New Orleans Fishing Report: Redfish, Specks, and More on the Bite

Artificial Lure here with your Gulf of Mexico New Orleans fishing report, Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The day kicks off with sunrise at 6:46 a.m. and sunset rolling in at 7:01 p.m. Over twelve hours of light to make the most of the bite, and the solunar chart is showing fair activity for today—expect some extra fish movement around those dawn and dusk transitions. If you’re an early bird, there was a low tide at 4:00 a.m., and you’ll want to key in on the high at 4:57 p.m.; that afternoon push is looking like prime time for moving bait and hungry predators, thanks to a solid tidal coefficient of 59 out of 100—enough to churn up the marshes and ponds, and get baitfish moving, which always fires up the action according to Tides4Fishing. Weather-wise, we’re seeing that classic late-September inshore combo—a bit humid, a decent southerly breeze, and temps riding high but not unbearable. Afternoon thunderstorms are always a maybe, so keep an eye to the sky and an extra poncho tucked in your bag. Water clarity is fair following some variable winds, and the temperature remains comfortable enough to find redfish tailing shallow and specks cruising over the reefs. Fishing around New Orleans has been predictably productive. The last week saw solid bags of redfish and speckled trout coming out of Lake Borgne, the Rigolets, and the Biloxi Marsh. Anglers are reporting steady limits of reds, especially where marsh drains meet deeper ponds or bayou mouths, and specks are thick over oyster reefs and along current lines. Mixed in are nice sheepshead, hefty black drum, and a sprinkle of flounder for those pitching near structure. Best baits and lures? It’s tough to beat live shrimp under a popping cork this time of year for specks and reds, but plastics are absolutely holding their own. Local guides swear by Matrix Shad paddle tails in lemonhead or shrimp creole colors, rigged tight to the bottom during slack water, then a tad higher as that incoming tide floods in. For topwater thrills at daybreak, a bone Super Spook Jr. or a classic Skitter Walk is a go-to along grass lines—expect bruiser reds to explode on a slow walk. If you’re fishing deeper around the bridges or passes, try a jighead tipped with Gulp swimming mullet or a soft plastic shrimp. Cracked crab or cut mullet remains king for black drum and sheepshead near pilings and bulkheads. Recent catches have included limits of slot reds up to 27 inches, plenty of 14- to 19-inch specks, and bull reds sampled at the passes for those using heavier gear. A few flounder—never plentiful but always welcome—are being caught by anglers bouncing white curly tail grubs right along the bottom. Black drum in the 5- to 10-pound class are regulars around pilings. For hot spots, don’t sleep on the Chef Menteur Pass—paddle tail plastics are producing consistently where bait is funneling in on the incoming tide. The bridges and shorelines along the Rigolets have been lights out for both specks and reds at first light. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.