# DIY in Cocodire, LA



## Tilly_Copano (Feb 12, 2017)

Thinking about taking a my first Louisiana trip this Fall. I would like to go out of Cocodire but am open to anyone's suggestions. We would take a guide the first day and then DIY the rest of the trip. Am I crazy thinking I can DIY after one day with a guide? I have been all over google earth and the area looks like a maze. I am running a HPX-T and have a GPS, so I am not to worried about getting lost, more worried about the hazards in the water. How hard is it to find fish? What I have read its harder to find clear water than the fish.


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## Rick hambric (Jun 24, 2017)

Hard to find fish?? No. It’s easy over there. Look for good current area and feeder creeks. I strongly advise taking a 10wt with you. There’s some monster fire trucks over there.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

Coco is a blast. The restaurants are sub par at best. When in doubt, eat fried shrimp. We have always DIY'd there so you shouldn't have any issues. As far as running, I don't think there is much to watch out for. If you stick to the channels you will be fine. If you look at the map, you'll see several main channels that will get you into a general vicinity before you need to cross the smaller bays and lakes. Cell service is good to Caillou lake and to the beach. Not sure where you are staying but launch at the Coco marina and not the marina on the ditch. There is one fairly shallow spot at the entrance to the channel in front of Deep Saline. There is a gas platform there, give it plenty of room and don't let off the gas!

You are spot on about the clean water. It seems like ever time we schedule a trip we have 1 good day and the other days we are just searching for clean water. When the water is muddy in the marsh we like to head further south towards the beach. Or look for a pond with only one entrance/exit. Finding fish is easy, they are located on just about every point


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

When are you going? Cocodrie can be a headache during duck season. Study the GIS map of the area, you can overlay some information to give you an idea of where you can fish worry free and where you need to keep your head on a swivel. If you don't mind running a little ways you won't have too much of an issue. The fishing is good all year. Navigation is pretty average for Louisiana. The food in coco is hot garbage but the VRBO opportunities are pretty good, so get yourself a nice place and keep a few fish each day for the grill. 

Enjoy your trip! If you have any specific questions just PM and I'll try my best to answer them. 

ps. leave the 10wt at home


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## Tilly_Copano (Feb 12, 2017)

jmrodandgun said:


> When are you going? Cocodrie can be a headache during duck season. Study the GIS map of the area, you can overlay some information to give you an idea of where you can fish worry free and where you need to keep your head on a swivel. If you don't mind running a little ways you won't have too much of an issue. The fishing is good all year. Navigation is pretty average for Louisiana. The food in coco is hot garbage but the VRBO opportunities are pretty good, so get yourself a nice place and keep a few fish each day for the grill.
> 
> Enjoy your trip! If you have any specific questions just PM and I'll try my best to answer them.
> 
> ps. leave the 10wt at home



Thinking about going around the last weekend in October or early November, how does the duck hunting effect the fishing? I deal with duck hunters in Texas but most are out of the water by 9, not really a problem just respect their space.

About the GIS mapping is this to determine the private vs. public water? I have read about this a little bit but here in Texas as long as you are in the boat you are not trespassing, is this not the case in LA?


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## Tilly_Copano (Feb 12, 2017)

Just looked on the GIS mapping and there are a bunch of oysters leases and a DHH classification line that runs the entire coast line, are you not supposed to fish the oyster leases or cross the DHH line? It would be damn near impossible to not fish the oyster leases? Is this area an entire oyster reef?


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Tilly_Copano said:


> About the GIS mapping is this to determine the private vs. public water? I have read about this a little bit but here in Texas as long as you are in the boat you are not trespassing, is this not the case in LA?


No. Not even close. A vast majority of the tidal marsh, water included, is private and subject to trespassing laws. Land owners are not required by law to post their property, so in reality there really isn't any way to know if you're trespassing or not.

Please don't let this discourage you from fishing, it's workable if you take a few minutes to look at a map. 

