 Story Ideas
Hunting in the heart of the Mississippi
Flyway
Quarry in southwest Louisiana ranges from birds to alligators
By Megan Monsour Southwest Louisiana is known for its legendary
hunting in our fields and freshwater marshes. Our lands are the
winter homes to thousands of migratory waterfowl. Every season, the
snows, blues, speckled bellies and Canada geese flock to our hunting
areas. In addition, numerous species of ducks, including mallards,
pintails, canvasbacks and teal, come here to feed and rest. Our
waterfowl-hunting season is divided into two splits running between
November and February. This year, the first split opens Nov. 12 and
closes on Dec. 4. The second split opens Dec. 17 and closes Jan. 22.
Generally, our bagging limits are liberal for both ducks and geese.
This season, the daily bag limit for ducks is six and may include no
more than four mallards, one pintail, three mottled ducks, one black
duck, two wood ducks, two scaup and two redheads. For a complete
view of hunting regulations, duck season dates, hunting times,
bagging limits and instructions for obtaining a hunting license,
visit the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at
www.wlf.state.la.us. Not only can you hunt ducks and geese in
southwest Louisiana, but for the adventurous, alligator hunting is
also fair game! Alligator season kicks off Sept. 14 and remains open
until Oct. 13. Farm tags are issued to alligator farmers that allow
them to harvest the alligators during the wild season.
One of the biggest misconceptions about alligators, and one that
southwest Louisiana is constantly battling, is that alligators are
an endangered species. Alligators are not endangered. In fact, in
Cameron Parish (in Louisiana, counties are considered parishes)
there are more alligators than there are people! Cameron Parish is
located directly south of Calcasieu Parish, where the 2006 OWAA
conference will be held. About 3.5 million acres of coastal
wetlands in Louisiana are considered alligator habitat, and almost
75 percent of that is privately owned. Most of these private
landowners are enrolled in the alligator program through the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. To the locals,
hunting is more than a sport. It’s a time for camaraderie and
storytelling and a way of life. Our local guides offer superior
service and Southern hospitality like no one else. Call the
Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-456-7952 for
a free outdoor guide brochure or visit
www.visitlakecharles.com.
Megan Monsour is media manager for Southwest Louisiana
Convention & Visitors Bureau. The above story was first
published in the November 2005 issue of Outdoors Unlimited.
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Post-hurricane Lake Charles ripe for
hunting, fishing, human-interest stories
By Jim Low
 Many of us watched in horror as Hurricane Rita bore
down on Lake Charles, La., our 2006 conference site. Those who have
gotten to know the warm, welcoming folks from southwest Louisiana at
previous conferences worried about seeing part of our OWAA family
exposed to nature’s fury. The worst part was not being able to do
anything about it. Now there is something you can do, and it won’t
cost you penny. In fact, this is a fantastic opportunity to make
money while helping friends in need. Rita swept away some local
tourist attractions but spared most, including museums, casinos,
galleries and great Cajun restaurants. Many of those that suffered
damage are operating out of temporary quarters. More will be back in
business soon. The storm has not impaired saltwater fishing, and
freshwater fisheries north of Interstate 10 are as good as ever. If
projections for this year’s fall flight in the Mississippi Flyway
are on target, duck hunting should be even better this year.
Outdoor tourism is Southwest Louisiana’s lifeblood, and OWAA members
are uniquely positioned to get the circulation going. With our
magazine articles, news stories, columns, radio programs and
television shows, we can tell the rest of the nation that Lake
Charles is back on her feet, ready to welcome guests with rods,
guns, binoculars and hiking shoes. Add a humanitarian angle about
the colorful characters who run these services, and you have
compelling copy. Here are some places where you and your audience
can sample the region’s outdoor offerings:
- Hackberry Rod and Gun, 888-762-3391
- Herbert’s Marina, 337-598-5850
- Big Lake Guide Service, 337-598-3268
- Calcasieu Charter Service, 337-598-4700
- Grosse Savanne Lodge, 337-598-2357
- Doug’s Hunting Lodge, 800-888-0960
- Diamond W Ranch Hunting Lodge, 866-397-4868
- Gotta Go Charters, 337-540-2050
For more hunting and fishing destinations and details about
festivals and other events, call Southwest Louisiana Convention
and Visitors Bureau’s Angie Manning Istre,
aistre@visitlakecharles.com, 800-456-7952, or Megan Monsour,
mmonsour@visitlakecharles.org. Or visit
www.visitlakecharles.org.
Jim Low is OWAA’s vice president. He is the print news
services coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation
and lives in Jefferson City, Mo. The above story was
first published in the December 2005 issue of Outdoors
Unlimited. Back to Top
The Creole Nature Trail
Hurricane recovery to take several months Birds, flora,
fauna and alligators along the Creole Nature Trail All-American
Road bring more than 300,000 visitors each year. The Southwest
Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Creole Nature
Trail District have assessed the trail, and, due to Hurricane
Rita, the trail will be unable to host visitors for several
months. The marsh has a significant amount of debris and damage,
and many necessary conveniences for visitors are not available.
