Fish Tales with Mike Brower 

The Drum and the Spec

At the end of May, I went fishing with friends in Hackberry, Louisiana, for a few days. Hackberry is about 20 miles south of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and is more like a spot on the road than a community. 
We were in two boats and fished for specs first thing in the morning and were limited out by 9 am. Then we went fishing for Redfish, where we would have a limit and return to the house by 12:30 pm. The specs were stupid, and it was fast and furious — kind of a cast and catch. When you found them, every cast was a bite, and there were plenty of fish. 

Both days there was wind and a two-foot chop, and where was I standing? On the front riding the waves and catching fish! 

When we stopped to fish the first spot, our guide told me I might want to stand on the boat’s floor rather than on the raised deck since it was a little rough. Well, I got up on the front and went fishing. The guide asked me how I knew to keep my balance on the front, and I explained that I bass fished in rougher water than that for 50 years. 

Fishing there is somewhat different from other places in Texas or Louisiana as it’s a salt-backwater area with tons of reds and specs, sharks, and sometimes a tarpon or two. Fishing inside the levee is where all the fast action is, but outside is where the big fish live. Outside the levee, you will catch fewer fish than inside, but they will be some big ones. 

I recommend going to Hackberry to catch fish, find nice houses to stay at, and do some excellent fishing. Just ensure you have something to do when you limit early and come in for the day.