# Summer Recap; LOTS of Pics!



## Capt.Brandon

It's been quite a while since I have posted anything. This summer has been incredibly busy and I just haven't found time to keep up with reports. Many of you that read 2cool have fished with us this year, and we appreciate that!! 

This year has been, without question, the weirdest in my 19 years of guiding on the Mississippi river delta. We have maintained our catches (while 99.9% of other guide services have not) but it has been a challenge. The patterns shifted this year with both timing and location. Being versatile, observant, and persistent has been the key to our success. Basically, we have had to throw the book out the window and adapt. These changes have been primarily due to environmental conditions such has persistent winds, rain, river conditions, algae blooms, etc. While we had to adapt, you'll see in the abundant pictures that our catches certainly didn't suffer!! 

Our system, knowledge, flexibility, instincts, and old school work ethic, trumped what mother nature dished out. Thats something I am very proud of with my guides and myself. Captains Jon, Jamie, Orin and myself can't control conditions but we do control our effort. 

I wish I could tell you all how live bait was the best or some certain color produced better than others, or that the fish seemed to favor a certain area.... but i can't. Everyday was a "read and react" type of situation. Some days live shrimp were a must while other days we caught remarkably better on artificials. The key was to show up prepared for battle. Sometimes we get pegged as "live bait guides" but the truth is we are GUIDES. Whatever it takes to make sure the clients have a successful trip, that's what we do. Some days we burned up 400 live shrimp per boat to make our day. Then on others we may have used up a gallon bag of purple haze Matrix shads. 

As for locations, we covered a lot of water! You can draw a 40 mile circle around the delta with Venice being the center and that's what we covered. One day we would find fish at the extreme southern end of the delta around the mouth of the river and then the next conditions might have us running to the northern end of Breton Sound. We fished the western end of the Chandeleur some days around Breton and Gossier Islands, but we also fished the beaches west nearly to Grand Isle. We have the boats and knowledge to cover A LOT of water and burning some fuel to find the fish is never an issue. I will say that the interior reefs north of Venice toward the upper ends of Breton Sound, did seem to be a bit more consistent through the summer. Normally these fish would leave(the bigger ones) and move out to the well heads and platforms out in the deeper open water of the sound. This year that did not occur, at least with any regularity. I'm known for making a living on these structures in open water, but this year was not the year to do so. 

As you've probably seen in our pictures from last year and earlier this year, Red Snapper have become a big part of our fisheries. Our Louisiana state season we created has been an awesome bonus for us. In Venice we do not have to go far offshore to find some OUTSTANDING snapper fishing. On my boat this year I was 100% on my snapper limits....EVERY time we snapper fished, we caught a limit! (except one day that the current was so strong we couldn't fish) We do our snapper fishing with relatively light tackle which makes is a much more sporty catch than cranking them up on some huge deep sea pole where you spend more time just trying to hold the heavy pole up. It's a really fun bonus fisheries that really adds value to our clients trips. I mean where else do you have a legit chance at catching Trout, Reds AND Snapper! 

Currently, the trout fishing remains strong. August is a very underrated trout month. It always amazes me when our clients in August catch limits of nice trout and then ask " So when should we come back when its the best" LOL August is a GREAT month! Also right now, the Bull Reds are moving in BIG TIME! They will be here through October with September being the absolute peak time. This is some of the most exciting light tackle action of the year. We catch bulls all year, but now through October, many days we will catch 50+ a day with some days seeing 100!! These fish are usually 35-42 inches with quite a few even bigger! Some days we can even get them to come up on topwater! 

Well there you have it, my summer recap! I know its a long read but hopefully you guys find some interest. I'll add some pictures now, but I'll also be adding LOTS in the next few days. Please follow us on Facebook as we post stuff pretty much daily on there, most times as it happens! Thanks!


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## Capt.Brandon

*Pics*

Lots of pics to come! Please excuse if I accidentally duplicate any.


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## Capt.Brandon

*MORE*

MORE


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## Capt.Brandon

*lots more*

to go


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## Capt.Brandon

*just*

geting started


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## phiz83

Geez Brandon, you're knocking it out of the park. I have tried on numerous occasions to fish with you, but you're booked. That says a lot about your reputation. 

I would be in Venice once a month but the drive from Houston to Venice is like slowly having your nails yanked out. Driving through Louisiana is like driving through a third world country. Every bridge shut down for construction, etc. sitting still numerous times for god knows how long. I used to live in Lafayette and it was the same back then. Maybe one of these days because I love tHe place. 

Next time, you get first call again. As usual! In shore with you, offshore with Eddie.


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## Capt.Brandon

Wow...what route are you taking?? I literally never hear customers complain about the drive. You take I-10 to New Orleans then cross the river and take 4 lane hwy 23 all the way into Venice. Thanks for reading and commenting. Many more pics to come.


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## Capt.Brandon

*More*

Pics


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## Capt.Brandon

*Pics*

Pics


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## Capt.Brandon

*Puc*

Pic


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## Capt.Brandon

*Pic*

Pic


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## Capt.Brandon

*More*

More


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## Capt.Brandon

*More*

From the summer


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## Capt.Brandon

*Great*

Summer


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## Capt.Brandon

*More*

More


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## Capt.Brandon

*No*

Comparison


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## Capt.Brandon

*Tons*

Of satisfied clients


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