So it's going to look something like this. Anything that's not shaded blue, green, or tan is privately owned. This does not mean you will be ticketed. In fact, I fish the area a bunch and I've only been chased out, never arrested. The most likely outcome will be you go fishing and you have no issues but during duck season things can get weird. We have a hierarchy of sportsmen here in Louisiana and the duck dynasty fans are at the top. They lease most of the marsh and in their mind they only get 60 days to do their thing. The saltier the water, the less of an issue you will have.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

The further from the ramp you go the less chance of bumping into someone or being chased out. Our runs are typically 30 minutes or longer-one way.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

jmrodandgun said:


> When are you going? Cocodrie can be a headache during duck season. Study the GIS map of the area, you can overlay some information to give you an idea of where you can fish worry free and where you need to keep your head on a swivel. If you don't mind running a little ways you won't have too much of an issue. The fishing is good all year. Navigation is pretty average for Louisiana. The food in coco is hot garbage but the VRBO opportunities are pretty good, so get yourself a nice place and keep a few fish each day for the grill.
> 
> Enjoy your trip! If you have any specific questions just PM and I'll try my best to answer them.
> 
> ps. leave the 10wt at home


hot garbage! haha that's pretty damn accurate! My first year there I ordered a chicken sandwich and got chicken nuggets on a bun. We now bring our own stuff and cook in the parking lot.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

GullsGoneWild said:


> The further from the ramp you go the less chance of bumping into someone or being chased out. Our runs are typically 30 minutes or longer-one way.


This is a much better explanation than mine.


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## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

I would definitely hit up Sportsman's Paradise for breakfast. Mrs. Connie will take good care of you and will also set you up with a lunch to go. Not sure where other people are eating down there, but I've never had a bad experience at Sportsmans. Mrs. Connie has been featured on several local fishing and cooking shows.

Your biggest challenge will be finding and staying on clear water. As a whole, the area has a much softer bottom than other marsh and as a result, the water gets stirred up easily with the tide and wind. You just have to bounce around and fish the pockets. I do best on days with less tidal flow. As far as hazards go, the area is also more of challenge to navigate than other areas, but I find it ranks somewhere in the middle on the "oh shit" scale. Last year a buddy and I hit a stump in his waterman and cracked his transom heading to the outside marsh. Markers sometimes mark the channel, sometimes they mark hazards! There's little rhyme or reason to the location of hazards like shallow water, shell, pips, stumps and crab traps. You just have to hold your breath and go for it. 

good luck.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

Tidewater speaks the truth. 

Don't just expect that going to LA is going to mean you are going to find insane fishin(that certain guides portray) everywhere you look. It can be really good, once you know what to look for, but a lot of times it can be a lot of work finding the water and fish.
Just takes some time and good weather.

Good luck.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

Tilly_Copano said:


> ... We would take a guide the first day and then DIY the rest of the trip. Am I crazy thinking I can DIY after one day with a guide? ...


Its not crazy at all if you state your intentions to find the right guide.

Tell the guide that you're coming from Texas with your own boat for a week and want to learn the area. Maybe don't even fish, but ride around the major waterways, learn the tides, which tidal station(s) to use, how to find clear water, review bait and rigging techniques, learn what to look for to find fish on your own.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

MariettaMike said:


> Its not crazy at all if you state your intentions to find the right guide.
> 
> Tell the guide that you're coming from Texas with your own boat for a week and want to learn the area. Maybe don't even fish, but ride around the major waterways, learn the tides, which tidal station(s) to use, how to find clear water, review bait and rigging techniques, learn what to look for to find fish on your own.


Worth the $$ for first time water in La


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## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

The pictures I see from my friends camp down there show tons of sea trout and redfish


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

IF you book a guide for the first day make it explicitly clear that you will be fishing the rest of the week in your own boat. Some guides are fine with that but most of them will pass on that (and its hard to blame them).


