Even though Big Lake is a salt water inland lake, large amounts of fresh water like we have had during the past week can make a huge impact. Fresh water enters the lake in the form of rain as well as run-off from Calcasieu River and multiple fresh water marshes. Local tackle retailer and avid angler, Greg Vidrine, who talks to scores of anglers each week, reported that recent heavy rains have put a slight damper on the fishing on Big Lake. Vidrine observed that while most anglers are finding fishing tough, there are those who are still catching some nice trout. The locations of some of the current productive areas are on the east bank with hard, sandy bottoms, the southern most part of the lake and finally in the West Cove areas especially around reefs.
"Other areas have produced" says Vidrine "but not in the same quantities, mostly due to murky if not muddy waters". This tackle expert says to not give up on Big Lake just yet because after the rains have gone and a couple of strong tides, we will be back in action. What does Vidrine suggest are the top soft plastics? He list Berkley Gulp! as his most popular current seller plus other top plastics such as Norton sand eels, the new Browns Lures and the Tsunami Cork baits. He also added "Top water action was beginning to take off before the rain and I suspect will pick up as soon as the weather clears". Local favorite topwater baits include the Mirrorlure, She Dogs, Catch 5's and Catch 2000's.
Jay Bice, Lake Charles angler, caught some nice fish on a recent trip. They were fishing on an afternoon trip and reported that the wind got up out of the south and was a problem but did not run them off the lake. They landed 20 nice trout and several flounder on the south end of the lake while fishing on a reef . They used glow and chartreuse sand eels and Berkley Saltwater Gulp! 3 inch Minnows also in Glow. We look forward next week to the resumption of Elaine Hucks fishing reports from Calcasieu Point. We have missed them!
