Delacroix journey

TEAM JO-JO:

Once again, the call of the wild marsh could not be ignored…

Being the ever-curious crew they are, the 3 Amigos—Big Don, Big Rudy, and Oneofthepack—got that familiar twitch in their casting arms and that gleam in their eyes that only one place on earth can spark: Delacroix Island, better known in Team Jo-Jo circles as our version of Disney World—where the magic is muddy, the rides float, and the characters come with tails and scales.

With the Bay Flat Sr. gassed up, rods rigged, and the Yamaha Dream Machine humming like a Cajun lullaby, the boys shoved off in the early hours under a marsh sky painted with pinks and purples. No promises, no guarantees—just that unmistakable feeling that "something good could happen today."

🎯 The Mission:

1. Run a little recon on some of our favorite spot numbers.

2. Check water conditions and bait presence.

3. See if the Silverwonders (aka speckled trout) were feeling frisky.

4. And maybe, just maybe, get into a good ole’ tussle with some Redwarriors.

🕵️‍♂️ Exploration Mode:

We hit a couple of new side canals and edges of broken marsh that “looked right” but didn’t deliver. Still, notes were made, and future recon missions planned. As always, half the joy is in the pursuit, not just the fillets.

🐟 Tally for the Day:

• Silverwonders (NMR Type) – 21

• Redwarriors – 6 (all 16" to 22", released a few over-slot)

• Miniwonders – too many to count.

• A couple of mystery hits that spit the hook and left us wondering, “What if…”

🧂 Extra Flavor:

• Ran into a few other boats, exchanged some friendly nods and waves (fisherman code for “you doin’ any good?”).

• Water temps holding steady in the sweet zone.

• Saw a few birds diving—always a good sign—but no Loon patrol out today.

• No tangled lines, no motor trouble, and plenty of laughs, which always makes it a “worth it” trip.

🥇 Final Grade: A- (only because we had to go home eventually)

As we made our way back to the dock, the sun was dipping low, painting the marsh in gold and orange, and the only thing heavier than our fish box was our sense of satisfaction. Another fine day logged in the book of Team Jo-Jo adventures, proving once again that Delacroix never disappoints… it just dares you to find the magic.

SIGNS:                            

·          Perfect

·         Wonderful week it be.

·         Me no fish at card game.

·         Big Barrett & his crew Big Rudy had a smack down on / with  Silverwonders Friday in  Lake P

·         Good night sleep.

·         Up at 3:30 AM for our 4:30 Am meet up at Waffle House in Oak Harbor.

·         Meet up at 5:00 AM with Big Don at Waffle House in Chalmette on time.

·         Check point Alpha water level in canal at junction down 8-8”

·         Check point Bravo, water falling in Reggio canal, they had their butterfly net scooping in the shrimp.

·         Reached the hone of the Bay Flat Sr gave me twenty second speech re: crossing Hwy & open space between dock & boat.

·         The crew made quick work of loading Bay Flat Sr.

·         Yamaha Dream Machine fired right up hot one she be.

·         Passed at the stop at Lionel’s  had all we needed on board.

·         Off to Team Jo-Jo spot # 21, to see if nay Redwarriors be round.

CONDITIONS:

·          Perfect

·         Wind, S/ 5-6, S.S.E. 4-6, S.S.W. 12-15 mph.

·         Water status / conditions: calm, little ripples, slight chops

·         Sky, sunny w. few clouds

·         Temp, cool, warm, hot came around 10 AM to beat heat & for Big Rudy to make a meeting for 1 pm

·         Water level, down 8-10”

·         Water Temp , 84.4 F

·         Salinity,  ,40

·         Specific Conductance  863

·         Pressure,  30.06 R

·         Water clarity on a scale of 1-7, 3 plus average

·         Mississippi gauge: 11.1’ falling.

·         Caernarvon Outfall:       641      ft3/s

·         Tide, tail end of falling start of rising perfect it be.

·         Peak tide, 04:42  L  0.2’

·         Peak tide, 17:58  H  0.84’

·         Major Feed Time: 22:07 / none

·         Minor feed time:   08:16 / 22:37

·         Tidal Coefficient:   67

·         Fish Activity

·           Average activity

·         Boats out and about,  15 boats, a lot on Twin Pipeline area

·      ONEOFTHEPACK’S REPERTOIRE OF TECHNIQUES / STRATEGIES      

·         Be safe.

·         Have fun.

·         This is me daily therapy for ALL me aliments.

·         Put some run time on the Bay Flat Sr and the Yamaha Dream Machine

·         Gather Intel for future trips, and to share with fisherperson, (on Facebook) to help assist them in their choice of areas to fish, lures to use and presentation of same to the elusive Silverwonders.

·         Catch what catch can.

·         Learn what learn can.

·         Verify:

§  Conditions

§  Water clarity

§  Bites

§  Status of spot numbers

§  Bring some salad trimmings for petite Lucy.

·         Find a spot  # with the seven fundamentals / criteria of catching:

1 WIND AT YOUR BACK: (Wind is not a factor, but we had all the correct angels tot eh wind to fish.)

2 MOVING WATER: (Tail end of falling start of a rising, cannot get any better perfect it be)

3 WATER CALRITY: (Various from a 3 to a 7 plus, looked good all over.)

4 HOLDING FISH:  (Psot # 21 & 51C)

5 PATIENCES: (Needed some at first, but just experiencing some water time down in Delacroix was all we needed)

6 SKILL: (Both tight linings & popping corks)

7 LUCKS: (No get wet!)

·      Oneofthepack’s repertoire of Techniques / presentations:

·         Anchor up cast & retrieve slowly along the bottom, with a twitch every now and then, tight lining…………………………………(3) Redwarriors.

