After having to reschedule my guests Roger and Ben a couple of times from months back due to flash flood warnings and tropical depressions and such the guys were ready to take a shot at it yesterday which I did everything but put a gun to their heads asking them not to waste the day under the conditions we have at the island right now.
But they would not take no for an answer and were ready to give it a shot anyway.
Well we met up at the dock with the winds from the N/W at 40 degrees and blowing hard and every body looked like terrorists with face mask and body armor protecting us from the cold.
If nothing else I figured the reds would be happy to see us but once at the spot where I have been hammering them lately we were met with white caps and filthy water .
Roger Achmed Redkeeler managed one nice 27″ hostage but that was all that was coming out till the winds blew us away.
Figured what the hell and headed our camel towards the promise land in search of some trout and with every stop found low dirty water from the siphon.
Roger Achmed Redkeeler managed another 26″hostage and Ben Abdul Meestum started looking to see if he was shooting blanks being down two to zip.
Made a trek across the baron desert looking for cleaner sand in the twin and all points were taken.
After hitting all the likely winter holes for the trout with no luck we headed back to the hunt for the reds and Roger Achmed Redkeeler mad a cast that landed three feet from the boat and after saying he has a tangle in his line it took off with another 27″ slab for the grill.
By this time Ben was checking his scope to see if he was off target and then Roger set the hook on another one that managed to escape with Redkeeler’s bullet still in him.
Switching guns Roger quickly put the nail in the coffin with one more for his harem after they exhausted all the blue cans in the cooler they surrendered under the conditions they could get some more beer and warm up!
Although the conditions were not in our favor we had a great time and they were able to put four nice reds for the grill and learn a lot of the area and will return to do it again in the spring.
It’s tough enough to fish on a full moon but fishing the month of the blue moon can bee even tougher especially in the winter behind a front.
Looks like those hitting the evening trips with the moon rising are finding better luck than the morning bite.
The high river and strong west winds are bringing the river water from the siphon to the east so the best bets would be Lake John and east of the twin, The Lake Robin and Lake Amadee and areas that are less affected by the siphon.

Till next time …Take a trip and rip some lips!

Castaway Charters
Capt Stan Cuquet
www.castawaycharters.com

Morning started off slow with dirty water every where and absolutely no tide.
Melanie hooked up first with a trout and shut the macho talk down a little but it seemed the trout were not going to be a big hit.
Don set the hook on what we all thought was a nice Red Fish till it got close enough to the boat and realized it was a big trout and before I could get to the net Donwiser tried lifting the mule up over the gunnel and we all watched the LIP RIP before it was in the boat as it just kinda winked at us and slowly swam away.
It was par for the corse with Don missing the majority of the strikes all morning…as usual!!!
Of corse I got the blame for that one but if I would not have been getting him another blue can I would have been able to get to the net..
Well as the day went that fish grew and I’m sure by now it wouldn’t have even fit in the net so it don’t matter anyway!!!
Well we all decided since I have been on a killer redfish bite lets head to the honey hole and have some fun.
Melanie didn’t like the sound of that but she was game and a trooper and said lets do it.
Pulled in to a shoreline and drifted for all of thirty seconds and before I could get set up Don then Chris then Melanie was hooked up with beautiful 25 to 28″ reds.
The boat was all smiles with Chris putting a nice 25″ in the net and Melanie with the duplicate and Don….well his got off!!
This continued till we had a four man limit in the box which was a problem trying to put one in cause two would jump out in the process.
It seemed every time I looked up Melanie was hooked up with the rod folded over with the cell phone in her ear and a big smile on her face.
Chris was looking like Morgus the Magnificent brewing up another concoction and Don was setting the hook using his new secret lure the green squiggley thingamagig…..!
Before all was said and done we kept 20 Reds ,released as many and MISSED as many and I for one had a BLAST !
The jokes were flying and Melanie was right in the mix slinging them out as well.
It was Melanie’s first time on board and she is making plans to return with some of her family to do it again.
As always with Don and Chris It’ not like being with clients but fishing with friends.
When the tide returns the trout bite will be awesome wit hthe trout dropping bown in the deep holes and feeding up like usual.

Till next time …Take a trip and rip some lips!!!

