Fishing, snakes and spillway gates

Today’s blog is a triple cast — fish,  snakes and  spillway gates.

Fishing hasn’t been good on Lake D’Arbonne the last few weeks. In fact, even if it were, only the fish would know because there have been scarce few boats out there trying. At the big launching ramp on Hwy. 2 today, there was one boat and trailer.  Another cool snap should start gathering the shad up a bit, but right now, it’s slow. Bass fishing has been fair around some of the grassy areas early and late. White perch fishing is really slow, but a few dedicated white perch fishermen are still hitting the sloughs and catching enough for supper. Bank fishermen are landing a few catfish and bream. But that’s about it.

It’s pretty much the same thing for Lake Claiborne and for the most part the Ouachita River. Some pretty decent catches of small to medium crappie have been made early in the bayou treetops and then later mixed with some bream in the river itself, also around laydowns. And with school back in and hunting seasons right around the corner, most of the trailers heading up and down the road are hauling four-wheelers and bush hogs, not fishing boats.

Fishing reports from other area lakes are spotted as well. The only positive thing I can tell you is that if you don’t care and try, I’m sure you won’t catch anything.

Snakes and things like spiders and bugs seem to run in cycles around the lake and there are more than usual reports of BOTH here lately. A lot of lake residents have reported seeing more snakes than normal venturing up out of the lake and into the areas beside the lake. Same thing for the woods, too. Either way, until we get a lot cooler weather, take special care watching for snakes. And as for the bugs…well, good luck to you. this hot dry weather has made them think they are in charge, but that won’t last for long.

Spillway gates have been in the news again. There is some surplus money left over from the Tainter Gate construction this year and officials are trying to prioritize what best to spend it on associated with the spillway. I have confidence that they’ll pick the right projects and get as much work done as best as possible with taxpayer’s dollars. These spillway gates are the backbone of Lake D’Arbonne — no spillway, no lake!

Reminders: Don’t forget this weekend’s National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration near Cheniere Lake and the Chicken Festival in Dubach. More information is available about both of them in previous posts this week on this site.

Stop by the lakeedarbonnelife.com display at NHF day and sign up for a $50 gift certificate and more great prizes donated by Simmons’ Sporting Goods. We’ll be drawing for the winners at 2 p.m.  If you aren’t there, we will contact you and make arrangements for you to pick up your prize!

And one final reminder:

Brandon Jennings

The Bayou State Crappie Association will hold an open meeting on Saturday, September 27th, at the Lincoln Parish Library on Trenton Street in Ruston. The meeting is open to members and potential members for 2015 and will serve as the BSCA Club Banquet. Founder and operator Brandon Jennings is hoping for a good turnout and increased interest in this new organization. There will be information about the Lake D’Arbonne first annual Open Crappie tournament set for March 21, 2015 sponsored by the Union Chamber on the Bone as well as the big Tri-Lake National Qualifier Tournament put on by Crappie Masters. That’s scheduled for April 18, 2015.

For more information or to let Brandon know you are coming, email him at bsca_crappieclub@aol.com or call 318-533-9259.

** HAVE A GOOD, SAFE WEEKEND!  **