December 30th

What a difference a day makes. The wind died, the water cleared up, and today Don Hutchinson caught his limit (25) of trout in the exact spot we couldn't catch trout yesterday. The funny thing is that today we couldn't find the reds where we caught them yesterday. He did manage to catch a couple of drum, though. We had a good time, and Don (pictured here) has a lot of fish to cook. Thanks Don, I hope to see you again soon.

December 29th

Rick Raymond and his son Dennis are pictured here with some of the fish they caught today with Papa Joe. The weather began to warm up and it felt good, but the wind was still blowing. Although we kept a limit of reds, we only had a few trout and an assortment of drum and sheephead. We left the reds on the half shell for them to barbeque tonight. I wish I knew what time dinner was. Thanks guys, we had a great time fishing with you, see you next time around.

December 17th

The Toups, Diez, and Amedee boys pictured here finally collected their fathers day presents when they fished with Papa Joe and Capt E.J. today. This gift from their wives included Meals, Accommodations, and fishing. The guys had a great time at the lodge as well as fishing. The day started and ended with a little rain and the winds blew hard in between, but they managed to catch some nice reds on artificial and market bait, and the rain couldn't dampen a good time. Thanks guys (and girls) it was a great idea for fathers day, and I hope you will return.

November 25th

The Favaloro's were back for their annual day after Thanksgiving trip, and just slammed the fish. We started off a little slow because the wind changed and was blowing 18 mph right into the place where I had been fishing for the last two trips. We finally landed on the fish in a protected canal and as you can see from these pictures, the bite was on. Everyone caught a lot of fish, had a terrific time, and a trip the kids will never forget. Thanks Guy, enjoy the fish, and we'll see you next time.

November 23rd

The Galy's, Bellow's, and Bush's fished with Papa Joe today. It was beautiful weather and as you can see from these photos the fish were hungry and biting. The guys were in from Florida and Georgia for Thanksgiving and this trip was just what they needed to add to the fun. Thanks folks, enjoy the fish, and come back to see us the next time you're in town.

November 22nd

We're back in operation, and as you can see by these photos the fish never left. In fact, the fish have been biting better since the storm. I think Katrina shook them up a bit. Tom and Thomas had a great time even though the early morning chill held us up for a little while. All those fish were caught in three hours.

August 20th

Greg Gilbert, Peter and Mike Misluk, Tom Schwinder, Robert Taylor, and Jay Yuschak fished with Papa Joe and Capt E. J. today. They were in town for a bachelor party. Even though we fished the hottest part of the day, from 10 AM to 4 PM, we managed to catch these fish and more. Once the fish were cleaned, it was off to Jan's Cajun Restaurant for a world class seafood dinner. Thanks guys. Have a safe trip home, and come back when you can.

August 6th

Since July and August are slow business months, Papa Joe usually takes some time off to get away and out of the sun and heat. However, sometimes he goes fishing for fun. This year, while visiting some of his grand children in Ft. Lauderdale, he and his son, Mike, fished Peacock Bass in Miami. The action was hot and heavy on top water early and a little live bait was a help by 11 AM. In addition to the Peacocks, they managed a small Tarpon, a Snook, and a few Largemouth Bass. They had an excellent guide (Steve Albaum, 954-658-4568) who was very knowledgeable and put them on the fish first thing. Here are a couple of photos. All the fish were released to fight another day.

August 17th

Chris Russo and Nick Gagliano fished with Papa Joe today. The wind was a lot worse than the weather man predicted, so they fished an alternate location. Here are a couple of pictures of Nick's big red and the trout they kept to eat.

August 14th

Allen and Albert Miller had a good time and a great day on the water with Papa Joe today. They went down to the beach and caught 75 trout. Here is a picture of the keepers they brought back to eat. This trip was a Father's Day present from Allen's wife. She got a gift certificate from Papa Joe a couple of months ago. They were at Papa Joe's early because it's important this time of year to beat the heat. All the fish were caught before 10 AM. Our thanks to Mrs. Miller and the guys, we hope to see all of you on the next trip.

