What You Need To Know
Trip Info
We offer guided fly fishing and spinning rod trips in the salt water marshes south of New Orleans, making us one of the premiere Louisiana Redfish Charter Guide services. Since we are located in the city, we can fish on either the east or west side of the Mississippi River depending on the time of year and conditions, with Port Sulphur and Venice on the west side and Hopedale and Delacroix on the east.
The early fall when the big fish come back into the marsh from offshore is prime time but the fishing is spectacular all year round. The primary target is to catch and release giant redfish but black drum, sheepshead, jack crevalle, speckled trout and even giant alligator gar populate the same waters.
Trips usually start around 8:00am and go till around 4:00 because the sun needs to be up to be able to see the fish. In the hotter months trips start earlier so we aren’t out there in the hottest part of the day.
Boat & Gear
My boat is a seventeen foot Maverick Mirage II with a 90 horsepower Suzuki. It has a custom front casting platform with a rail for added stability. This flats skiff is ideal for fishing the marshes and bayous that surround New Orleans.
All gear is provided. I tie my own spoon flies and have many crab and shrimp patterns under development. Not to mention plenty of Clouser minnows and poppers. I always keep a 10 or 12 weight fly rod rigged and ready in case we see a Jack feeding. If you want to bring your own gear that’s also fine. For the spinning enthusiast I like to use small suspending crankbaits with inline hooks, gold spoons, and top water baits whenever possible.
Birding Expeditions
The coastal marshes in southeast Louisiana are a fantastic environment for seeing a huge variety of birds. It’s not uncommon to see over 50 species on a trip!
A technical poling skiff is a fantastic way to get close and observe the birds in their natural habitat. I can push pole the boat or use a trolling motor to quietly drift in close when an opportunity presents itself.
Trips last around five hours and I pack lunch and drinks. It is not uncommon to run thirty to fifty miles on a trip depending on the conditions and the time of year. We see various species of hawks, ospreys, harriers and eagles on any given day in the marsh. I really love hunting for the smaller shore birds such as my favorite Oyster Catchers, rails, Black-necked Stilt, avocet, plovers, Killdeer, sandpiper, curlew, and Roseate Spoonbill to name a few. Perhaps what makes this marsh so special is the abundance of water fowl we see. All kinds of ducks inhabitant these coastal wetlands and in huge numbers.
I am relatively new to birding and identifying the various species I encounter is something I have come to really enjoy. I am fortunate to have a brother who runs eco-tours of the delta around Mobile Alabama. benraines.org. He opened my eyes to how extraordinary our marsh is for the birding enthusiast.
Meet Your Captain
Capt. Jeff Raines
Captain Jeffrey Raines grew up fly fishing for trout and bass in the waters surrounding Washington DC. When he was 17 he went on his first redfishing trip in Leeville, Louisiana and ended up attending Loyola University the next fall. He had his first flat boat by his junior year in college and has been fishing the waters from Grand Isle to the Biloxi marsh ever since.
Raines originally moved to New Orleans to catch fish and to pursue a career in music. He is the lead guitar player in the New Orleans funk band Galactic and is a co-owner of what many regard as the greatest music venue on the planet, the legendary Tipitinas. This makes Jeff the ideal Louisiana Redfish Charter Guide for those music fans who love to catch fish!
Trip Rates
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Fly Fest Charters
We offer guided fly fishing and spinning rod trips in the salt water marshes south of New Orleans.
I was on a charter the other day got out a Mister Breeze portable misting umbrella that a friend of mine has been selling thru his company Breeze Life. Thanks Ryan it’s a great way to stay cool on a flats skiff in August while waiting to take a shot at the redfish of a lifetime. #breezelife #misterbreeze #redfishonfly #sightfishing #biloximarsh #maverickboats #gloomisflyrods
Had the good fortune of taking Matt Frizzo and Joel Loper all over the Biloxi marsh the last few days. Sometimes the best part of this job is the people you meet and become friends with. We were on the hunt for clean water and hungry redfish. #redfishonfly#maverickboats#orvisflyfishing#sightfishing#louisianaflyfishing#bullredfishing#southernwaycharters#dogwoodlodge
Huge thanks to everyone that I fished with in Montana this year. I’ve got a redfish with your name on it. @missouriflyfishing @rockcreek@bigholeriver@beaverhead
Had Marc and Tammy Zimmerman on the flat boat yesterday. They both caught their first redfish on fly. The fishing is bonkers right now. The bulls are schooling up. Seeing lots of jacks, black drum, huge gar and sharks. Roseate spoonbills are all over the marsh. From August 14th thru the September 3rd I’m running my summer special. That’s leaving the dock at 6:00am back at 12:00 for $500. #bullredfish #redfishonfly #maverickboats #gloomisrods #biloximarsh #sightfishing #tipitinas @marshonthefly
Get In Touch
Contact
Email or call us for more information or to book your trip today!
Phone: 504-390-8243
Email: mrjeffraines@gmail.com