# Trip To NOLA, Buras, and Houma, Louisiana: Let the Bon Temps Rouler!



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

My buddy Mike and I flew into MSY last Thursday and spent two nights with the wives thoroughly enjoying the wonderful food and drink of the Big Easy. 

After dropping the girls off at the airport, me and Mike headed down to the Cajun Fishing Adventures Lodge in Buras. Buras is in Plaquemines Parish, mostly south of New Orleans, just up the road from Venice. CFA is a well-respected lodge that was launched over 40 years ago. It is also a charter business and it offers guided duck hunting trips to some of the most productive duck habitat in in the U.S. CFA was rated one of the top 5 fishing lodges in North America. 

Sunday was our first day fishing. Mike and I joined Captain C.A. Richardson on his Hell’s Bay Marquesa for an early morning run from Cypress Cove Marina out to Sugar Lake Bayou and into the Mississippi River to fish the ponds and bays to the Southeast and in the Pass A Loutre State Wildlife Management Areas. This stretch of the Delta represents nearly 14% of all U.S. wetlands. The drainage from the Mississippi feeds this area with nutrient-rich freshwater, creating a great inshore fishing nursery for the base food source that draws gamefish of many species including Red Drum, Black Drum, Spotted Sea Trout, Gulf Flounder, Jack Crevalle, and Sheepshead. We were successful in bringing several nice reds and black drum to the boat. Almost all of the fish we caught ate either spinner baits rigged with Z-Man paddle tails or the new Z-Man GOAT bait in “the Deal” color. This is a great bait, that tumps and vibrates at all retrieve speeds—perfect for areas like we were in that had a lot of grass. The Reds and Black Drum really whacked it! As Ryan Lambert (owner of CFA) put it, “We got ‘em right where we want ‘em—dey trapped under da water!







































On Monday, our plan was to run from the marina straight into the Venice Oil Fields (AKA “the Wheel) . Unfortunately, we had to wait out a rain storm. Tired of waiting for the storm to pass, we decided to make a short run to Tiger Pass and fish the bays and ponds in that area. We were successful in catching several fish there, including a 34” black drum that Mike landed. There were large numbers of small, pass-size crabs on the bottom, mixed in with the duck weed and grass. Not surprisingly, there were also many sheepshead in the area, but we really were not rigged up to target them. After a couple of hours, we exited via a bayou and headed back towards the Wheel and the Spanish Pass area. We had 5-6 quality fish there to end the day on a high note. 






















We checked out Tuesday morning and made the 110 mile drive from Buras to Houma. Our plan was to fish with Captain Ron Ratliff (MarshDawn Fly Fishing) out of Chauvin, about 30 minutes southeast of Houma. The target species here would be Redfish, large Black Drum, Sheepshead and perhaps Sea Trout. Captain Ron has lived in- and fished that area since he was a kid. He’s a published fly-tier and an all around good man and guide. I highly recommend you charter with Ron if you are interested in fishing that area. 

On Wednesday morning, we launched a borrowed Hell’s Bay Whipray from Sportsman’s Paradise in Chauvin around 0730 and headed out to fish the very shallow marsh water in the bays to the east of Cocodrie. Having shots at large red fish, black drum and sheepshead (many with their backs showing with the water just coving their gills!) is very exciting. Ron has great eyes and he gave us every opportunity to have a stellar day. We had to wait out a bad storm so we made a run back to Sportsman’s Paradise for an hour or so before finishing the day with a few more fish. We were very fortunate to end the day with two slams (red fish, black drum, sheepshead and trout). Mike even sight casted a large triple tail that we spotted moving through the marsh grass, but we lost it boat side. 





















This was a great trip and if you have the time and money, I encourage you to plan it. Always happy to help with recommendations for lodging and restaurants if anyone needs it. Just DM me or give me a shout.

Tight Lines!


----------



## Nick728 (Jul 27, 2020)

Looks like you’re really enjoying your retirement DB, good for you and what a trip! Been dying to get up to that area for quite some time. Hopefully sooner rather than later.


----------



## Scrob (Aug 26, 2015)

DB- i live vicariously through your trip reports. Keep em coming!


----------



## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Great trip and reports, Dave! Nice photography to boot. Haven't had the pleasure of fishing with Capt. Ron, but I have stayed at CFA Lodge. Capt. Ryan and his team do an outstanding job. The accommodations and food are top-notch. Now I've got to start planning a return trip.


----------



## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

La bayous are on my bucket list. Especially now, after seeing this report. DB, retirement is agreeing with you!


----------



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

FlatsClass YouTube


----------



## Newman (Jan 22, 2018)

Great report.

Ron is very good.
Everyone should fish with him a few days in their lifetime.


----------



## scrapiron (Jun 13, 2020)

Great AAR and awesome pics. One day I'll get C.A. as a guide. 

This might need to be my sig: “We got ‘em right where we want ‘em—dey trapped under da water!"
-Ryan Lambert


----------



## TripleHauler (Jul 11, 2020)

Great report. I've fished Hopedale/Delecroix/Venice/etc. numerous times, but never fish to the West (Houma, Cocodrie, etc.). Always wanted to. Having now fished both, do you plan on going back to West side?


----------



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

TripleHauler said:


> Great report. I've fished Hopedale/Delecroix/Venice/etc. numerous times, but never fish to the West (Houma, Cocodrie, etc.). Always wanted to. Having now fished both, do you plan on going back to West side?


Yes, definitely. I had fished Dulac area before as well. Love them all!


----------