August 2nd

Once in a while you just have to go look for some fish in places you normally don't get to fish on a regular basis. So this morning we put three captains in the boat and did just that. Papa Joe, E.J. and Mike left the dock an hour before day light to fish the surf and load up on some trout. With the normal summer rain chance being at 40% and 94 degree heat we knew an early start was necessary. The 2nd stop was a charm. It didn't take us long to put some trout in the box and experiment with a few different baits and techniques. But when we were on the fish, almost everything we tried worked. Papa Joe caught this jack while fishing for trout in the surf 18" under a cork with 12lb test Triple fish line and a closing night colored Old Bayside shrimp. That combo was also deadly on the trout. Oh yea, we also spent 45 minutes under a camp while the rain did its thing before returning to the dock. That's summer in Louisiana.

July 24th

Stephan, Ted, and Alan Powers spent a full day on the water with Papa Joe today and it was one of those days that you start saying "I just like getting out here" or "a bad day fishing is better than a good day a work". I hate it when that happens because the bottom line is, we are out there to catch fish. However if you fish enough you know one of those days is coming eventually. The good news is we managed to find the trout pictured here with some others that could not be kept, and had a good time putting a hundred miles on the boat doing it. The porpoises followed us, and put on a show at almost every stop. We hope to see you guys again in the fall with plenty of fish.

July 21st

Papa Joe and his good friend E.J. made an evening bass trip today, deep into the Louisiana swamp. A place were you can't always get to because most times the water level is to low. A place were the birds hide, the gators are big, and the bugs are thick. A place were in these 90 deg. temperatures the fish only bite 45 minutes before dark and its absolutely necessary to get out quick by dark thirty. They had a lot of fun with the bass. Here is a picture of Papa Joe with his lunker of the night. E.J. had one slightly larger. This spring these bass will be accessable to to everyone as they move out for the spawn. Both guys are looking forward to that.

July 16th

Herbert and Victoria Buckridge, with their daughters Samantha, Stephanie, Shannon, and Grandma Vicki came all the way from Missouri and California to fish the warm waters of Lafitte. They spent Friday night at Papa Joe's Lodge and got an early start fishing with Papa Joe and Capt E.J. In most areas, the water was still muddy from the storms Cindy and Dennis. So we ran 30 minutes to the only clear spot we knew in hopes that the reds would be stacked up. Bingo! There they were pushing big wakes. Herb was the first one in my boat to hook-up and boy was he surprised at the powerful red he had on the line. That was only the beginning. We had limits by 11:30 and the hot July sun said, "Go in and clean fish." Everyone was very happy, including Grandma as you can see from these pictures. Thanks folks, come see us again when you can.

July 8th & 9th

Coy and Audra Cooper had a couple of beautiful weather days in-between Tropical Storm Cindy and Hurricane Dennis. The summer heat has definitely set in here and the trout bite is at a very early hour. They enjoyed the fishing and the food at Jan's as well as that nap in the late afternoon during the PM showers. Here are photos of some of the reds they caught and released. We kept the trout and they will be eating those over the next month or so. Thanks folks, Pat and I hope you made it back in front of the storm, and we hope to see you again.

July 4th Weekend

Papa Joe took the Fourth of July weekend off and traveled to Orlando to take his grandsons fishing and visit family. The trip was successful, as you can see by this photo taken on East Lake in Orlando. Thomas and Jack are 5 and 3 years old, and they love to fish and boat ride. The boat ride comes in after you lose the anchor or they lose interest after a few fish or sometimes both, if you know what I mean. We had a great time, and it was a good get-a-way for a few days.

June 29th

I picked John and Debra Stulmann up at the Sheraton at 5 AM. To my surprise, there were several thunder storms in the area; they normally don't pop-up until afternoon. We got their fishing licenses and were off to catch some redfish. Debra was the first to land one, but John caught up quickly when we finally hit the right shoreline. We also caught several very nice trout by accident while fishing for the reds. They kept one red and a Flounder to eat at Jan's Cajun Restaurant, and I dropped them back at the hotel in time for Debra's hair appointment at 3 PM. Here are their pictures.