Met Les Ager and his son Forrest from Ga. at the dock for seven this morning and they were ready for some red fish action.
Not wanting any trout and only keeping enough for the table they were ready for some catch and release and to learn a few spots for the G P S .
Only problem was we only made one stop near Oak River and the Pencil and the guys were folding the rods over with red after red all from 18″ to 28″ as fast as they could get the lines in the water.
Yesterday the wind was pushing the bait against the shoreline and today the winds were dead calm and it started out a little slower and only catching and releasing about thirty reds before the bite slowed down.
At first the fish were real sluggish and after they would hit the lure they would just sit there till you set the hook and woke them up.
After the water warmed up a few degrees and the slightest of a breeze showed up the bite got more aggressive and there was no need for setting the hook cause they would do it for you on the initial strike which started round two.
Forrest being thirteen years old was hammering the reds like a seasoned pro.
Les was having his hands full keeping up with him at one point.
After the second wave kicked in it was getting nuts for a while with reds coming at me from every direction.
I don’t think there were too many times when one or the other wasn’t hooked up all morning.
After it was time to head in and meet Momma at the dock I told the guys they could catch one more each and we would call it quits and Forrest struck first , then second and actually caught another limit and before I knew it they released another dozen before I could get packed up.
I had a ball with the guys and look forward to the next trip.
The majority of the reds were out a mold and all were right at 26″ but if you moved thirty yards away the fish shrunk to 18 to 21″.
All the fish were caught using a chartreuse Flurry on a 3/8 Body Smasher Jig head 2′ under a cork in three feet of water.
Don’t know exactly how many they caught and released but I would feel safe in guessing well over fifty or better.
Thanks Les for letting me enjoy the trip with ya’ll.
Im guessing Forrest will have a lot to tell his friends back in Georgia when he gets home.

Till next time ….Take a trip and rip some lips!!!
CASTAWAY CHARTERS
CAPT STAN CUQUET
DELACROIX ISLAND LA
504-272-0550 504-451-7600

SA-LAMED DEM RAIDS TUDAIE !!!!

Left the house a little after seven this morning with Capt Gerry to go check a few red fish spots for tomorrow’s guests since they are no more interested in Trout than Tiger woods is interested in boxing lessons for his wife!!!
Headed down the Pipeline towards Oak River and checked the area near Batola and found dirty water where I normally do well this time of year and headed off to the other side of the lake and noticed some Pelicans working the shoreline and drifted the shoreline till the first drag started singing with a nice slot red on the other end.
Stuck the power pole and began putting reds in the boat on every cast from 20″ to 27″.
It got plain nuts using a Hybrid Flurry two feet under a cork on a 3/8 Body Basher jig head and barely working it and mostly letting the wave action do the job.
After mauling them for a little while we eased up the anchor and drifted to a cove where the wind was pushing the bait against the shore and started it all over again.
We were having a blast with rods folded on every cast faster than most people catch trout but with a lot stronger battle on the other end.
At one point the reds tore my Flurry off the jig head so I figured what the heck and cast back out with a bare hook and Yep… another seven pounder in about ten seconds.
All we could was laugh and do it again with back to back bronze bruisers coming in and only using a bare Body Basher Jig Head for bait!!!!
After catching and releasing about FAWTY OR SO we gave them a break and moved to another
spot to check it out on the way in.
All the reds were released unharmed to fight another day and Capt Gerry was starting to complain about a sore arm so we left them alone and headed in.
Noticed some boats catching a few trout drifting in the middle of the lake near the pencil so it looks like things are as usual in Delacroix …..HOT !!!!

Till next time ….Take a trip and rip some lips!!!
Castaway Charters
Delacroix Island LA
WWW.CASTAWAYCHARTERS.COM
504-272-0550 504-451-7600

Yesterday I had Lonie and Barry on board to rip some more lips.
They just made a trip last week and limited out on nice specks and wanted to do it again.
Today Lonie wanted to catch a bull trout after getting his limit so we set sail and settled in the first spot and there was no tide to get things started so we made a short move and got on a quick bite with Lonie and Barry both swinging trout over the gunnel at a steady pace.
Although there were some nice ones in the mix the fish were smaller than the day before with a bunch of 12 fish in the mix that we were throwing back.
After the bite slowed the clicker was on 25 in the gloo so we made another jump and started putting a few at each spot till they both had their limit.
Went looking for the bigger trout so Lonie could get his Bull Trout and fished a drop off and after putting a few decent trout in the boat Lonie set the hook on one that had him folded over and pulling for all it was worth till Lonie got it to the surface and before it could reach the net it was all over but the crying.
Lonie says it was the Bull Trout he was looking for, Barry said it was a drum and I think it was a stingray but the fish will get a lot bigger before he gets home I’m sure.
The guys caught a bunch of drum and a few reds but the bigger trout were elusive due to the lack of tide movement but still managed to keep all trout from 13 to 17 tossing a gang of 12 trout back to grow up to be bull trout
Called it a day and headed in with their limit of trout and had a great time as always.

