October 25, 2020

Locate Grass Beds In Lake Pontchartrain Using Sonar

Beds of eel grass make for prime speckled trout fishing in Lake Pontchartrain. But how do you know where they are? Here's a few tips.

Fall fishing in Lake Pontchartrain can be really good, and while most people tend to think of the bridges when they think of the lake's legendary fishing, the various grass beds are another hot item as well.

Why are Lake Pontchartrain's grass beds so good?

When speckled trout are spawning during the summer they do so "outside" of the marsh where there's saltier water.

This is why we don't really find a lot of speckled trout in Lake Pontchartrain during the summer months, because her salinity is too low.

Maps like the one produced by Hydrocoast show just how salty she is (or isn't).

lake pontchartrain salinity  grass beds speckled trout

But, once the spawn is over, salinity is no longer a requirement and speckled trout head "inside" the marsh to feed in preparation for winter.

Once they do, you can expect them to populate bait-laden hot spots, with grass beds being one of them.

How good can fishing the grass beds be?

Pretty darned good! See for yourself in this video:

But not just any grass...

There are many types of aquatic grass we find throughout Louisiana's coast, with the more common type being milfoil and widgeon grass.

These types of grass tend to choke out the entire water column like what you see in redfish ponds, but not eel grass.

Eel grass, also called turtle grass or shoal grass, does not grow to the water's surface, leaving plenty of real estate for speckled trout to prowl looking for bait like mullet, mehaden (aka "pogies) and – an absolute favorite – shrimp!

How can we find beds of eel grass in Lake Pontchartrain?

There are more ways than one: First, there's experience, meaning you must get out there and look in the water for yourself.

While this works, it's time consuming and not nearly as effective as other methods.

That and it's difficult to see underwater, even with polarized lenses and good light conditions.

Google Earth Pro is an option, as its historical satellite imagery can you show you where grass beds (of any type) are most likely to be found in the marsh.

Sonar Is An Excellent Tool

Google Earth Pro can get you close, but sonar will zero you in.

After all, any imagery you find on the Internet is old news.

But, if you use sonar while you are fishing you can see exactly where the grass beds are located, revealing where you need to be casting to catch a decent box of speckled trout.

Conventional 2D sonar works to this end, but it's not the best because it only covers a narrow cone directly under your boat.

2d sonar speckled trout grass beds

But, side imaging sonar reveals much more, since it spreads over a wider fan.

side imaging sonar speckled trout grass beds lake pontchartrain

How wide of a fan?

On my Helix 12 I can easily punch out to beyond one hundred feet!

However, side imaging 40-70 feet off each side of the boat is a more practical setting.

Get More Fishing Tips & Know Where To Go

Inside my membership LAFB Elite, inshore anglers learn the process I use to find and catch fish from scratch. You'll find this time-tested practical know-how in the video lessons of Inshore Fishing 101, Fall Fish Location and more.

Additionally, members LAFB Elite get access to the Community, where they can read the latest fishing reports and get feedback on their fishing trips from like-minded anglers.

Works Anywhere Specks & Reds Swim!

The knowledge, tactics and techniques that Captain Devin teaches in his courses will work anywhere on Louisiana's coast.

I fish Vermilion Bay and Big Lake and what he teaches has proven effective for me and my kids!

Jason Blanchard

Lafayette Area Resident

Excellent Experience

Inshore Fishing 101 is amazing, I’ve been able to add to so much to my knowledge base after completing it.

The way Captain Devin breaks down fishing concepts so they are easy to understand, as well as the optional quizzes, I was able to learn a lot more about finding and catching fish than if I were to watch YouTube videos or read magazines.

Very well done, Devin!

Terry Abreo

In a word: GREAT!

I learned that I couldn't see the marsh for the bayou. What I mean by that is I was unknowingly doing a lot of things wrong with poor results and just chalked it up to a bad day of fishing. Devin presents a ton of concepts that the average fisherman either overlooks, isn't executing properly or is flat out ignorant of.

Inshore Fishing 101 isn't just a bunch of random tips! It is an intricate web of interconnected actions, equipment, locations, biology, conditions, techniques, technology, and experience that come together to give you the best chance of filling the box with fish on a consistent basis.

He shows how simple it is: you don't need a 24 ft bay boat, you don't need 500 different color lures, you don't need the most expensive gear, all you need to is a rod, a reel a lure and a little moving water, clean water and lots of bait in the area.

Randy Ahrabi

Small Business Owner

Captain Devin

About the Author

Devin is a former fishing guide and lifelong inshore angler. He founded Louisiana Fishing Blog in 2012 to share his ideas as a charter captain and still writes in it today. Since then he's created a fishing university — LAFB Elite — where he teaches inshore anglers how to safely navigate Louisiana's coast and catch more fish.


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  • Yes captain I agree sonar is very important to me I have a Garmin and it helps me a lot to zero in on some awesome spots once I learned how to use it

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    End The Frustration, Start Getting Results!

    see what these members of my paid courses have to say...

    I am a member of LAFB Elite, and can say that Devin is a very knowledgeable guy when it comes to fishing Louisiana's coast.

    The investment in his courses is definitely worth it.

    Plus, you can go back and look at all the past seminars or refresh what you've already taken.

    Scott RuizLifelong Inshore Angler

    One think I loved discovering inside Inshore Fishing 101 are the various tips and tricks to using Google Earth Desktop to find fishing spots.

    I have used it a lot in the past but applying it the way Captain Devin demonstrates is great. I also loved the instruction on bait presentation and how to set up on a spot.

    Jacob RidgedellAvid Outdoorsman

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