June 28th

Isamu returned with his friend today to fish for redfish. It was another good day. Here are some pictures. The trout may be a little better eating, but boy those reds sure are fun to catch. Isamu fished both days with his beautiful home-made rods and he even used home-made baits, most of which I had never seen before. But the fish liked them. Thanks, guy,s for fishing with me and to Yuko back in Japan for making the arrangements. I look forward to fishing with you again sometime.

June 27th

Isamu Fukuda and Takahiro Kakinuma had a terrific time fishing with Papa Joe today. They were happy to catch Speckled Trout, and kept some to eat for lunch at Jan's Cajun Restaurant. Here is a photo of Takahiro with his first trout, and both of the guys with the fish they ate for lunch. Tomorrow we will fish for redfish. See you at 5 AM.

June 25th

The Lovings from Mississippi show off their big smiles and the fish that they caught today with Papa Joe. That wind finally changed from the Northeast half way through our trip today, but it was still blowing at 20 mph. Even so, we managed to put a dozen in the boat. While everyone caught fish, Jamie caught the biggest. But Amy had the biggest one of the day on the line and it got away. How anyone be glad it got away, I don't know, but that's the way mom's are you know. Tanner hung in there with a couple of his own. Thanks guys, hope to see you again soon.

June 23rd

St. Charles' finest returned to fish with Papa Joe again today. The bite was slower than last time, but we managed to catch a mess of fish anyhow. Here are the guys showing off some of their catch, along with Sarge and the big fish of the day. That Northeast wind has been blowing for 5 days now and we are all ready to get back to a summer pattern. Thanks guys, we hope to see you again in October.

June 20th

Here is a photo of CT Williams with a red that he caught while filming a television show with Papa Joe today. There is a funny story that goes along with this fish, but you'll have to wait for the show or maybe see it in the classics.

June 18th

Guy Favaloro and his buddies caught these fish and more with Papa Joe today. The weather was stormy and really looked bad as a front came through the area, but we managed to dodge most of the rain and catch a mess of trout. Thanks folks, I always enjoy fishing with you. See you next time.

June 4th & 5th

Charles Murray Jr. and Sr.Mike and Caren Jackson, Rudy Erwin, Todd Mixon Jeffrey Dodley, and Malcolm Cameron fished on a 2-day package with Capt. Mike and Papa Joe Saturday and Sunday. The weather co-operated, with the rain holding off long enough to get both days in. Saturday was a bit show but we managed to catch some trout and a few reds, but Sunday was Great with 40 Redfish between the two boats. They loved the accommodations and that terrific porch over the water. Hare are a few pictures of the group with their fish. Thanks guys, and Charlie we look forward to seeing you again in the Fall.

June 4th

King Kelly, and three generations of Pender's -- David, David Allen, and Don -- fished today with Capt. Bobby. Here are the Pender's showing off some of the fish they caught. The weather was hot but a southerly breeze made the morning very pleasant. Thanks guys. Enjoy the fish, and we'll see you next time around.

June 1st

Stacy, Robert, Ryan, and Heather fished with Papa Joe today. Their day started off with a 5AM pick-up at their hotel. A short ride to Papa Joe's for fishing license, and off we went. The early bite was slow, but the fish picked up in the later part of the trip. They caught and released both Trout and Redfish. Here are a few pictures from their trip. Guys, it was a pleasure fishing with you and we hope to fish with you again.

May 29th

Boyd and Guy Favaloro, along with Richard Granger, had a good day on the water fishing with Papa Joe. This photo says it all: big smiles and a lot of fish. The wind blew pretty hard, way more than the weatherman predicted for sure. The guys had a good time and all of them caught the most and the biggest depending on who you talk with. These were the nicest trout I've caught so far this spring so the summer is looking good. The trout are back. Thanks boys, I hope to see you again soon.