The Creole Nature Trail marketing plan is well renowned, the
brand is widely recognized and the trail has received numerous
accolades. “The trail is so well loved that we are getting
inquiries from tourism partners across the United States and the
world. Representatives from the Japanese Hokkaido Scenic Byway
District visited the area last year to gain insight on our
marketing strategies. After Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane
Rita, we received regular correspondence from them, making sure
that we were OK and inquiring about the trail. The overwhelming
response makes it that much more apparent that there is an
emotional connection that people feel toward the Creole Nature
Trail,” said Monte Hurley, chairman of the Creole Nature Trail
District. The Creole Nature Trail All-American Road offers
top-notch bird watching, and many hunting and fishing hot spots
thrive along the trail. The marsh will eventually recover, and
birds and alligators will be in abundance once again. The Creole
Nature Trail District is projecting re-opening the trail in the
late spring of next year. By June 2006, the trail should be open
and available for the enjoyment of OWAA conference attendees.
For more information, contact the Southwest Louisiana Convention
& Visitors Bureau at 800-456-7952, or visit
www.visitlakecharles.org or
www.creolenaturetrail.org. The above story was first
published in the December 2005 issue of Outdoors Unlimited.
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Landlocked in Lake Charles?
Bank fishing opportunities in southwest Louisiana
By John Felsher For people like me without access to a boat,
finding a place to fish ranks almost as high on the priority
list as finding fish.
 Fortunately, southwest Louisiana abounds
in places where anglers can land good fish without launching
boats. The Calcasieu Ship Channel runs 40 miles from Lake
Charles to the Gulf of Mexico. Several places along that route
offer good fishing for landlocked anglers. Starting in Lake
Charles, people may fish along the seawall with a permit.
Frequently, runoff from the Calcasieu River muddies and freshens
the lake, but when salty waters work up the ship channel, people
may catch speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead, drum and
croakers. Downstream, the area near the Interstate 210 bridge
at Prien Lake also can offer exceptional action during times of
high salinity. People may fish and crab under the bridge or
along the bank north of the interstate. Water runs shallow but
offers a variety of fish. Anglers might want to wade to reach
deeper water. Boaters fishing nearby under I-210 often catch
limits of speckled trout. South of I-210, Prien Lake Park
offers another boat ramp. Anglers may fish by the docks north of
the launch and along the bank south of the launch; catches
include large drum, flounder, croakers and redfish. People also
run crab lines off the dock. One of the best new places to
fish without a boat, Calcasieu Point Marina offers bank anglers
access to extremely deep water. If anglers cast far enough, they
can fish in 40 feet of water. They also can buy live bait,
snacks, tackle or drinks at the marina store. Tell Elaine Huck
at the store what you need, and she’ll help. With the public
launch operating 24 hours a day, people also can catch some
whoppers under the lights at night. A public pier, extending
into Big Lake north of Hebert’s Landing, offers shorebound
anglers their best opportunity to hook big specks. Many anglers
fish off this pier with live bait. For really big ones, the
public pier at the base of the Cameron Jetties puts anglers
along the edge of the Gulf of Mexico for a nominal fee. Use
heavy tackle and long-handled nets here. With cut or live
mullets, anglers might pick up some redfish breaking 40 pounds.
They also could land huge drum, sheepshead, speckled trout,
croakers or flounders. By fishing the deep ship channel, lucky
anglers might even catch an occasional offshore fish, such as a
big shark, Spanish mackerel, jack or cobia. This close to the
Gulf of Mexico, anything can happen. On the other side of the
ship channel, canals offer good public fishing. Much of the land
along the highway between Hackberry and Holly Beach belongs to
the Sabine National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge offers sites for
public fishing and crabbing. Hog Island Gully connects with Big
Lake and often holds good numbers of baitfish. Speckled trout,
flounders and redfish run these canals, looking for something to
devour. Between Holly Beach and Sabine Pass, many anglers fish
on the beach along La. Route 82. With long surf rods, anglers
fishing with live mullets, shrimp, crabs or fish chunks might
catch anything that swims in the Gulf of Mexico. The beaches can
produce giant redfish, sharks and speckled trout, although
anglers might catch black drum, Spanish mackerel or jack
crevalles. Continuing down La. 82 until it crosses Sabine Lake
into Texas, look south of the bridge. A park with a public
fishing pier offers anglers an opportunity to catch speckled
trout, redfish, flounders and other species. Many people fish
the pier at night. Under the lights, they might catch anything
that swims in Sabine Lake or the nearby Gulf of Mexico.
Louisiana residents may fish on the bank and on the pier with a
Louisiana license. They cannot fish farther than the shoreline
of Sabine Lake unless they buy a Texas license. However, on the
western side of the lake, all anglers must adhere to Texas laws
and limits, regardless of what license they hold. For
freshwater enthusiasts, Sam Houston Jones State Park offers
access to the Calcasieu River system. Many people catch big
catfish, bream and crappies off the bank at the park.
Returning from Texas along Interstate 10, people first see the
Louisiana Welcome Center. A lake behind the center offers good
bream fishing. People also may fish at Niblett’s Bluff Park
north of I-10 and near unimproved boat launches south of I-10.
Known for producing huge bass, Lacassine National Wildlife
Refuge also can produce great catches of bream and crappies.
Roadside canals surround the shallow, 16,000-acre Lacassine Pool
and offer deeper water. This article lists just a few places
to fish without a boat. Many other public places exist
throughout Louisiana if people look for them. OWAA members who
want to learn more can contact me at
jfelsher@centurytel.net
or the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau at
800-456-7952. After Hurricane Rita destroyed his house,
John N. Felsher evacuated to Arkansas, where he writes a weekly
column in five newspapers. Previously, he was outdoors editor
for the Lake Charles, La., American Press. He writes
about 125 freelance magazine articles each year with credits in
about 80 publications. The above story was first
published in the December 2005 issue of Outdoors Unlimited.
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