Sight fishing for redfish offers an engaging and immersive angling experience in the clear, shallow waters surrounding New Orleans. This method involves spotting redfish in their natural habitat before casting, allowing you to target individual fish and witness the excitement of the strike firsthand. The marshes and coastal flats provide ideal conditions for sight fishing, with redfish often visible as they tail or cruise just beneath the surface.
The marshlands around New Orleans are a haven for anglers seeking the thrill of catching redfish in their natural habitat. These expansive wetlands, with their winding channels and shallow waters, provide the perfect environment for redfish to thrive. Fishing in the marsh offers a unique experience where you can often spot redfish tailing or cruising just beneath the surface.
Our guided trips focus on exploring these rich ecosystems to locate schools of redfish feeding among the grasses and oyster beds. Whether you’re a seasoned angler or new to marsh fishing, we’ll help you refine your techniques and increase your chances of landing these impressive fish. Fishing for redfish in the marsh is not just about the catch—it’s about immersing yourself in the serene beauty of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands.
Choose from half-day or full-day fishing adventures.
Our half day fishing trips allow you to experience the thrill of fishing in the marshes of southeast Louisiana, targeting species like bull redfish, jack crevalle, sheepshead, and black drum. Book your adventure today.
your most common questions
Get answers to your most common questions about our inshore fishing trips.
On our inshore trips, we primarily target bull redfish, jack crevalle, speckled trout, and sheepshead. We also offer mixed bag trips where you can expect to encounter a variety of species depending on the season and conditions.
Hell’s Bay Marquesa – 18 ft. w Yamaha SHO 115
You’ll have a hard time finding a better skiff than this one. It drafts 7-8” fully loaded for getting into skinny water and the hull was designed to ride great in the chop. On days that are “iffy” on making that run out to the islands, we can go if you’re up for it and get to some areas that most other skiffs won’t. Oh… and it’s fast!
We welcome anglers of all skill levels, but when targeting fish on the fly, being able to make longer and accurate casts is essential. For our guests who are new to fly fishing, we strongly recommend attending a casting lesson prior to the trip. This preparation ensures you’ll get the most out of your experience on the water and increases your chances of catching fish.
Rods – Typically we throw 8-10 weights. It’s got to be pretty calm to throw the size flies we throw with an 8 wt so be ready to throw a 9 or 10 wt with a heavy fly in the wind. I like Orvis Helios 3 rods as my go to but I also use Sage and Scott rods. If you have rods you should bring them. That’s why you bought them! Hopefully you’re used to your gear as that means you’ve PRACTICED!!!
Reels – My go to is Nautilus Reels but I also have some Tibor and Orvis stuff. I like a light reel but not so light it doesn’t provide a little counter balance. A quality drag is essential down here! You could be pulling on a 30+ pound bull redfish or a rowdy Jack Crevalle that will put your gear to the test. For leaders I’m usually going from 40lb flouro at the butt section down to 20-30lb flouro at the tippet.
Flies – Crab, shrimp and mullet imitations are the standard. Usually bigger 2/0 hooks when the big dogs are around and down to a size 2 for smaller slot reds and sheepshead in the spring time. Kwan style shrimp, redfish ritalin, marsh toads, merkin crab patterns. Sometimes rattles can be helpful for getting some attention when the water is dirty. Big poppers can be fun when the fish are happy and/or schooled up. They are heavy and you gotta be able to sling a 10 wt to throw poppers. It’s very fun so PRACTICE and join in on that fun!
Our trips launch from Hopedale, LA, which is just a short drive from New Orleans. We’ll provide you with detailed directions and information upon booking.
Still have questions?
Join us for a day of inshore fishing targeting redfish, jacks, sheepshead and more!
