Louisiana Inshore Fishing: Redfish, Speckled Trout, and Where to Book a Charter

Louisiana Inshore Fishing: Redfish, Speckled Trout, and Where to Book a Charter

Louisiana's coastal marsh system is the crown jewel of inshore fishing in North America. More than three million acres of tidal wetlands, brackish bayous, and grass-fringed flats stretch from the Texas border to the Mississippi River delta — and every square mile holds fish. Redfish (red drum) are the marquee species, but speckled trout run close behind, and on any given morning you might add flounder, sheepshead, and black drum to the mix.

If you've been searching for the ultimate inshore fishing experience, Louisiana delivers it at a price point that's hard to argue with. Here's everything you need to plan your trip.

The Best Louisiana Inshore Fishing Destinations

Delacroix Island

St. Bernard Parish, about 40 miles southeast of New Orleans, is ground zero for Louisiana redfish. Delacroix sits where the Mississippi River delta meets open marsh — a labyrinth of channels, bayous, and flooded grass flats that produces some of the highest redfish densities on the Gulf Coast. In fall, schools of 20–50 redfish cruise shallow flats in water so clear you can see their tails waving above the surface. Sight-casting to tailing reds in the Delacroix marsh is a legitimately world-class experience.

Charter guides working out of Delacroix typically run 20–24 ft bay boats with shallow drafts that access water less than a foot deep. Half-day trips from the Delacroix launch put you in prime marsh within 10 minutes.

Rockefeller Wildlife Management Area

Located on the western Chenier Plain between Cameron and Intracoastal City, Rockefeller WMA is a 76,000-acre wildlife refuge that encompasses miles of coastal marsh, ridge habitat, and tidal flats. The area is managed for waterfowl and wildlife, which means limited development and exceptional fishing pressure control.

Redfish and speckled trout stack in the tidal creeks and flats of Rockefeller throughout the cooler months. The marsh here has a different character than the Mississippi delta — more open, with large shallow ponds and shell-raked flats that produce impressive sight-fishing opportunities. Intracoastal City is the primary launch hub for guides working this area.

Atchafalaya Basin

The Atchafalaya Basin — a 1.4-million-acre floodplain delta running from just north of Baton Rouge to Morgan City on the Gulf — is the largest river swamp in the United States. While it's primarily known for largemouth bass, the lower Atchafalaya delta and its connection to Atchafalaya Bay produces exceptional inshore saltwater fishing. Redfish and specks move in and out with tidal influence throughout the year.

The Atchafalaya delta also produces world-class flounder fishing in October and November as flatfish stage before migrating offshore for winter.

MRGO Marsh (Lake Borgne and Breton Sound)

The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) channel and surrounding marsh — including Lake Borgne, Breton Sound, and the open-water bays east of New Orleans — is a massive inshore fishery that receives less day-boat pressure than Delacroix due to longer travel times. This works in your favor: redfish and specks in the MRGO marsh are less pressured and more willing to eat.

The open bays here also produce larger fish on average, including bull redfish in the 27–40 inch class that run in pods across shallow sandy flats.

Redfish Seasons: When to Go

Louisiana redfish are present year-round, but two windows stand out:

September through November (Peak Season)

Fall is the best time to be on Louisiana's inshore marsh. Water temperatures drop from summer highs into the 65–75°F range, redfish schools tighten up in the shallows, and the sight-fishing is at its absolute best. Tailing redfish on clear-water flats in October morning light is a spectacle.

September also marks the beginning of the "bull red" run — large 28–45 inch redfish that school up in open bays and along barrier island beaches before moving offshore for fall spawning. Catching a 40-inch, 30-pound bull red on light tackle is a different experience than schoolie redfish, and Louisiana has some of the best bull red fishing on the Gulf.

February through April (Spring Window)

Winter cooling pushes specks and reds into deeper channels and bayou systems, but as water temperatures climb back through the 55–65°F range in late February and March, fish begin moving onto warming flats. Spring is an excellent time for speckled trout fishing in particular — large pre-spawn trout (2–5 lbs) stack on shell flats and sandy points.

April offers some of the year's best overall inshore fishing, with both redfish and speckled trout active on the flats before summer heat stress.

Summer (June–August): Fishable, but hot. Early morning and late evening bites are most productive. Fish move to deeper, cooler water mid-day.

Tactics: How to Catch Louisiana Redfish

Sight-Casting to Tailing Reds

The premium experience. In calm conditions on clear marsh flats, redfish feed with their noses down and tails above the surface — "tailing." A skilled angler can cast 40–60 feet to a single feeding fish and watch the bite happen.

Best presentations: gold spoons, soft plastic paddle tails (3–4 inch), or live shrimp under a popping cork near the tailing fish.

Popping Cork Rigs

The popping cork — a weighted float with rattles — creates sound and surface disturbance that mimics a shrimp jumping at the surface. Suspended beneath it is a soft plastic or live bait. This setup is deadly for both reds and specks in moderate-depth marsh ponds and channels. Your guide will almost certainly have popping corks rigged and ready.

Soft Plastics in Marsh Grass

Weightless or lightly weighted soft plastic paddle tails and shrimp imitations worked slowly through marsh grass edges and along flooded grass flats produce fish all day. Work the edges and pockets — redfish ambush from the grass.

Speckled Trout: Louisiana's Other Inshore Star

Speckled trout (spotted seatrout) run alongside redfish throughout Louisiana's inshore system and often dominate the catch, particularly in cooler months. Three-to-five-pound specks are common; fish over 5 lbs are trophies.

Specks are less forgiving than redfish — they're more structure-oriented and spook more easily. Shell flats, oyster reefs, channel edges, and points are productive. In warm months, specks push to deeper water sooner in the day. In fall and spring, you'll often catch specks and reds in the same cast on the same flat.

Best speck tactics: Slow-sinking soft plastics (Bass Assassin Sea Shad, DOA Shrimp), topwater plugs in low-light hours, and live shrimp under a popping cork.

Licensing

Louisiana saltwater fishing license:

• Non-resident: approximately $35 for a 5-day trip license or $60 for an annual license
• Louisiana Basic Fishing License required in addition to the saltwater license for non-residents
• Licenses available online at louisiana.gov or at tackle shops and Walmart near the water

Redfish limits: 5 per person per day, 16–27 inch slot limit (one over 27 inches allowed daily). Check current LDWF regulations before your trip.

Charter Costs and What to Expect

Half-day inshore charter (4–5 hours): $450–$650 Full-day inshore charter (8 hours): $700–$950

Most charter boats are 20–24 ft bay boats running 4–6 passengers. Trip inclusions typically are: guide service, all tackle and bait, fish cleaning and bagging, ice, and licenses.

What you bring: Sunscreen, polarized sunglasses (essential for sight-fishing), food and drinks, a cooler if you want to keep fish.

Book with a licensed Louisiana charter captain. The best guides have multi-year waitlists for peak fall dates — book 3–6 months in advance for September and October.

Plan Your Louisiana Inshore Charter

WildTag lists vetted Louisiana inshore fishing charters in Delacroix, Intracoastal City, Morgan City, and the Lake Borgne area — with transparent pricing, real availability, and direct captain contact.

Browse Louisiana Redfish & Inshore Fishing Charters on WildTag →