Updated: Thursday, July 30, 2026 · Next update: Thursday, August 6, 2026
This Louisiana fishing report covers late July, when the marsh is hot, buggy and full of redfish for anyone willing to get in early. Reds are the constant in the ponds and shoreline grass on the higher tides, while speckled trout move out to the nearshore rigs and deeper structure where the water is saltier and cooler. Offshore, yellowfin tuna lead at the deepwater rigs. Plan around the tide: post-full-moon water moves well through midweek, and a little tidal push makes all the difference in the marsh.
What’s Hitting
Redfish work the marsh ponds and shoreline grass on the higher tides. Speckled trout shift out of the interior marsh to the nearshore rigs, the barrier island passes and the deeper bayou structure. Black drum sit on the oyster reefs. Offshore, yellowfin tuna are the headline at the deepwater rigs, with blackfin, mahi and wahoo in the mix. Flounder hang around the pass edges, and tripletail sit on the crab trap floats.
Where to Find Them
Fish the ponds and interior bayous of Delacroix, Hopedale and the Biloxi Marsh for reds on the flood. Trout stack at the nearshore rigs off Grand Isle and Fourchon, and around the passes at the barrier islands. Rig legs and pass edges concentrate bait and offer cooler, saltier water, which is why trout leave the marsh for them in summer.
Look for tripletail on the trap lines in the open bays on calm mornings. Offshore, target the deepwater rigs south of the Mississippi River mouth for tuna.
Tides & Conditions
Expect water temps of 88 to 90 in the interior and the mid-80s nearshore. A light southeast wind blows in the mornings, with storms building inland by afternoon. Interior water is fresh-influenced from summer rain, so salinity edges matter: where the fresher interior water meets the saltier bay water is where the reds and trout stack.
Tackle & Tactics
- Marsh redfish: a gold spoon, a weedless soft plastic, or cracked crab and market shrimp on the bottom. Keep it simple with 20- to 30-pound leader.
- Rig trout: a live shrimp or croaker under a slip cork, or a soft plastic on a 3/8-ounce head fished down the rig legs.
- Tripletail: a live shrimp pitched quietly past a float.
- Tuna: a chunking or popping game at the rigs, best in the low light.
Local Intel This Week
The Delacroix launches, the Hopedale Marina ramp and the Grand Isle public ramps are the main access points. Launch at Delacroix or Hopedale for the interior ponds and the Biloxi Marsh, and at Grand Isle for the nearshore rigs and barrier island passes. Cypremort Point State Park is another public access point farther west. Expect fish to concentrate on the salinity edges. Louisiana has generous but specific rules on reds and trout that changed recently. Check current state and federal regulations and seasons before keeping fish.
This Week’s Tip
In the marsh in this heat, fish the first two hours and the last two hours of the flood and ignore the rest. Reds push into the ponds with the rising water and pull out fast when it drops. The middle of the tide in the middle of the day is the least productive combination there is.
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