May 27th & 28th

Yohna Drywall has fished with Papa Joe for 6 years in a row now and they continue to hammer the fish and have the best of times doing it. This year the group of 27 managed to fill two 120 Quart ice chests with fish fillets. They fished two days and ate three nights. Thanks to Voleos, Jan's Cajun Restaurant, and Donavan at C-Way Marina for their hard work and good cooking. Here are a few photos of some of the guys showing off their fish.

May 22nd

Here is a picture of Kevin Reinke and his crew, including Ross and Kameron. These guys are no amateurs. They came to fish, and fish hard they did. The weather was great and the fish co-operated as you can see by those smiling faces. Thanks guys, enjoy the fish and we'll see you next time around.

May 25th

My good friend Jerry Burke returned to fish with Arthur Mangold, Robert Howell, Arthur Drago, and Steven Labreck. We used 2 boats to give the guys plenty of room. We couldn't fish Barataria bay for trout because of the wind, so we fished the reds instead. Steve caught the first and biggest red, but everyone caught their share. Along with the reds they also caught 20 trout. Here is the proof. Thanks guys, enjoy the fish, and come back soon.

May 23rd & 24th

Barry Deese from Georgia, Greg Auvenshine from Texas, and Vernon Soley from Mississippi combined business with pleasure during their 2-day package. They had business meetings at the lodge and spent the mornings fishing with Papa Joe. It was a great idea and it worked out very well. I hope the meetings were as productive as the fishing. Here's a picture of some of their fish each day. Thanks guys, enjoy the fish, and I hope to fish with you again soon.

May 23rd

Jim Price and his son Malcolm from Delaware caught these fish while fishing with Capt. Mike today. Malcolm caught his first fish on the trip and was pretty excited. Then he took a nap. We woke him up for this picture, but as you can see he is still a little sleepy. The weather cooperated with lots of hot sun, and Jim, Malcolm, and Capt. Mike all had a good time. Come see us again when you can.

May 20th & 21st

Seven Robertson's fished a 2-day package with Papa Joe and Capt. Parker. Most of the Robertson's hail from Mississippi, but a couple came in from California and Tennessee. It was a good time for all on this annual trip. The weather was good, the food fantastic, the card game exciting, and as always the back porch over the water was relaxing. Here's the photos of everyone smiling. Thanks folks, enjoy the fish, and be sure to come see us again.

May 16th & 17th

Eddie Solomon, James Guyton, Walt Jones, Michael Lewis, Alva Bailey, William Kleckley, John Turner, Charles Edge, and Roy Johnson drove in from Georgia to fish a 2-day package with Papa Joe. Roy started off the first morning with Capt. Mike and a 27lb. redfish while fishing trout under a cork with 10# test Triple fish line. Was it luck or skill? Probably a little bit of both. All together they caught 156 keeper trout and a dozen redfish. Not quite as good as their last trip here, but neither was the weather. Here are a few pictures of some of the guys holding their fish. We look forward to fishing with you guys again.

May 15th

John and Scott LaGaize, and John Morrissey caught these reds and more while fishing with Capt. Bobby today. The winds kept them away from the trout in the Bay but there is always something exciting to catch here in the New Orleans area.

May 14h & 15th

Three generations of the Wright Family (Harold, Steve, Bradley, and Alex) flew in from Indianapolis to fish a 2-day package with Papa Joe. The wind was too strong to get on the trout in the bay, but they had a great time fishing redfish up in the marsh. Here are a few pictures of the guys showing off some of the fish that Papa Joe cleaned and froze for them to take home. Thanks guys, enjoy the fish! We hope to see ya'll again.

May 7th

Guy Favaloro returned with his buddies Glen Garrison, Frank House, and Mike Meyer. We got an early start after a fantastic supper at Jan's Cajun Restaurant and a good night's sleep at the lodge. The wind came up quickly making it tough to fish the trout in Barataria Bay, but we managed to catch 20 nice ones before being forced out. Here is Frank with the big fish of the day that he caught on a gold spoon. Thanks folks, and Guy we'll see you again on Memorial Day.

