Springtime Fishing Frenzy: Speckled Trout, Redfish, and More in the Louisiana Marsh

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Wednesday morning Gulf of Mexico fishing report for Louisiana, April 16, 2025. We’ve got fantastic spring conditions shaping up across the marshes, bays, and nearshore waters. Sunrise hit at 6:22am this morning, and sunset will wrap things up around 7:19pm, giving us a long day to work the water. Weather’s holding steady with mild temps, a light breeze, and mostly sunny skies—prime time for targeting those springtime bruisers. Tidewise, we’re seeing a solid high around 1:26pm and only a slight low earlier this morning, so expect moving water to really get the bite going midday. Solunar tables point to periods of higher fish activity rolling through mid-morning and again in the late afternoon—classic spring rhythm for the marsh[6][9]. The water’s warming up, and that means baitfish are flooding the bays. Rain minnows and mullet are everywhere right now. This uptick in bait has brought a fresh push of speckled trout—reports across the east marsh, Lake Borgne, and down toward Delacroix show steady catches, with folks seeing better size and numbers compared to last week. Most are running 13 to 16 inches, but some bigger specs are coming out the deeper cuts and around shell reefs[1][8]. Redfish are next up—they’re tight to marsh grass and in ponds, especially as the high tide starts to drop. Several anglers are hauling in upper-slot reds, with the afternoon bite flat-out explosive if you can find clean moving water. Puppy drum and the last of the winter sheepshead are still showing near bridges and reefs, but those sheepshead are thinning as waters warm[1][3]. If you’re heading out today, top lures are a must. For reds, I’d stick with a gold spoon or a quarter-ounce spinnerbait—flashy and weedless, perfect for thick marsh pockets. Topwater plugs in bone or chrome-blue are money right now over oyster reefs in the morning. For trout, locals swear by soft plastics like Matrix Shads, Saltwater Assassin Sea Shads, and old-school sparkle beetles—either under a popping cork or tight-lining near current breaks. Live shrimp and croaker are still top baits, but scented artificials like Berkley Gulp! are almost as good, especially on busy spring days[7][10]. A couple of hot spots to consider: The Biloxi Marsh is firing on all cylinders, with good action near cut banks and outer points. Lake Borgne’s southern shoreline and the passes around Delacroix and Hopedale are steady for both reds and trout this week. If you’re looking for bigger bites, the Venice jetties and nearshore rigs are turning up some solid drum and even a stray cobia or two[4][8]. Stay safe, keep an eye on the weather, and don’t be shy about moving if the bite’s slow—a few hundred yards can make all the difference this time of year. Tight lines! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.