·         Drift with the wind cast & retrieve (DWWC&R)……………DID NOT TRY

·         Oak River Troll (ORT)……………….Did not try. 

·         Reverse Oak River Troll (RORT) ………..DID NOT TRY

·         Oak River Skim (ORS) ……………DID NOT TRY

·         Cork ……..(3) NMR Silverwonders

·         Lake P Troll (LPT)…………….Did not try.

·         Drop shot: Did not try.

·         Dead bait……None

·         Live bait………………None

·      Oneofthepack ‘S repertOIRE of LURE DU JOUR:

·         3” H&H Purple Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head with gold hook……………Did not try

·         3” Chartreuse Glow Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook………….Did not try

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook……………(1) Redwarrior.

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 3/8 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………DID NOT TRY

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with H&H 1/2 oz. round white head w/gold hook……………DID NOT TRY

·         Salt Strong Power Prawn (added 10-25-24) matched up with: Did not use:

§  1/16 oz:.

§  1/8 ox: (1)Redwarrior 7 (3) NMR Silverwonders

§  ¼ oz. jig head :  

§  3/8 oz. jig head :    

§  Tandem Rig:           

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, matched up with 3/4 oz. round lead head w/ 2 trailers, ……Did not try.

·         Tandem rig, ¼ oz. round H&H jig head with gold hook, matched up with Matrix Shad Lemon Drop …..Did not try.

AREAS / SPOTS / NUMBERS ON THE MAP FISHED:

Team Jo-Jo’s spot #21 (3), 14, 15, 53, 57A (1)t (Ron’s spot) 51C (2) t, stopped fishing at 10:04 had to be in for a 1 pm meeting.

OUR REWARDS:

·         Lived too fish another day.

·         (3) NMR Silverwonders

·         (3) Redwarriors

·         (2) Croakers

·         (1) Lady fish

·         (7) Hardheads

·         (1) Crab

·         (3) Popped lines bottom

·         (1/2) bushel of grass

·         Snickers candy bar.

·         On the way back I made a stop at McDonalds, got me Dr Pepper & fires.

·         Lessons learned:

§  Delacroix has some action.

§  Word is we where in right spot just wrong time, tide needed to be falling instead of coming in.

§  Water clarity improved in Delacroix:

·         Spot # 21 a 4 plus

·         Spot # 6 & 5 a 5

·         Spot # 14 a 6

·         Spot # 15 a 7 perfect it be.

·         Spot # 53 a 4

·         Spot 57A a 3 plus

·         Spot # 51C 3

·         Tight line technique working

·         Cork technique works too.

·         Big Don catches some hardheads, said this is the slime he has had on his hands since his wedding night!!!!! Things you need not know, but funny.

·         Spot, technique, presentation, used to catch (30) NMR in lake P Friday, Big Rudy & Barrett had a good trip.

·         Best fishing trip of my life, until the next one.

FISHERPERSON OF THE DAY:

Oneofthepack drew first blood with Redwarriors, but that was it for me, had a couple taps to experience but no hook ups, wonderful day in a wonderful way, take home was all the experience me had today fishing Delacroix.

Big Don was on fire today, ( dead Bait) dominated the Hardhead division, & croaker category, be even added a Redwarrior to his credit, but he fell a little short for honors today.

\

Big Rudy slows out of the gate, snaked a lady fish then finally out biggest Redwarrior of the day in the boat, then started with Silverwonders in Four Horse, finishing with 2 NMR’s at spot # 51 C, Big Rudy fisherperson of the day for sure.

Suggestions:

Delacroix water clarity has cleaned up good at the way from North / south pipeline out to Twin pipeline, all areas looked to be very catchable in. Twin pipelines had boats lined up from Lake John to Four Horse on both sides.

Might want to gear up to fish / catch down in Delacroix.

PONDER OF THE DAY:

"Fishing is like dating; it's all catch and release until you find a keeper."

Q&A:

With fishing in mind, when is it okay to tell a lie? 

TEAM JO-JO’S future stratagem:

Ain’t no big plan… just that time of year again.

The summer heat’s creeping in like a slow boil, and from now on, it’s gonna be early starts and early finishes—on the water before the sun gets mean, and back at the dock before it starts talking trash.

Catching? Always a question marks this time of year. As the water warms and the fish get lazy, it becomes less about numbers and more about hunting. We ain’t trying to burn our first mates bringing them out on “no-catch” adventures—not everybody signs up for a boat ride in a sauna with a plastic lure in their hand and sweat in their eyes.

But lucky for me, I got a few solid first mates who get it… who understand that just being out on the water—watching the marsh come alive at sunrise, feeling the breeze push across the deck, seeing a cork disappear or a rod twitch—is worth the trip every time, fish or no fish.

For them, like me, it ain’t always about what ends up in the ice chest.

It’s about that tug, that chase, that sweet unknown waiting at every bend and under every ripple.

Catch or no catch—it’s all about the pursuit.

Good Fishing

Team Jo-Jo & Oneofthepack