Delacroix windy day challenge

TEAM JO-JO:

April 1, 2025 – No Foolin’, Just Fishin’!

On this fine day, April 1, 2025, the Team Jo-Jo crew was locked and loaded for another adventure on the water,  with Team Jo-Jo’s  own Big Ronnie (aka Indian Ron) was in town, and joining him was his son Mike, was in town, who made the journey all the way from Indiana to experience a little slice of Sportsman’s Paradise firsthand.

With the Bay Flat Sr fueled up and ready to roll, the mission was simple:✅ Make some unforgettable memories.✅ Catch a few fish (or a whole lot more).✅ Enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors.

Father and son trips like this don’t come around every day, and we were determined to make the most of it. Would the Silverwonders and Redwarriors cooperate? Only time—and a few good casts—would tell.

Either way, it was sure to be a day well spent, filled with laughs, storytelling, and the kind of moments that stick with you long after the last line is reeled in. 🎣🔥

SIGNS:                            

·         Me not fish at card table Monday night game, me .50 of a “C” note ahead of game, look out Gu Net & Tackle here me come to add to me fishing tackle inventory.

·         Rought Monday night game broke up around 11 plus, got to sleep around 2 AM.

·         Up at $:30 AM for our 5:30 AM meet up at Waffle House in Chalmette.

·         Big Ron & Big Mike at WH waiting for me.

·         Transferred there gear and we on our way.

·         Check point Alpha water level in canal at junction up m8-10” water level at 4.88’

·         Check point Brvao, water falling in Reggio canal.

·         Not much activity along Delacroix Hwy

·         Reached the home of the Bay Flat Sr , (BFS) gave me 30 second speech, re: crossing Hwy. and open space between dock & Bay Flat Sr, did not want anyone to fall over, it has happened 5 times before, and me knew falling over runs in the Indian family.

·         The crew made quick work of loading BFS.

·         Off to Sweetwater for some lively shrimp, Big Don, cannot leave home without them.

·         Off to Team Jo-Jo’s spot # 51K on map to start our fun day of fishing.

CONDITIONS:

·          Perfect

·         Wind, N.E. 18-22, E.N.E. 20-23 mph steady as she blew.

·         Water status / conditions: light to heavy chops

·         Sky, overcast.

·         No, a sprinkle of rain.

·         No fog

·         No Gnats

·         Temp, rain jacket on all day.

·         Water level, down  8-10” 4.88’ level

·         Water Temp , 74.7 F

·         Salinity,  1.3

·         Specific Conductance 2430 

·         Pressure,  29.97 R

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

·         Mississippi gauge:  8.25’

·         Caernarvon Outfall:        424     ft3/s

·         Tide, Rising

·         Peak tide, 03.20 L 0.39’

·         Peak tide,  16:34 H 1.21’

·         Major Feed Time: 14:11 / none

·         Minor feed time:  07:37 / 21:45

·         Tidal Coefficient:   90

·         No birds diving

·         Fish Activity

·                High Activity   

·         Boats out and about,  7

·      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.

·         Re-introduce Big Mike all to what Disney World known as Delacroix has to offer.

·         Create new memories for father & son journey fishing abord the Bay Flat Sr.

·         Bring some fishes for Petite Gloria

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

1 WIND AT YOUR BACK: (This criterion was our challenge for the day, at 23 plus mph it was hard to find a place to set up and be able to fish lures. We tried to use the wind to push us lang the bays & bayous, but even with dragging 2 Cajun anchors we still doing 3 plus mph. Best choice for today set up in a lee wind locations and make do.)

2 MOVING WATER: (Look like we had a slack tide AM, then wind got worst, and the water started to pour in, we found a spot with some back wash, and that where the Silverwonders be hiding in it)

3 WATER CALRITY: (IN Lake John area a 3 minus, looked good, no need to run around to find better clarity water to fish, we stayed put, plus wind was not favorable for running around.)

4 HOLDING FISH:  (Spot #51C on Team Jo-Jo’s map, all but one caught here)

5 PATIENCES: (It was a slow action day, but watching dad & son go at it kept me entertain all morning, me forgot all about needing any patients.)

