When Bing Crosby crooned in the 1950s that “It’s a treat to beat your feet on the Mississippi Mud,” I’m not sure what he meant. But I know it’s not a treat to try to spot redfish in that same mud.
However, those were the conditions we were handed at this year’s Marsh Madness in early October, an invitational fishing-media/industry event organized by Eric Cosby, who runs Top Brass Tackle. Now in its 20th year out of Venice, Louisiana, the event permits dozens of anglers the chance to fish inshore and offshore over three days, while enjoying great Cajun food and trying a variety of fishing/boating products.
I had flown into New Orleans hoping to sight-cast “the ponds” — shallow, weedy waters far back in the marsh (that only shallow-draft boats can get into). Often the river is low and clear at this time, which makes sighting big “pumpkin” orange redfish laid up in the ponds pretty easy. But the Mississippi, this October, was unseasonably high and muddy. We still gave sight-casting in shallow water our best shot, but it was an uphill battle. Even so, as the photos here show, we enjoyed action in these productive waters.
Now read about the fabulous tuna fishery offshore of Venice.
