Louisiana Fishing Hot Spots and Limits for May 4, 2025

Morning yall, this is Artificial Lure with your Sunday fishing report for May 4th, 2025, covering the Louisiana Gulf Coast and the bountiful waters of the Gulf of Mexico. We are heading into a classic Louisiana spring morning, with mild temps in the high 60s at sunrise and a light southerly breeze settling in. Look for a high tide pushing in around mid-morning, with a soft outgoing after lunch—prime time to target those fish moving onto the flats and into the bays. Sunrise hit just before 6:15 am, with sunset looking to be a bit after 7:45 pm, so you have plenty of daylight to chase your limit. The weather’s holding steady with scattered clouds and only a faint chance of a passing shower. You could not ask for finer conditions to be out there wetting a line. Now, fish activity is what keeps us all waking up early, and this weekend has not disappointed. Red snapper season just opened up as of May 1st, and the offshore reports from South Timbalier and Grand Isle have been red-hot. Boats coming in have been limiting out with solid red snapper, most fish in the 8 to 15-pound range. The daily limit is four per person, and the bite has been best on live pogies or cut squid, but a big, shiny jig or bucktail will get revenge bites too, especially if you tip it with a little bait. Make sure you have the required permits before you launch so you can keep your catch[5]. Inshore, the speckled trout and redfish have been feeding hard on the early flood tide, especially around the marsh edges in Lafitte and the oyster reefs near Cocodrie. Limits are being caught with soft plastics on 1/4-ounce jigheads in chartreuse or opening night colors. Live shrimp under a popping cork is money this time of year for both trout and slot reds. Focus on moving water and look for birds working over shallow flats—that is a sure sign the fish are active[4][1][2]. Catches this week have included big specks up to 24 inches, thick slot reds, and a few bonus flounder and drum. If you want a shot at something special, there are still cobia and jack crevalle moving offshore, so keep a heavy spinning rod rigged with a bucktail or big swimbait[4]. For hot spots, you cannot go wrong with: - Grand Isle beach and the nearby reefs for trout and reds - South Pass rigs for snapper and a mixed bag - The marshes east of Lafitte and around Fourchon for inshore action Best lures right now are matrix shad, gulp shrimp, and gold spoons, but do not forget a handful of live shrimp or croaker just in case they get picky. Yall enjoy the water, respect the limits, and I will catch you on the next tide. Tight lines from Artificial Lure[1][2]. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.