"Trout Limits, Bull Reds, and Offshore Snapper: Your New Orleans Fishing Report for May 19, 2025"

Good morning anglers, Artificial Lure here with your fresh fishing report for Monday, May 19, 2025, covering the waters in and around New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. We're looking at another beautiful day on the water with sunrise that happened around 6:20 AM, and we'll have light until about 7:30 PM, giving y'all plenty of time to reel in some beauties. Tide's coming in this morning with high tide expected around midday - perfect conditions for hitting those marsh edges and bayou mouths where the predators are stacked up. The speckled trout bite continues to dominate our waters right now. These specks have been absolutely crushing it lately, with many anglers reporting limits in just a couple hours of fishing[1]. The trout have been steady through March, April, and now well into May, making catching limits almost a daily routine for many of you[3]. Redfish action remains solid too, though you might need to weed through some undersized fish to get to the keepers[3]. If you're willing to venture a bit further out, those giant bull reds are making a strong appearance, which is always a welcome sight. Water temperatures are holding between 72-76 degrees - perfect for triggering aggressive feeding behavior. For those targeting trout, try working the edges of Lake Borgne with soft plastics in chartreuse or glow. Many guides are now transitioning from Lake Pontchartrain to Lake Borgne, and soon they'll be heading to the outer bays and islands of the Biloxi Marsh for trout and those BIG redfish[3]. For bait, live shrimp under a popping cork is still the go-to, but DOA shrimp imitations and Vudu Shrimp are producing well for artificial enthusiasts. For redfish, try gold spoons or spinner baits with a chartreuse skirt when sight fishing the flats. Hot spots this week include the Rigolets, Lake Borgne shell banks, and the MRGO rocks. The "outside" areas of the Biloxi Marsh are starting to heat up too, where you'll typically be fishing without another boat in sight while spotting sharks, dolphins, and sea turtles[3]. Offshore, the red snapper season that opened May 1st continues with a daily limit of four fish per person (16-inch minimum). Remember you need your basic and Saltwater Recreational Fishing License plus that Recreational Offshore Landing Permit if you're heading out for the snapper[4]. Don't forget your sunscreen and plenty of water folks - it's heating up out there. This is Artificial Lure signing off until tomorrow. Tight lines, y'all! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.