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## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

ifsteve said:


> IF you book a guide for the first day make it explicitly clear that you will be fishing the rest of the week in your own boat. Some guides are fine with that but most of them will pass on that (and its hard to blame them).


Esp the local guides in that area who are already sick of all the out of state boats. Might be able to hire some of those texans who winter over here. They probably won’t care.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Tilly_Copano said:


> Thinking about taking a my first Louisiana trip this Fall. I would like to go out of Cocodire but am open to anyone's suggestions. We would take a guide the first day and then DIY the rest of the trip. Am I crazy thinking I can DIY after one day with a guide? I have been all over google earth and the area looks like a maze. I am running a HPX-T and have a GPS, so I am not to worried about getting lost, more worried about the hazards in the water. How hard is it to find fish? What I have read its harder to find clear water than the fish.


Following, thinking about the same trip.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

A little off topic. I was planning on doing a trip to LA this fall, but it is looking like it maybe February, will the big redfish still be in the marsh that time of year?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

TidewateR said:


> Esp the local guides in that area who are already sick of all the out of state boats. Might be able to hire some of those texans who winter over here. They probably won’t care.


What’s the problem with out of state boats? They can kiss my white ass if they don’t like me trailering my boat from Texas to fish over there for a day or two. I promise I won’t be showing back up to the dock with a pile of fish knee deep for a Facebook hero shot so what’s the problem?


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> What’s the problem with out of state boats? They can kiss my white ass if they don’t like me trailering my boat from Texas to fish over there for a day or two. I promise I won’t be showing back up to the dock with a pile of fish knee deep for a Facebook hero shot so what’s the problem?


Last year we had one holler at an out of state guide skiff and then take us through a locked gate. Go figure...

The pond burning tower boats are a different story all together. There is just no need to bump fish in a pond at 35 mph. If you want to see if it's holding fish, you should have to stop and fish.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Here's the issue. Yes the marsh is vast and there are lots of places to fish. But its NOT infinite. I have seen a noticeable difference the last several years in fish behavior. There is more and more pressure all the time. The guides are trying to earn a living and every new boat just makes their job harder.

But here is the big one and I know this happens for a fact. There are a number of guides from other states that come to "guide". In a number of cases they are taking anglers they usually fish in their home waters. So far so good. BUT, they tell their anglers that they are "just buddies out fishing" and if they get stopped to just say that and not that they are getting guided. The "guide' doesn't pay for the out of state guide license that way. Its not right but it happens more than you think.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

jmrodandgun said:


> Last year we had one holler at an out of state guide skiff and then take us through a locked gate. Go figure...
> 
> The pond burning tower boats are a different story all together. There is just no need to bump fish in a pond at 35 mph. If you want to see if it's holding fish, you should have to stop and fish.


I totally agree, I am not a fan of tower boats and do not blame anyone in any state for hating them. They are designed to harass fish and that’s that. People can argue about it all day but in the long run I’m right. If they want to troll shorelines and sight cast why not have a tall casting platform? They drive from up top so they can burn shorelines and corral redfish. My buddy has a mid tower SCB and I hate it.
Sorry for the thread derail...


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

ifsteve said:


> Here's the issue. Yes the marsh is vast and there are lots of places to fish. But its NOT infinite. I have seen a noticeable difference the last several years in fish behavior. There is more and more pressure all the time. The guides are trying to earn a living and every new boat just makes their job harder.
> 
> But here is the big one and I know this happens for a fact. There are a number of guides from other states that come to "guide". In a number of cases they are taking anglers they usually fish in their home waters. So far so good. BUT, they tell their anglers that they are "just buddies out fishing" and if they get stopped to just say that and not that they are getting guided. The "guide' doesn't pay for the out of state guide license that way. Its not right but it happens more than you think.


That happens in every state not just LA, there are a lot of so called "guides" that have no licenses in Florida either.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I totally agree, I am not a fan of tower boats and do not blame amyone in any state for hating them. Theg are designed to harass fish and that’s that. People can argue about it all day but in the long run I’m right. If they want to troll shorelines and sight cast why not have a tall casting pkatform? They drive from up top so they can burn shorelines and corral redfish. My buddy has a mid tower SCB and I hate it.
> Sorry for the thread derail...