April 29th & 30th

Winston Cook, Byron Davis, Garland Burns, Donald Byrd, and his son Chris came for a 2 day package trip with Papa Joe. As you can see from the "Day 1" and "Day 2" pictures we caught reds even with the extreme wind conditions. These guys are seasoned fisherman and come all the way from College Park GA. to fish each year. They really enjoy the total package and every minute of the trip. Thanks guys, we hope to see you in the fall.

April 27th

I fished today with two long time friends, George Moran and Dane Picone. We had a fantastic time catching 43 speckled trout and 5 redfish. The trout were all around 15 inches and 2 of the reds were over 10 pounds. After cleaning the fish they had fresh sautéed trout at Jan's Cajun Restaurant. No fishing trip is complete without proof, so here are a couple of photos. You look pretty good guys.

April 22nd

Here are a couple of photos of Harold and some of the fish he caught today while fishing with Papa Joe. He was fishing a company tournament and is going to weigh in the largest red. Thanks Harold, and good luck with the tournament. I hope you win something.

April 18th

Jeff Lee and his son Alex from Green Bay WI, and Rose and Jason Easler fished with Papa Joe today and caught these reds along with 23 trout. They were staying in Baton Rouge for a bowling tournament and decided come to New Orleans for a 1-day fishing trip. Good move. They will be able to feed their 20 bowlers with no problem tonight. This was the first time they caught redfish. Alex was first to hook up, then his dad Jeff caught the biggest at 10 pounds. Jason and Rose were not far behind. They all had a great experience fishing in Louisiana. I hope the fish fry was as successful as the trip. Thanks guys.

April 16th

Pictured here with all those trout are Nathan Hillis, Cecil Brown, Charles Crowe, and Carey Wilson from Alabama. These guys had a great time. Their trip started with a sautéed shrimp dinner at Jan's Cajun Restaurant on Friday night. They stayed at Papa Joe's lodge so that made it easy to get an early start to catch the trout bite. Thanks guys. Enjoy the fish and we hope you'll come see us again.

April 9th

Jesus Prieto, Richard Perez, and Keith Tamboer, had a good day on the water with Papa Joe today. Although the bite was a little on the slow side we managed to catch several nice reds, bass, and trout. At one point Richard and Keith hooked up with a double header on redfish. Here they are holding those fish. Good job guys. Have a safe trip home and come see us again.

April 5th

Russell Maxey and Alan Belson fished with Papa Joe today. It began with a 5:45 pick-up downtown and ended with a nice bag of trout filets going home. Everything in-between we'll call a good time. These guys were impressed with the lodge and said they were going to get up a 2-day package. Thanks guys, I'm sorry that I forgot the camera on my kitchen table. Have a safe flight home.

April 4th

Two unusually strong cool fronts in a row and a thrid on the way has made fishing very slow now for about a week. However Mike Tyas managed to catch these fish and most important his first redfish. It was a pleasure fishing with Mike and we both enjoyed the trip. Thanks Mike, hope you enjoy the fish.

March 29th

Ken Dunn, Jack Bryant, Harold McDonald, and Don Ray came all the way from Tennessee to fish 3 days with Papa Joe. Here is Don showing off one of several reds they caught today. They came in on one of Papa Joe's package trips, and hit the weather just right. We did fight the low, dirty water from the winds of the last few days, but that didn't keep them from catching a nice mess of fish. So far we've had some great Jambalaya, and the best shrimp they have ever eaten at Jan's Cajun Restaurant. We'll let you know what happens the next 2 days.

March 28th

Charlie Smith and his friend Mark fished with me today. The wind was blowing at 25 MPH and the water dropped 2 feet just before their trip. We were able to manage a nice mess of speckled trout by fishing some protected canals. Here they are showing off a few of their pride and joy. I hope you guys enjoy the fish.

March 16th

The rainy weather held off long enough for Bob McCallister and his group to catch plenty of trout to eat at Jan's. While some boats caught more than others, everyone had a terrific time fishing and eating. They even had an awards presentation for biggest fish, most fish, best boat, and, of course, the boobie prize. It was a lot of fun. We had some great captains and fantastic customers. We hope to see you guys again next year -- with warmer weather and lots of redfish.

