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hotdish
Potential NOLA road trip
Post 03 Dec 2017, 12:45 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/30/13
Posts: 853
Location: Wisconsin Driftless
Jan 1st the place I work closes for 9 days and I'm feeling ambitious to drive somewhere warmer. My plan is to drive to NOLA with the idea of spending at least 1 full day in or around the city. Then heading back. I figure if I'm diligent and hopped up on enough caffeine, I can make the drive there in 2 days...

A couple questions. One, how is the fishing usually on the gulf marshes in January? Two, is it unrealistic to think I could hire a guide the day before heading out?(I'd be driving down there and would hate to book only to have something go wrong and not make it) Three, are there any reasonably priced guides out of the NOLA area? Is it wrong to think $600 is a little high for a day of fishing? Maybe it's my cheap Midwestern ways lol.

Secondly, I'll most likely take I55 all the way down there, is there any good places I should check out for fishing along the way? Maybe even cool little POI I should stop and check? Cool fly shops?

Thanks.
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Stx4wheeler
Post 03 Dec 2017, 13:07 • #2 
Sport
Joined: 03/04/14
Posts: 63
Location: US-CO
Yes Fishing can be good there in January but it is a very weather dependent fishery. Yes it can be really really good if conditions align, but only going for one day might make things harder due to the unpredictable cool fronts that come through.

Booking a good fly fishing guide at the last minute further complicates your chances.

$500-600 is pretty much the standard rate for a flats fishing guide in the south. When you figure boat payments on a 40-50k skiff, top of the line gear, insurance, guide liscense fees, fuel and all the time they are spending before and after the trip trust me they aren’t getting rich at $600 a day.

If it were me making that long of a drive I would book the guided trip ahead of the time. If something were to happen you could always cancel the trip depending on the guides cancellation policy.

God luck!
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hotdish
Post 03 Dec 2017, 15:36 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/30/13
Posts: 853
Location: Wisconsin Driftless
Stx4wheeler, how are DIY opportunities in that area? Can I do much of anything on foot? Is it safe?
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Stx4wheeler
Post 04 Dec 2017, 12:06 • #4 
Sport
Joined: 03/04/14
Posts: 63
Location: US-CO
If you are talking about DIY redfish without a boat it is going to be tough, bringing a kayak would help.

On foot your saltwater fishing will be very limited from my experience. Most marshes are really muddy. I think there are some freshwater/ brackish water ditches in the area that hold bass, carp, and gar, but I don't have any experience fishing them. NOLA like most big cities can be hit or miss from a safety perspective it all depends in what part of town you are staying/fishing in. Some great food and people down that way though.
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hotdish
Post 07 Dec 2017, 15:38 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/30/13
Posts: 853
Location: Wisconsin Driftless
Well I booked the 5th of January. Seems like a hot time in the area. Open dates were slim or didn't fit in my schedule. Low Tide Charters. Figured if I'm going to pay $600 to fish with any of the guides down there it may as well be with the Orvis saltwater guide of the year.
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Stx4wheeler
Post 07 Dec 2017, 16:29 • #6 
Sport
Joined: 03/04/14
Posts: 63
Location: US-CO
Nice good luck!
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Hellmtflies
Post 07 Dec 2017, 17:04 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
Please bring me up to speed here. What da heck is "NOLA"?
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novisor12
Post 07 Dec 2017, 17:41 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/21/12
Posts: 462
Location: US-NY
New Orleans, Louisiana
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salvelinus
Post 07 Dec 2017, 19:55 • #9 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/15/10
Posts: 590
Location: Elizabethtown & Germania, PA
Nawlins
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picketpin52
Post 07 Dec 2017, 21:30 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/05/10
Posts: 5229
Location: Mid Hudson Valley of New York
NOLA AKA "The Big Easy" is great place to spend a few days. I have been to the city a couple times, though have never fished it. Be sure to soak up the great multi-cultural vibe and sample some cajun and creole cooking. If you've never been, Cafe Du Monde is a must stop for beignets.
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hotdish
Post 07 Dec 2017, 22:26 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/30/13
Posts: 853
Location: Wisconsin Driftless
Thanks. I'm not sure how much time I'm really going to spend in the city. At least 1 day. It's kinda a big road trip. Around 2200 miles round trip. Hoping to spend a little time in Nashville and Memphis as well. But I'll be eating only some of the finest creole and soul food.
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Trouterbass
Post 08 Dec 2017, 06:29 • #12 
Guide
Joined: 07/14/15
Posts: 113
Location: CA-QC
Fishing on foot...gators and snakes.
Good food....fried oysters and bbq shrimp...crawfish not in season.
And local crabs...can be caught in the canals.
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Hellmtflies
Post 08 Dec 2017, 10:14 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
salvelinus wrote:
Nawlins



:lol :lol :lol Got it! Thanx! :)
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hotdish
Post 08 Dec 2017, 21:13 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 05/30/13
Posts: 853
Location: Wisconsin Driftless
Trouterbass wrote:
Fishing on foot...gators and snakes.
Good food....fried oysters and bbq shrimp...crawfish not in season.
And local crabs...can be caught in the canals.
I see videos of folks fishing canals or city park. How successful of fishing are these places when not drowning live shrimp? Are they good placed to wet a line? Any chance I land a cichlid in January?

Also I hear I'm supposed to go to Hank's. I want to check out Cochon too. Where should I go for Beignet? Best gumbo in town?
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