Till next time ….Take a trip and rip some lips
Castaway Charters
Delacroix Island La
www.castawaycharters.com

Today I had Don and his brother Mark Pilgrim on board with Dave from Texas to rip some lips.
No Kidding….Pilgrims on Thanksgiving….Really I’M serious….real Pilgrims go figure!
Well we headed the Mayflower towards the new world and after setting down to one of the prettiest sunrises I have seen in a while first thing we noticed was there was no tide so we made a short move to where the water would funnel a little faster and the guys got on a quick bite with trout hitting the deck at a fast pace.
Keeping only 12 ½ and up we went to 30 in the gloo pretty quick then it shut off.
Made a very short move and it was on again and before long the guys had their limit with Mark holding big trout honors with a nice 20″ trout.
We hit number 85 before 9am and the guys said they would like to try for some reds so it was thru the woods to grandmas house and stopped in a pond near Oak River and Don hooked up first but in less than half the distance to the boat the red came unbuttoned.
Not to worry Dave hooked up next and the red took him for a tour of the back of the Mayflower hooking him in the MOTOR,TRIM TABS, POWER POLE, and any thing else it could find attached to the boat before breaking loose.
Them Louisiana reds just have a lot more power than them Texas reds I guess!!!
Mark struck with a nice 27″ and actually landed one showing the guys how it was done.
Not to worry in a few minutes they were all hooking up at the same time with nice slots from 20 to 26″ and before long we had our limit of reds and could not fit them in the box with two jumping out before you could put another one in!!!
All trout and reds were caught on Hybryds Flurrys LSU colors and the Pink Champagne Dudley.
We had a ball catching as well as losing a gang of reds so with 16 reds and 85 trout the guys said enough and we headed in to clean up.
It was great fishing with Dave the first time and he is already looking for his next trip.
As far as the Pilgrims go they were made an offering to them by the local indians of some bud lite at the quick stop and they were as happy as hell as they sailed off to the west..!!!

Even with no tide the fishing could not have been easier today and this cool snap will only make it better.
The trout and reds have been on fire since Ida and it looks like it will continue for the rest of the winter.

Till next time …Take a trip and rip some lips!
CASTAWAY CHARTERS
CAPT STAN CUQUET
DELACROIX ISLAND LA
WWW.CASTAWAYCHARTERS.COM
504-272-0550 504-451-7600

Today we figured we would do things backwards and head straight for the bigger trout and when that bite finished finish the morning out with the regular size trout.
Well that was a mistake !
Arriving at the drop off first thing in the morning there was no water movement to activate the bite and the tide would be an hour behind yesterdays so we headed out and hit a couple of other spots first and pulled in to a bayou that was dumping shrimp into a bay near Oak River and the SLAM was on!
The guys have a bet each day of first trout and today they set another of first trout over 18″ to sweeten the pot.
Well Karl was the first to strike with the first trout in the box but the guys protested that he super glued there poles in the rod holders which is under revue by the judges as of now but it didn’t stop them from slinging fish in three at a time once they got started.
The trout were all 13 to 17″ and Robert almost hit paydirt with a 17 ½” but the big one was still yet to be put in the gloo.
The winds kicked up and made casting a little difficult to reach the spot till the bite eventually died.
Headed back to the drop off for some bigger fish and someone else was already enjoying it so we just passed on by and hit the backup spot another drop off near ten feet of water and things started off a little slow with some smaller fish but Amos was all quiet in the back of the boat steady on the hookset using his new SMORGASBOAR BAIT !!
He will be putting it on the market soon so he swore us to secrecy for now.
Karl cast out and set the hook not once but twice and started laughing and saying something about CHA CHING as he was reeling in and sure enough using a double rig he had an 18 ½ “ trout on one hook and a 16 ½ “ trout on the other.
All the guys could think of was how long that ride would be back to Lafayette!!!!
The Lavulet was as hot as LAVA from there on!
Well not to be discouraged Amos and Robert quickly got busy putting trout in the gloo with a
bunch of 17’s till we reached our limit of 100 along with Robert’s nice 27″ red he kept for the grill.
With their legal limit they were ready to head in for the ride back to Lafayette and even joined in with the clean up at the dock……what a great group to have!!!
Karl said he wanted to bring his buddy John Blevins down on the next trip to show him what Delacroix has to offer but he’s afraid it might spoil him.
As always the crew is a ball to fish with and although they like there summer trips I think there first fall trip has ruined them all.

The fishing in Delacroix is second to none and it continues to get better.
Just a few minutes from the dock and you’re on the fish!
Come on down and see why people flock to Delacroix from surrounding areas and enjoy some of the best fishing on the coast!
Just minutes from Down Town New Orleans you’re just a CAST AWAY from an adventure to remember!

Till next time ….Take a trip and rip some lips!