AMEN!!


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## CoolRunnings (Oct 18, 2012)

This thread has gone off on a tangent. I believe the point some are trying to make is that there is a noticeable uptick in out of state guides fishing LA in Oct.-Dec. this makes locals more guarded with who they give info to. I have no problem sharing the marsh with out of state recreational fisherman, but some are starting to take issue with seasonal guides.


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## TidewateR (Nov 11, 2009)

sjrobin said:


> That's funny. I spent eight days over in La last year and I did not see another skiff on the water. I must not be looking in the right places. The Mississippi delta is a big place. As a Laguna Madre Texan, I can appreciate and respect the habitat La is blessed with.


That’s great that out of 8 days you’ve fished in Louisiana you didn’t see another boat. I’ll take the experiences of guides like Townsend and Taylor who have been fly guiding in Louisiana for 20+ years, 365 days a year over a texan (all due respect) who came and fished for 8 days. LA is a big place but can get small when you factor in wind direction and where clear water is holding. Esp the area you come down and fish. It gets small fast when vying for leeward banks in areas that hold clean water.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Cocodrie would be little more than a coffee stain on a map without out of town boats. Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to remember that Gary Taylor fellow getting rid of his skiff hauling shrimp boat and moving his fly guiding operation west because of crowding from all the guides operating out of St Bernard. I guess it's cool if visitors come and fish as long as they are fishing Wahoo and not inshore redfish with a skiff.

Funny how there is no mention of local guides stacking dead redfish up like cordwood for hero shots. I guess it's all relative, right?


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

Why all the hate over an out of state guide? I know one or two of the transient TX guides and consider them to be friends. Not all of them are bad guys and the guides I know stay for the season, not just 8 days. Not that I care about how long a guide stays in a given area. Why is it that a fishing guide must only guide his home state waters? The tarpon fishery in FL is full of out of state guides! Some good some bad. My poon guide lives in NOLA and fishes Nov-April for Redfish in the marsh then drags his skiff to FL for the poon season. Plenty of guides do this. Its the best of both worlds but they do all need to be legal. And if they are not legal, you can call your local wildlife law enforcement officer and make a report. I'm sure it would make the LA sportsman site if several out of state guides got ticketed for not having a guide license. The people taking advantage of the situation are only going to be caught if you say something. If you don't say something then you are part of the problem.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

GullsGoneWild said:


> . If you don't say something then you are part of the problem.


The problem is you can't report hearsay.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

jmrodandgun said:


> The problem is you can't report hearsay.


I respect you but I'm going to disagree with you here. I think you can absolutely report hearsay and let the Game Warden sort it out. That's their job.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

GullsGoneWild said:


> I respect you but I'm going to disagree with you here. I think you can absolutely report hearsay and let the Game Warden sort it out. That's their job.


Report unlicensed guides. They can only make so much money taking friends out, before they start taking people out they don't know. In Florida FWC officers will book a trip with the unlicensed guide to bust them.


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Steve_Mevers said:


> Report unlicensed guides. They can only make so much money taking friends out, before they start taking people out they don't know. In Florida FWC officers will book a trip with the unlicensed guide to bust them.


The problem is its pretty hard to pull this off. Guides aren't stupid (well most of them anyway). So they only come with close clients that know the deal and to keep their mouth shut. If a guide wants to spend a month here he can probably fill up his time with his buddies and never book people they don't know.

The problem is the license fee is pretty stiff. If a guide is coming for a couple of months then the fee isn't that big a deal. But if he's coming for a week or two then its a pretty stiff bite out of his profit.


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## GullsGoneWild (Dec 16, 2014)

From the Louisiana Sportsman Page. Link included. Boom?


