kayak fishing grand isle

[ecb]

I have been in the club a little over a year and haven't heard much about the fishing on Grand Isle itself?

I hear about Elmers Island,

Does anyone ever kayak fish the gulf side like they do in Gulf shores/Pensacola. Seems like we could catch lemons and kings like they do?

Can you park on those dead end streets and launch the yak on the bay side?

I've wade fished the island of course, but the few times I fished out of a boat we either went offshore or back in the bays.

Just curious

[Speckled_Tiger]

personally I think there are too many idiots driving boats around Grand Isle to venture past the breakers. just my 2 cents.

[GreenWave]

Our ocean bottom does not drop off near as steeply as it does around Pensacola. I'm not saying you couldn't paddle out and get a cobia or a king, but I doubt they turn up near shore quite so frequently here. On the other hand, I've never tried. Go get 'em!

There are spots to launch into the bay side from Grand Isle. It's just that you have to drive past so many other great spots before you get there!

[buddhaman]

Elmer Island's a ball!! Head to the west end of the island and there's a nice cut between the island and Fourchon Beach that you can either go in to the marsh or fish the surf for red's and specs. There are some clay bottom areas that snug the beach shoreline where you can load up on flounder by bouncing a jig. This past December when we had some cold freezes, a guy went in the marsh behind Elmer's and scooped up some monster specs. The photo's of the inside of his piroque were impressive. Elmer's and Fourchon don't get near the boat traffic that Grand Isle does, but I'd still be on the lookout for bonehead's on the weekend. When I moved back to LA in 92, I didn't have a boat so all I did was roadside. Elmer's and Fourchon were great places to show up at daybreak and surf fish. Elmer's is a good spot to go ... if the surf's up you can always hit inside. Plus, there's pretty girls on the beach!!

[MDR]

Yes you can fish the gulf side and do pretty well. I tend to go just past the breakers. Last year I hit the timing just right and got into some nice Spanish Macs. Last year I was not really trying to target any bigger species, but rather trying for bigger specks and reds and happened to stumble on the Spanish. This summer I may very well try to target some other species just to see what I might come up with. And I still want to try to mothership out to some of the rigs just for the hell of it at least.
Greenwave already hit it as far as kings and lemons go. Primarily due to the depth they will be farther out. I have never been quite sure why the lemonfish do that here in our part of the gulf. Along the eastern seaboard, North Carolina and Virginia anyway, they are frequently caught off the end of some of the piers.

[tefishmaster]

I think the article in the new La. Sportsman said they are filling in the cut on Elmers caused by the Huricanne.

[Kingfish]

I think the biggest problem for yakkers on GI is access. You either have to put in at one of the marinas and negociate the motor traffic, or you have to take quite a hike over a levee from a camp or to use one of the public launches beachside. The state park, as far as I can tell, has the same issues. There are many who have launched from the dead end roads to fish bayside but I've never tried it.

There was talk of the city of GI building a yak-launch a few years ago and a petition was passed around. I don't know what happened to it. Because of these issues I usually fish Elmers or Fourchon for the reasons Buddaman listed. (BTW, welcome to the group!) Since the yak fishing nation is growing in leaps and bounds, maybe they'll resurrect the idea.

[Speckled_Tiger]

I remember reading somewhere (not sure where so I wouldn't use this reference as any evidence) that Danny Wray was using any profits for the Ride the Bull tournaments to fund the building of a kayak launch so it may take a few years but I think there is a plan in place.

[BayouCadillac]

There is a "public launch" behind the new WLF building on GI that we've used many times to fish the back side of the isalnd...From what I understand, that's where Danny was lobbying to put the "official" public launch...not sure where they are on that though.... Otherwise, there are many of place to launch up and down GI, just have know someone, ask permission (offer to share some of your catch), or be sure to eat your wheaties....we've never had a problem getting in the water.

And yes, I was at Elmers a few weeks ago and they were filling in the gap created by Gustav....shame cause we LOADED up there several times last year....now where did I put my plan B for paddlepalooza....

[jallen355]

Julie and I are leaving Saturday afternoon and staying at a camp on the backside of Chenier through the week. We're bringing a boat and a couple of kayaks. There's a backdown and dock with adjacent access to the marsh in the back. Should be a great place to stay. We'll be seeing Danny Wray Monday morning so i'll see what i can find out about the yak launch plan.

Keep up the good info here as we have never fished down there before. I took the kids down to Elmers years ago and did a little crabbing, but that's about it.

[Glwlsu]

There is a place to launch on the right just before you get on the bridge to the island. There is a large sand bar right there. So concrete but pretty easy to put the yak in.

[revredfish]

TRig is only 2.5 miles from Fourchon. Sharks, bull reds, spanish mackerel, and I'm sure other things can be caught. But you are pretty exposed out there and a crew boat could really mess up your trip. We plan on having a rescue boat follow us out on a trip this year. Last year I did a little mother ship out there, hooked up with a 36 inch shark for a fun little fight . But a bull red would have been a wild ride.

[ReelThrill]

That sounds like a good trip Rev. Wouldn't mind going along with you guys on the next trip.

[Mung]

I have fished the backside of the island in the kayak, but not the front side. I can pretty much reach everything I want to on the front wade fishing. Plus launching in the surf is no picnic, unless it is flat, or you fisn a good spot behind the breakwaters. Besides, there are lots of great spots on the marsh btw Fourchon and GI, like Elmers, Thunder bayou, TPH, Bay Champagne, etc. No need to compete with all the drunk boaters on the beach.

[revredfish]

That sounds like a good trip Rev. Wouldn't mind going along with you guys on the next trip.

Capt Danny was supposed to work on the idea for a charter trip. Not sure how far that got we will likely do it once to make sure it works and then I will invite others. I've got a coast gaurd guy that said he'll run his boat out to keep an eye on us. We want to paddle out so that any fish we catch is legit kayak fish

[stimpy56]

That sounds like a good trip Rev. Wouldn't mind going along with you guys on the next trip.

I would also like to tag along the next time you head out. I want to make a yak trip to the Rigs but want to go with others for safety reasons.

[who-yak]

Rev if you ever put a trip like this together count me in.

[GreenWave]

One more for the big rig adventure.

[yak-aholic]

I'd like to go too. Timing would be key. Now that my Pelican front hatch doesn't leak anymore I ain't skeered to venture out a bit.

[ijuswannafish]

Put me down for this one too. I like new adventures.

[LSUsoccerbum]

Let me know about the trip too. I'd love to go.