6 SKILL: (Tight lining technique.  thank the fish gods, me been waiting for this to happen, happy days ahead.)

7 LUCKS: (No get wet, caught a few fish, and a lot of memories that will last for years to come.)

·      Oneofthepack’s repertoire of Techniques / presentations:

·         Anchor up cast & retrieve slowly along the bottom, with a twitch every now and then, tight lining…………………………………All fish caught with this technique.

·         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 ……..Nothing

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

·         Drop shot: Did not try.

·         Dead bait……None

·         Live bait………………Caught a few, drum, & catfish on bottom.

·      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………….Surprise, surprise, 99% of fish caught with this lure on tandem rig. Me was about to give away , me 999 plus ones we still have.

·         Matrix Shad Lemon Drop, 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 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:

§  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 …..3” Chartreuse Glow Beetle, matched up with H&H ¼ oz. round white head w/gold hook…99% caught.

AREAS / SPOTS / NUMBERS ON THE MAP FISHED:

Team Jo-Jo spot # 51K, 51C all fish but one, 51J (1t), 51A, B, 51K, tried to go to 51N but could not find it. Stopped fishing around 11:38 and headed back to the home of the Bay Flat Sr.

OUR REWARDS:

·         Lived too fish another day.

·         (15) Silverwonders, 7 Miniwonders

·         (1) Almost Redwarrioer

·         (1) Flounder

·         (5) Puppy Drum

·         (1) Croaker

·         (1) Freshwater cat

·         (1) Hardhead

·         (1) like new spinning rod & reel, Big Mike brought this in

·         One Petite Gloria’s delicious peanut & jelly sandwich, thanks lade me needed that.

·         Creating farther / son memories with Big Ron & Big Mike

·         Being on the water with 2 of the best fisherpersons me know, Big Ron & Big Mike

·         Lessons learned:

§  Sometimes a windy day can be a challenge, especially when it is blowing 20-23 mph out of the E.N.E. direction.

§  Team Jo-Jo spot # 51C proved to be a good selection with prevailing winds, we had some protection, and it was at our back, which made it easy for casting and feeling the strikes.

§  Tight lining was the favorable & producing technique / presentation for todays catch, me been looking forward to this type, (tight lining, be me favorite technique) trip for a long time.

§  Me feel it will not be long before Delacroix really starts to turn on, when you can catch them tight lining it is going to get good.

§  Me still cannot find Team Jo-Jo spot # 51N, been awhile since we fished it.

§  Water clarity looks much better, staying in the Lake John area  all day did not need to run around looking for better clarity somewhere else.

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

FISHERPERSON OF THE DAY:

Big Ron brought in firsts one, missed Redwarrioer, caught some Silverwonders and a couple drum, caught a double on his tandem rig, but all his efforts for today feel a little short for the horons. Me had to take away a few points due to his use of live shrimp, (see picture) just not the way me would  fish with live shrimp.

Oneofthepack, was just Oneofthepack, caught a few Silverwonders, a drum or two, missed a few strikes, and even caught a BIG branch from the shoreline, but me too feel way short for honors today.

Big Mike was a little slow getting out of the gate and in the action, but with his dad’s help, (Or maybe not)  he got in the game. Never stopped fishing & trying, did not even take a lunch break fished right through it. Me had the feeling he did not want to go home even with the 25-mph wind he wanted to keep trying. Big Mike contribution to today’s catch:

·         A few Silverwonders

·         Drum

·         Dominated the:

§  Flounder category

§  Fresh water cat division

§  Hard head divisions

§  And completely blew us away in the rod & reel category, catching of the day, he caught what looked like a brand-new spinning rod & reel.

Big Mike fisherperson of the day, me owe him a trophy!

SUGGESTIONS:

Tight lining heating up, fishing / caching  are about to get good down in Delacroix, all you need to know is, “You got to go to know” so just go!

“Think Lake John” & surrounding areas.

PONDER OF THE DAY:

"The water you touch in a bayou / lake is the last of that which has passed, and the first of that which is coming; thus, it is with fishing / catching time." 

Q&A:

Can you remember the most expensive fishing trip you’ve ever had? 

TEAM JO-JO’S future stratagem:

Nothing planned, but that is subject to change at any time, until then:

Good Fishing

Team Jo-Jo & Oneofthepack

釣り先生

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