# Going to Chandeleurâ€™s next week, reports & advice?



## Shalor96 (Jul 26, 2016)

Headed out to the islands on the VI next Wednesday. Any recent reports? Also any advice on certain plastics or top waters to bring. Really excited, been trying to get this trip together for several years.


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## salty_waders (Feb 13, 2006)

Bring some small lures. Not sure if it was just the specific days I was there, but they wouldn't touch bigger (typical size) lures. We down-sized to small lures and caught tons. Lots of sharks but they wont mess with you unless your dragging fish around. Stomp your feet if they get too close.


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## Shalor96 (Jul 26, 2016)

Sorry for the non-report. I thought I was posting in general fishing discussion. Moderator please feel free to move this thread to general, I donâ€™t know how to do that. Thank you for the input. Will definitely bring some smaller plastics and top waters.


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Warning*

If you put your catch in a boat and beach it to wade, watch out for racoons! They will steal your fish, even taking them out of a donet!


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## Tailchsr (Jun 2, 2018)

Went there 20 years ago and fished the western islands. Our Go To bait was a silver Johnson Sprite with fluorescent green spots. Trout ate them up, as did a couple of big reds and a Tripletail.


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## hjm (May 8, 2016)

I have some friends that are going this week. Chandeleur islands is definitely on my list. Good luck, send us some pictures!


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## SaltwaterSlick (Jun 11, 2012)

Was on the VI a year ago this week... If the weather cooperates, you'll want to fish on "the outside" (gulf side) for the best fish... Our group brought home over 400 trout and probably 30 reds... We caught many, many oversize reds. I've fished the Islands for almost 40 years, and in my experience, presentation there is more important than color... The one exception being that ANYTHING with a chartreuse tail or head improves the catch rate... Last year this time, I was using the small DSL's in Texas Roach. Some of my buddies used the Matrix Shad in that Creole color (clear with multi-colored glitter). Even those worked better when their tails were dipped Chartreuse... The big deal is finding out what kind of retrieve the fish are looking for. One morning, for us, it was a top water bite and when we switched to soft plastics, they liked it worked pretty fast near the top of the water column. Next morning, we couldn't buy a bite on top waters, but a slow retrieve bumping the 1/8 ounce DSL's or Matirx shad on the bottom produced instant hook ups...
If you cannot get them to hit anything consistently, rig up a popping cork with a 2 hook drop (like a "spec-rig") and put on a clear/glitter and avocado/red glitter sparkle beetle... They will catch out there when nothing else will.


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## Rbrittstx (Nov 3, 2016)

*Wade and dont forget to*

Bring multiple bone Super Spook Woodknockers and 1/8" weedless gold spoons.

Have been there the last 2 years and the trout and reds love the medium sized bone spook topwaters and the reds love the small gold spoon (bring lots of them because the big reds love them and inhale them down to their crushers and demolish them). The small spoons outfished the larger ones 10-1. It looks and fishes just like Port of Connor area and the patterns are pretty much the same.


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## TENRMORE (Apr 10, 2011)

We are leaving Thursday at midnight on the Joka's wild boat staying for 3 days...

We went last year and had a good time. We used mostly 1/8 heads and bass assasins or cocahoe. Also used a spook junior in the trout color.

The hardest thing for me is 12" trout is legal...


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## scend irie (Oct 28, 2011)

I just returned from there last Thursday. As covered above, bone spooks are the ticket early. They were hitting gold spoons better than silver last week. Vudu shrimp under a popping cork were good; brown or natural color about 16-18â€ under the cork. Best soft plastics were saltwater asassin sea shad in Texas Hippy and Electric Chicken.
Also as mentioned, the best fish were in the surf (go straight to the electric chickens on a 1/4 oz jig head). Stand on the 1st bar and fish the 2nd bar and 2nd gut. Tons of feisty 24-28â€ trout.


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## Quackerbox (Feb 6, 2006)

Chartruse and presentation was key on our trip last year also. 3 quick pops of the rod tip, pause and another. We played "Texas rules" and didn't keep 12" trout. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## Shalor96 (Jul 26, 2016)

Thanks for all the updates guys. Iâ€™m getting excited. Already had the white super spooks but will order some electric chicken. Thanks for the report. Glad to hear theyâ€™re catching some bigger fish in the surf! Hopefully we get the weather to have a shot at that.


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## Gofish2day (May 9, 2006)

I went about 3year ago and did great. The only thing I wish I had was a pushpole. The little boats had motor and big paddles only.
The surf is great but the man swimming in the gray suit owns that property. A lot in the summer.


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## SaltwaterSlick (Jun 11, 2012)

Gofish2day said:


> I went about 3year ago and did great. The only thing I wish I had was a pushpole. The little boats had motor and big paddles only.
> The surf is great but the man swimming in the gray suit owns that property. A lot in the summer.


Believe me, he swims on the bay side too... Take one airplane ride out there when the water is fishable and clear, you'll see sharks, lots of sharks. Some of them look like they could be in the movie JAWS! If you're gonna worry about sharks, you best look for somewhere else to fish. I've been fishing the Chandeleur's for almost 40 years, and is still one of my favorite places on the planet to fish. There were 12 grown ups and one 11 year old grandson of one of our fishermen last year and everyone lost fish to sharks. Most from being cut off on their stringers. One guy lost his whole stringer to a genuine monster! The only ones I lost was from being cut off when fighting them back to me. I used a floating fish net and the sharks didn't bother with that. Sharks ain't after you. They're after your fish. I'd be sure and not let your stringer float up next to you or get tangled up in it while wading... This year most of my fishin' buddies had the floating nets ready for our trip... It was cancelled thanks to Alberto... Rescheduled for smaller boat/smaller group for end of July. Also looking forward to our October "fall" trip... fish run bigger and they seem to be hungrier...


