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rstouff
08-10-2010, 01:44 PM
I hadn't driven the 3 1/2 hours to a central Louisiana stream in a couple months. The temperatures here along the Gulf Coast were hovering around 95, hotter inland. There had been scarce rain in the parts I wanted to be. But my best friend and I needed to go. A report from a month earlier had indicated the creek was so dry the reporter had to walk hundreds of feet between pools. We decided to go anyway, mostly to explore some places we had been curious about.
Upon arrival at 7:30 a.m. we were shocked, absolutely shocked, to find this:
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070001sm.JPG
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070003sm.JPG
Can't explain it, and didn't care to at the time. We strung up six-weights with No. 6 poppers. The spotted and largemouth bass here are not big, but they respond best to big, noisy poppers, thus the six-weight. It felt great to step into the cool flows again. This stream, some of you may remember, is an oddity and a rare, precious jewel in a land of bayous and swamps. There are none other like it with sandstone terraces and fast, living water.
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070005sm.JPG
In it's lower reaches, the stream slows a bit over sandbars:
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070013sm.JPG
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070025sm.JPG
We each managed two of these, a lot of pumpkinseed perch.
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070004sm.JPG
At 1.8 miles downstream from where we went in, we found this wonderful outcrop. Remember, this is Louisiana!
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070020sm.JPG
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070022sm.JPG
By 2 p.m. it was just too dang hot to continue, so we made our way back, had a quick lunch, then it was off home, another 3 1/2 hours southward back to the swamps and bayous I grew up in. In my head, the creek lingered like a vision for days. Still does. I can't wait until cooler weather to return.
I know it's not an Appalachian stream, or Catskills or Rockies. But it's my little, precious gem and each visit there is a treasured memory.
http://www.native-waters.com/images/kisatchie/kisatchie10/Aug10/P7070023sm.JPG
Roger Stouff
Chitimacha, Louisiana

Satoshi
08-11-2010, 06:52 AM
I don't know what kind of place Louisiana is, but I can certainly tell that is a great stream to fish!
Thank you for great pics.

Satoshi

Apache Trout
08-11-2010, 08:09 AM
That stream is a gem. Glad you get to enjoy it. A.T.

soupmix
08-11-2010, 08:41 AM
Your posts remind me how truly spoiled I am in Michigan. Although you do not live in trout-utopia at least you have a great place to fish. Nice report.

The Average Joe Fisherman

rstouff
08-11-2010, 10:08 AM
Much appreciated!
I wish I lived a shorter distance to such streams. Down here, all fishing is done in a boat, you couldn't wade without sinking up to your hips in muck. Don't get me wrong, the fishing can be fantastic in the swamps, bayous and marshes. But after a lifetime of messing about in boats, I've really grown weary of it hassling with trailers, fuel, trolling motors...and the fishing here isn't what it was when I was growing up, by a long shot.
R

Mostyn
08-12-2010, 08:12 AM
Good report and pictures, your Large Mouth Bass, is a freshwater fish yeah? The only Bass I've ever seen is the Salmon Bass - a sea fish!

rstouff
08-12-2010, 10:42 AM
It is a freshwater fish, yes.

fishtaco
08-12-2010, 11:30 AM
Good to see Louisiana is well represented here, nice report Roger. Let me know when you want to head up this way, I know of a few streams I think you'd love.

erics beetle
08-13-2010, 06:19 AM
Great looking place. As mostyn says no freshwater bass in UK but they are stocked widely in French stillwaters and boy do they scrap,

Andy

Alpinefly
08-14-2010, 01:19 AM
Spent a whole Summer down in that neck of the woods. Didn't like the Water Mocassins (some people thought I was nuts out in my waders fly fishing while those rascals were swimming around), but the Bass I was getting were real line busters. Very nice pics !!!!!!!!!!