit by one redfish, and eliminates the possibility of keeping one redfish longer than 27 inches.

It’s also advisable to check out how to measure a fish in the state Wildlife and Fisheries 2024 Fishing Regulations pamphlet. This regulation has been around for years and mandates the angler must make the fish “a long as possible,” meaning you can’t “fan the tail” to make any fish fall under the maximum length limit.

If you want to jazz up this new measuring stick, then take a red permanent marker and draw a line at 18 inches and at 27 inches.

While you’re at it, take a black permanent marker and draw a line at 13 inches and another at 20 inches to account for the new length limits on speckled trout.

There are so many other choices, but it’s always good to know exactly what Dad wants for tackle or other fishing options. Same’s true for hunters.

Gift cards work well, too.

At Grand Isle

If there was one extraordinary truth coming from last weekend’s Catholic High Alumni Rodeo, it’s that keeper-size speckled trout around Grand Isle and The Fourchon want live croakers. That’s what all the bigger trout ate.

Live shrimp worked, too, but took a lot of smaller trout and the ever-present hardhead catfish.

We fished with artificial bait for two mornings both under a cork and tight-lined and caught small trout.

Another oddity was all the flounder entered in the rodeo. Fisheries biologists know cold winters produce more flounder, and maybe that was the case, but constant 12-15 knot winds kept a lot of rodeo anglers inside and fishing around rock piles and jetties, places where flounder like to live.

No wake zone

Heavy rains in the Verret Basin forced the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office to declare a no-wake zone in the Stephensville-Belle River area “until further notice.”

The area includes portions of Grassy Lake and Lake Palourde in St. Martin Parish.

Project Appleseed

A national movement to make youngsters better aware of firearms and become better shooters produced the name Project Appleseed, and it’s coming to Palo Alto Rifle and Pistol Club located just northwest of Donaldsonville the weekend of June 29-30.

The Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association is sponsoring the event for youngsters 17 and younger.

LSA spokesman Tony Geeck described PA as “…excellent program, you will be a better rifleman after attending.”

You can call Geeck at (985) 707-3443 to check out the availability of rifles, the limited quantity of ammunition and to answer any other questions.

A new chief

Wildlife and Fisheries secretary Madison Sheahan selected Stephen Clark to be the next head of the agency’s Enforcement Division with the title of “superintendent.”

Clark began his law enforcement career with the department in 1994 before moving to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service where he became an assistant special agent and a resident agent in charge, and special agent.

He has served as advisor since Sheahan was named to head the agency five months ago.

Red snapper

Through May 19, some 35 days after opening the season, Wildlife and Fisheries’ managers and biologists estimated the red snapper catch at 241,406 pounds. That’s 25.8% of our state’s annual allotment of 934,587 pounds.

The near real-time data is a product of the agency’s highly regarded LA Creel program.

And, through the first weeks, the agency continues to advise offshore anglers of the need to have a no-fee Recreational Offshore Landing Permit, which is available only from the agency’s website: wlf.louisiana.gov.

Offshore reef fishermen are required to have the ROLP to take a number of reef species, including snappers, cobia and groupers, and bluewater species, including tuna, wahoo, dolphinfish and billfish.