Castaway Charters
Capt Stan Cuquet
DELACROIX ISLAND La
www.castawaycharters.com
504-272-0550 504-451-7600

Today was day one for the Lavulet construction crew from Lafayette.
Karl , Amos and Robert from Lafayette got on board this morning and the decision was made to hit the numbers first and then look for the bigger trout after they had enough meat in the box.
First couple of stops and we were sitting on 50 trout from 13 to 16″so the rest of the morning they wanted to hit the bigger trout.
Made the first stop near the twin pipeline and little lake John and worked a ledge and got on a slow but steady bite with most of the fish ranging from 15″ to 20″ bouncing double rigged plastics on the bottom in the purple and chartreuse.
That bite quit with some help of boat traffic so we made a short jump to another point near four horse lake and I cast out a rig to show them how to work the drop off and set the hook on two trout that were both over 18″.
That had them jumping over each other to get their lines wet and Amos got the hot hand quick swinging slabs over the gunnel at a steady pace.
Karl and Robert were right behind as they paid close attention to his every move and before I knew it there were big trout flopping on the floor faster than I could get them in the box.
The clicker hit 100 and they played catch and release for a few minutes and asked for a red fish so we just trolled over to the closest point and Amos hooked up first again with a nice 26″ slot then the guys put in three more right behind him and with the box chock full we headed to the barn to clean up.
You could not have asked for better weather with a light north breeze cool temps and a good tide range.
The trout are bashing the shrimp in all the major lakes and bays from Lake Robin to Four Horse
and this cool snap has put some bigger trout near the ledges

Till tomorrow …..Take a trip and rip some lips!

Castaway Charters
capt Stan Cuquet
DELACROIX ISLAND LA
WWW.CASTAWAYCHARTERS.COM
504-272-0550 504-451-7600

With the front forecast for tonight I knew the bite would be on ahead of it so I made a quick run close by and found the birds working the point I had planned to fish near the twin pipeline which made me smile knowing what would be under them.
Stuck the power pole in casting distance of the point and decided to throw the Mirrolure instead of the cork and plastic and it took all of three seconds and WHAM!!!!
I thought for sure it was a red but when she got next to the boat I was smiling some more with a trout all of 3 ½ pounds on the other end.
Took all the hooks out her face and released her back in the water and on the next cast it was the same scenario with another yellow mouth mule bashing the bait and almost jerking the pole out my hand in the process!!
Now I’m not smiling but laughing out loud !!
It was great with not another boat in sight and all these fish to my self.
Most of the trout were 17″ to 19″ with the largest being the first taker of the morning but plenty of 18″ trout were eating any thing I threw at them.
The point I was fishing was a shell bottom point in three feet of water next to a drop off that was eight feet deep.
After catching and releasing at least thirty of those I mad a move to pond near 4 horse and got set up on another drop off casting double rigged plastics in to the deeper water and working it up the ledge and that’s where I would get the hit.
Holding the first fish on for a couple of seconds and waiting the second fish would hit the other bait and it was two at a time but all the trout there were not as big as the ones in the first spot but plenty of 17″ trout which felt like mules when they were two at a time.
Could have sunk the boat they were so aggressive I guess due to the approaching front.
Had fun with those for a while and left them biting to try a bayou I haven’t hit this year but been wanting to and found fish there as well.
It just seemed to be one of those perfect days with trout biting all morning.
All the fish were in the normal hangouts for this time of year with the water temp in the mid 60’s.
Looks like the cooler it gets the better it gets.
All the trout on plastics came on the purple and chartreuse and the Mirrolure fish were the 52mr series.
Check out our website a WWW.CASTAWAYCHARTERS.COM For the latest info on the fishing in Delacroix.

I have a couple of days available for next week so come get in on this fantastic action while it lasts.

Till next time ….TAKE A TRIP AND RIP SOME LIPS!
CASTAWAY CHARTERS
CAPT STAN CUQUET
DELACROIX ISLAND LA
WWW.CASTAWAYCHARTERS.COM
504-451-7600 504-272-0550

Had my brother Bruce and good friend Ellis on board yesterday to rip some lips since they were both on vacation.
With the predicted winds of NW @25 we made a run to a protected shoreline and got on a fast bite with trout banging the baits as soon as they would hit the water.
If you weren’t paying attention they would try to rip the pole from your hands
Ellis was amazed at how fast they were hitting the baits and was getting spoiled fast
Using double rigs they were coming in two at a time and we quickly filled three limits before 9am.
They were hitting on the cork or bounced on the bottom ..it just didn’t matter.
Bruce put a nice 23 slot red on ice and it just seemed it couldn’t get easier.
Out of 75 trout there were no throw backs and quite a few near 17 to 20 which was nice to see.
After we had the limit I made a run and checked a couple of other spots only to find trout waiting at each one.

Looks like the winter season is in full swing and it will only get better as it gets colder.
Made it back to the dock and cleaned up and bagged the fillets and we were on the way with a couple of happy anglers
Looks like Ellis will have a freezer full of fillets for a while…way to go Buffa

We have been pounding the trout since Ida passed thru with limits every day since .
Now is the time to fill the boxes with those pretty winter trout.
All our fish for the past three days have been on plastics with plenty 17 to 19 fish showing up.
It don’t get much easier than it’s been since the storm.