Earlier this month, New Iberia native Pierre C. Shadeaux, the Cajun Groundhog, did see his shadow, thus forecasting a rapid return of summer.
And though our indecisive weather has not quite warmed to Pierre’s forecasting to bring on the bouts of summer daydreaming, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has made changes that will inspire some fish tales.
The changes at hand involve our red snapper season and the freshwater bass limits in the Atchafalaya Basin, Lakes Verret, Palourde and Fausse Pointe.
Louisiana’s red snapper season is receiving some recognition outside of local waters because of its inclination against federal fishing regulations on the breed.
The federal season on red snapper is only a 27-day stretch allowing two fish per licensed fisherman per day. In contrast, Louisiana has opened its red snapper season from March through September, Friday through Sundays, with four-day weekends on Memorial and Labor Day holidays, as well as an extra fish per licensed fisherman.
That’s a reel deal.
Needless to say, sportsmen are tickled across the state, but there is a detail that was brought to my attention by somewhat of a local legend around the fishing town of Cypremort Point.
Jake Onebane, Lafayette native, said unfortunately this new season will only benefit the guys fishing out of the Venice area and not the waters surrounding the Vermilion and Atchafalaya Bays.
Since the new snapper season pertains to Louisiana waters, it may only be fished in waters within 10 miles of the coast — any waters past that are considered federal waters.
Because waters are so shallow out of places like Cypremort Point, Burns Point or Cocodrie — mostly around only 15 feet deep — boats have to travel farther offshore to get to waters deep enough for red snapper. This brings them out into federal waters, and requires them to abide by the 27-day, two-fish federal limit.
However, this is not an infant issue as it has been deliberated over for some time. The change in Louisiana regulation is the product of a healthy red snapper stock, but that could be in danger with the somewhat young policy of “Idle Iron” initiated by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2010.
Idle Iron calls for the removal of offshore production facilities not in use over the past five years. This year, 359 platforms are to be removed in the Gulf of Mexico. This has many Southern marine scientists concerned with the negative effect on red snapper.
As for the simpler fisherman who just enjoys a slow Saturday afternoon trolling the basin in his flat-bottom, the alteration in the bass limit seems to be getting some positive feedback.
The previous limit on bass in the Atchafalaya Basin and surrounding lakes was a 10 fish limit requiring that they all be no longer than 14 inches long. The limit was implemented in order to restore the population after Hurricane Andrew killed some 200 million fish in freshwater lakes. Now, anglers will be able to keep seven bass of any size.
However, LDWF studies have concluded that anglers do not affect bass populations as much as Mother Nature — as seen by the more recent storms Lili, Rita and Gustav.
Manning Duhon, Atchafalaya bass whisperer, has always questioned the logic behind the bass limitations asking, “Why would I throw back a good bass, for it only to be killed in a storm?”
He’s expecting to have more productive fishing trips in the Basin from now on.
“It is a lot less likely for me to catch 10, or even five, 14-inch bass, than it is for me to catch seven bass around 10 inches. All the 14-inch limit did was increase the amount of bass under 14 inches.”
This summer, freshwater anglers should enjoy a full ice chest, while some offshore anglers may have to pay close attention to their whereabouts.
Regardless, with hunting season over and crawfish season starting up, it’s obvious that boat drink season is around the corner.
Chris Ortte is 22-year-old political science senior from Lafayette.
