Gulf of Mexico Fishing Report: Redfish, Trout, and Tuna Bite Heats Up

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Gulf of Mexico New Orleans fishing report for Wednesday, April 16th, 2025. We are waking up to prime spring conditions, with a mild day ahead. Highs are hovering near 75 degrees, and there’s a nice light southeast breeze at 5 to 10 miles an hour. The sunrise was at 6:32 AM and you’ve got plenty of daylight, with sunset coming at 7:28 PM. Tides today are in your favor: we hit low tide at 9:19 this morning and you can expect high tide around 8:59 tonight, so you’ll want to plan your trips around those moving tides for the best action[9][6]. The inshore bite is hot. Redfish are thick in the Biloxi Marsh, with most catches running 5 to 10 pounds, and a steady stream of bull reds reported off the grass lines. Speckled trout are showing up big this week—fish in the two to four pound range are coming from Lake Borgne and out near Lake Pontchartrain. Black drum and the occasional flounder have also come to the net in the bayous and marsh cuts. Offshore, the pelagic action is heating up, too. Folks running out to the rigs are catching good numbers of mahi-mahi, blackfin, and yellowfin tuna, especially around the Midnight Lump[5][1][3]. Best baits right now are live shrimp under a popping cork for trout and reds, with mud minnows and pinfish putting in work as well—especially if you’re chasing those bigger inshore predators. If you’re throwing artificials, you can’t go wrong with a gold Johnson Sprite spoon for redfish, or a Gulp! shrimp in New Penny or chartreuse for trout. Early mornings, topwater action is still good, so don’t forget a bone or chrome Skitterwalk. When the sun gets high, switch to soft plastics like paddle tails or jerkbaits in natural colors[1][5][10]. Some of the hottest action today is coming from the Biloxi Marsh for redfish and the reefs and deeper channels of Lake Borgne for trout. If you’re aiming offshore, hit the Midnight Lump or the oil rigs 20 miles out for a shot at mahi and tuna[5][1]. Recent hauls have seen anglers filling coolers with mixed bags—multiple bull reds, solid limits of trout, black drum, and even some flounder and sheepshead mixed in around the structure. Offshore, the tuna bite continues strong with yellowfins running big and a decent showing of amberjack and mahi as the water warms[1][3][5]. Before heading out, check your gear, your licenses, and pack plenty of water. The bite is strong and the weather’s right—get out there and make the most of it. Tight lines and good luck from your local expert, Artificial Lure! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.