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## Shalor96 (Jul 26, 2016)

Did you guys fish Corkys otherwise known as Paul Brown originals any in the surf? It seems like those work really good for me in Texas. I was thinking about bringing one of the donut nets, but Captain Bobby that runs that VI operation told me he thinks they get them worse? I still might bring one to try out...Or maybe catch and release only while wading and keep fish while drifting from the boat. Also curious if you guys remember which casino the six is parked behind? The hard rock?


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## Fishtexx (Jun 29, 2004)

Not only are there a lot of sharks, I have never in my life seen so many stingrays. Bring your ray guards if your gonna wade. And shuffle those feet! My only trip was in May about 15 years ago.


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## troutsupport (May 22, 2006)

Bring your TSL's too.. yeah, the ones you already have. Mike Douglas brought some on his trip last time.. this was the result. I know you already got them packed.. but if you don't, throw some in there. Mike said his buddies were beggin him for his by the second day. 

have fun!


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## SaltwaterSlick (Jun 11, 2012)

We did use the PB lures, and the trout blew up on 'em every cast... Some of our group caught about all their "morning" fish on corky's and the she-devil version... The light colored one with the chartreuse sides/tail... I started with a bone spook... blow ups every cast. catch a fish on about every 3rd or 4th cast... Switched to DSL's 1/8 oz or 1/4 oz, hook up every cast almost... Caught 5 trout in 3 casts with a double drop under a cork with sparkle beetles... Shark cut that off and I tied on the DSL again... Gettin' 'em 2 at a time, I'd have been limited out in 15 minutes...

Regarding the floating net, I don't understand Bobby saying that about 'em... Everyone on our trip that used 'em did not lose a fish to sharks. Those who used conventional stringers, lost fish... 
I say again regarding lures, my experience is that presentation is WAY more important than color. Just vary your retrieve until you figure out what they want and you should be successful...


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## Jetcraftsman (Dec 31, 2009)

Good luck, we went in 2009 it was after the hurricane. All the crew had for maps was a hand drawn map on notebook paper. It lasted about 2 hours on the 2 man boats we dispatched in. Not being familiar with the area we were reluctant to go far from the mother ship. I would suggest trying to find a map and bring a hand held GPS if you have one or at least a hand held Compass.


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## Marker 54 Lures (Dec 28, 2015)

I posted a video on 2 cool
Of my trip in April ... I fished the surf at the red can .. never left. Popping cork with shrimp lure in the surf .. one day I pooped quite a few bull reds in a two hour period ... 

Surf note : you will be Investigated by sharks .. our group was brushed by a shark and had a 20 inch Trout turned into a 10" Trout on his stringer by a shark ... I'd consider some form of quick release stingier and make it .. Looooong.. 

Also don't expect to be alone .. it's a very crowded place 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Shalor96 (Jul 26, 2016)

Thanks for all the advice guys. Well, I am going to go ahead and bring my â€œdonut floating fish netâ€, after hearing you guys had good luck with them. Sad to hear about the â€œcrowdedâ€ report Marker 54? Any chance your joking? I hadnâ€™t heard that before, but I guess I will get to see for myself soon enough. Thanks again guysðŸ‘


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## gus110 (May 14, 2008)

Salt and pepper flake lure with a limetreuse tail has always been a good choice for me. I have gone in September the last few years. The VI is a great boat.


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## Marker 54 Lures (Dec 28, 2015)

Shalor96 said:


> Thanks for all the advice guys. Well, I am going to go ahead and bring my â€œdonut floating fish netâ€, after hearing you guys had good luck with them. Sad to hear about the â€œcrowdedâ€ report Marker 54? Any chance your joking? I hadnâ€™t heard that before, but I guess I will get to see for myself soon enough. Thanks again guysðŸ'


no

there are 9 mother ship boats running that trip.. each run 6-8 skiffs per mother ship and the place is not that big.. sad to say


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## TENRMORE (Apr 10, 2011)

Just got back yesterday, it was slow for us, 10 guys, 120 trout 3 redfish. We couldn't get a trout bite wading in the surf, nothing but lady fish and blue fish. We caught most of our fish on the north end by the bar. We didn't really hear of anybody doing to good, we found the birds working a few time but all that was under them was lady fish. It was a good time but sure wish we would have caught more.


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## Last Drift (Jun 30, 2009)

TENRMORE said:


> Just got back yesterday, it was slow for us, 10 guys, 120 trout 3 redfish. We couldn't get a trout bite wading in the surf, nothing but lady fish and blue fish. We caught most of our fish on the north end by the bar. We didn't really hear of anybody doing to good, we found the birds working a few time but all that was under them was lady fish. It was a good time but sure wish we would have caught more.


I have been 4 times over the years, that place is hit or miss. I have never had just one of those lights out trips I see people raving about. I think it is over hyped.


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## TENRMORE (Apr 10, 2011)

I think its over fished..


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## TrueblueTexican (Aug 29, 2005)

*Fished there Thursday*

Went out Breton sound to island chain from Venice -- lots of trout and reds out in the guts in front of Islands, water was dirty on gut side, didn't wade, sharks were bad - fished live menhaden freelined, caught our bait outside NorthEast Pass. Trout limits by 10PM, then bounced to rigs for twenty minute snap limits.


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