Enforcement agents with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries arrested a 22-year-old Sulphur man earlier this month for allegedly guiding 87 times without a charter guide fishing license this year.

According to a press release, Devon K. Fontenot was cited for 87 counts of failing to comply with charter boat regulations on Oct. 12, and was booked into the Cameron Parish Jail.

Fontenot was cited on both July 28 and Aug. 4 near the Cameron Jetties for allegedly operating a charter guide fishing service without the required license, the release states.

On Aug. 11, LDWF agents contacted his employer, who furnished them with logs of more charter trips Fontenot allegedly made in 2017. 

According to the release, he made an additional 87 trips without a license in 2017 that he hadn’t been cited for. The investigation revealed Fontenot did not obtain a charter guide license until Aug. 16 of this year. 


Failing to comply with charter guide fishing regulations brings a $400 to $950 fine and up to 120 days in jail for each count, the release states.

http://www.louisianasportsman.com/details.php?id=11376


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

ifsteve said:


> The problem is its pretty hard to pull this off. Guides aren't stupid (well most of them anyway). So they only come with close clients that know the deal and to keep their mouth shut. If a guide wants to spend a month here he can probably fill up his time with his buddies and never book people they don't know.
> 
> The problem is the license fee is pretty stiff. If a guide is coming for a couple of months then the fee isn't that big a deal. But if he's coming for a week or two then its a pretty stiff bite out of his profit.


No doubt some will get away with it, but it is hard to fly under the radar these days with social media and clients that want to brag about all the fish they caught. You do it long enough, you can be caught, it really comes down to if you got the attention of the LA agents and if they have the time to conduct the investigation. Trust me, there is more than one way to skin a cat.


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## DeepSouthFly (Sep 7, 2016)

So this guy was an LA resident? lol


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

DeepSouthFly said:


> So this guy was an LA resident? lol


Yep. There was a guy from a bow fishing charter that got busted twice. Once for guiding without a license and a second time for poaching alligators out of season... At night... while guiding a boat full of clients

But hey, those damn out of state guides are harshing everyones mellow over in Cocodrie. 

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2015/06/bowfishing_captains_arrested_a.html

38838


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## DeepSouthFly (Sep 7, 2016)

jmrodandgun said:


> Yep. There was a guy from a bow fishing charter that got busted twice. Once for guiding without a license and a second time for poaching alligators out of season... At night... while guiding a boat full of clients
> 
> But hey, those damn out of state guides are harshing everyones mellow over in Cocodrie.
> 
> ...


 yeah sure sounds like it. It's always someone from another state's fault. I'm from AL and I have been told by local guides of the area I fish in the panhandle that it's all these rich out of state people coming down here with there big bay boats is the reason why the fishing in that area sucks now. That's basically the same as me saying all these out of staters coming to bama to deer hunt is why deer hunting sucks now. But it doesn't suck, just like the fishing doesn't suck. It has gotten tougher but I mean what would their solution be? I guess states could do like AR did this year with the out of state duck license or permit for public land or whatever they did and raise the cost through the roof. But it's still great for your local economy when a town has these outdoor benefits. At the end of the day no one owns the fish just like no one owns the deer. They are God's creation and we get to chase them around for sport or to feed ourselves and our family. It all comes down to following the law no matter what state, don't be an idiot, and stay in your lane. IMO. 
If someone is breaking the law, you report it. That's the way you stop mess like that no matter who it is. Only way a Game Warden will know is if someone tells him. His whole job is based off of hearsay. They don't have to have "probable cause", they can do whatever they want. Just like they can hop a gate and walk up on you in a stand because they had a feeling you were hunting over bait.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

I really hope this thread isn't discouraging people from visiting the area. The only problems I've ever had have been trespassing issues, but that's only because I was too lazy to double check the map. If you spend a few minutes looking at maps and don't take any shortcuts while trying to get to your spot, there is not a whole lot to be worried about. Striking something underwater can happen anywhere, there is no point in dwelling on it. Most everything else is easily avoidable with some effort.


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