Chandeluer Islands trips?

[WaltL1]

Oh and 1 more thing -
you can buy maps of the Chandeleurs on line but be warned, most/none are up to date. Katrina etc wiped out big sections of the islands so even though they are on the maps they don't actually exist anymore.

 

[Wood Smoke]

The wishful thinking wheels are already turning, so next step is to put a plan in motion and talk to some family & friends about a trip. Might be next year, but hey you gotta start somewhere!

 

[WaltL1]

The wishful thinking wheels are already turning, so next step is to put a plan in motion and talk to some family & friends about a trip. Might be next year, but hey you gotta start somewhere!

Well it looks like you are starting out the right way!
And I don't know if costs are a concern to you but if you want to keep them down and don't come up with a full boat. lots of times Capts can help fill up the boat for you. Often times groups of 2 or 3 etc guys will give the Capts their names in hopes of getting on boats that aren't full.

 

[Wood Smoke]

We always had a full boat which was either 10 or 12 depending on the boat and did the 2 1/2 day trips. Left the dock Thurs. night at like midnight, woke up in the Chandeluers Fri morn, fished all day Fri, fished all day Sat. left the Chandeluers Sat evening after dark, back in Biloxi late Sat night, slept on the boat, off the boat Sun. morn. Im pretty sure that what they are calling the 2 1/2 day trips.
Lures were the usual stuff - popping corks with a Gulp shrimp or jig, gold spoons, soft plastics on a jig head and I always bring an ultralight rod to catch pinfish etc. and did well using them for live bait.

Walt, on your fall/October trips did y'all wade fish a lot or fish mostly from the skiffs so you could move often as needed to locate fish? Also, are y'all going again this year?

 

[WaltL1]

Walt, on your fall/October trips did y'all wade fish a lot or fish mostly from the skiffs so you could move often as needed to locate fish? Also, are y'all going again this year?

We mostly fished from the skiffs mainly because we couldn't find the fish stacked up in one place. We would drift, catch one, put out the anchor, catch a few more then when the bite stopped pull the anchor and drift some more and repeat as necessary. Sometimes you can find them stacked up in one area and get out of the skiff and catch them one after the other. I like to wade a lot because sitting or even standing in the skiff for too long gives me back aches.
We are not going this year. We have a group of guys and we go somewhere every year and this year we are going to St. George Island.
However the Chandeluers is our favorite trip due to the overall experience.
And don't hesitate to call a few Capts and pick their brains. We have found them to be very helpful as most of their business is based off repeat customers so they are very helpful as they want you back over and over and don't just tell you anything to get you out there once. Its not a trip for everybody so they live off repeat customers.

 

[WaltL1]

Oh yeah, one of the big advantages to wading is you will be fishing shallow. You can waste a lot of time trying to get your skiff un-stuck. Anchor it in a little deeper water and then can wade into the real shallow stuff particularly if you are targeting reds.
We learned that the hard way.....

 

[Wood Smoke]

We mostly fished from the skiffs mainly because we couldn't find the fish stacked up in one place. We would drift, catch one, put out the anchor, catch a few more then when the bite stopped pull the anchor and drift some more and repeat as necessary. Sometimes you can find them stacked up in one area and get out of the skiff and catch them one after the other. I like to wade a lot because sitting or even standing in the skiff for too long gives me back aches.
We are not going this year. We have a group of guys and we go somewhere every year and this year we are going to St. George Island.
However the Chandeluers is our favorite trip due to the overall experience.
And don't hesitate to call a few Capts and pick their brains. We have found them to be very helpful as most of their business is based off repeat customers so they are very helpful as they want you back over and over and don't just tell you anything to get you out there once. Its not a trip for everybody so they live off repeat customers.

Thanks. Interestingly, I've tried to figure out which charters have skiffs with provided boat seats with seat backs. No seats with backs, then I probably won't be on that that boat! Haha ? Spent tons of hours over the years in jon boats, gheenoes/RiverHawks etc. Fastest way to an achy back, knees, etc while fishing is doing so without a comfortable seat!!