March 13th

What a difference a day makes. This morning I hurried right back to the same area we caught all the fish yesterday and, you guessed it, nothing. Boy was I surprised. Stephen Schaible, with Ken and Kerry Paton from Philadelphia went fishing with me after driving 21 hours to get here. We fished hard the rest of the morning and managed to catch a dozen or so trout along with a lonely red fish and bass. Tonight they are going to Austin, Texas to continue on their 2 week vacation. Here is their photo. Thanks guys, have a great vacation.

March 12th

Pictures don't lie so here they are. I don't even need to tell you the story, the smiles on the girl's faces says it all. Miles and Lori Davis, along with Tim and Saundra Cunningham and John Vanhoose, had a good day on the water with Papa Joe today. Saundra had the biggest red at 10.75 lbs. The weather was fantastic -- the best weather in weeks. These guys have fished with me several times in the past and always seem to do well. After an enjoyable lunch at Jan's Cajun Restaurant, they headed back to Mississippi with lots of fish filets.

March 12th

It was fantastic fishing weather for Ken Ehrett, Harley Dininger, Tom and Dan Yeager, and Tom Ennis when they fishing with Capt. Mike today. They did good on the trout even though the bite was a little slow. Then they finished off their trip with lunch at Jan's Cajun Restaurant, always a favorite on Papa Joe's trips. There's no picture because I got back to the dock too late to take it, sorry guys. I'll have to make it up to you next time. Hope you enjoyed eating the fish.

March 5th & 6th

Jeanette Lesniak and a friend fished two days with Papa Joe. They were the kind of people that made you feel like you were fishing with old friends after only five minutes. We had a good time, and, even though the fishing was slow, it's amazing how much there is to see in the South Louisiana marsh. Jeanette is pictured here with the largest fish she caught in spite of our best efforts to catch a bigger one. She beat us fair and square. Thanks, guys, it was my pleasure to be your guide for the weekend. Come see us again when you can.

March 4th

Tough fishing requires a lot of patience, and I was fortunate that John Bubb (pictured here) and Scott Riley were tough, patient, fisherman. The good news is we did manage a few fish, the weather was great, and we saw the first few gators of the season. The fishing will improve as the weather gets stable. Thanks guys, we hope to see you again when the fishing is better.

February 19th

Dean Austad, pictured here with a couple of the fish he caught while fishing with Capt. Bobby today. It was a chilly ride out but warmed up quick. They kept a few fish to eat at Jan's Cajun Restaurant. Thanks Dean, we hope to see you again soon.

February 16th

Scott and Clyde McPheeters, along with David and Holly Paddock from Indiana, had a wonderful fishing trip today. Most of their fish were released, but here they are pictured with a few they kept for lunch. Which by the way was Fried and sautéed speckled trout, onion rings, potato salad, and chicken gumbo. We filled up fast, and the doggie bags were large. Thanks folks enjoy the ride home, but come see us again when you can.

January 25th, 26th, & 27th

Russell Maynard from Missouri fished with Papa Joe for the last 3 days. Even though the winds blew a different direction each day (and the temperature went from cold to warm and back to cold), we were able to catch 65 fish. 57 were released. Here are a few photos of Russ showing off a few of his redfish. Russ had a good time and said he will be back this summer. Thanks, Russ, I'm looking forward to it.

January 18th

Cold, Cold, Cold, is the best way to describe this trip. Thomas Bade and Larry Heim from Ralston, Nebraska are pictured here with a couple of the fish they caught early. Then it happened, we hit a long dry spell and we searched what felt like the whole seven seas for redfish. Then, bingo! The last stop of the day. Fish were running everywhere. They still weren't very aggressive and barely wanted to eat, but we managed to pick up 5 or 6 before heading in just before dark. Sorry guys, but after talking to others about the fish bite yesterday we did as well as could be expected. Thanks for fishing with me, and I hope to show you how the fishing usually is when you return.

January 8th

Richard Schwall, his wife Sandra, son Richard, and Megan, had a fine day on the water with Papa Joe today. They came to New Orleans to go on a cruse and decided that a days fishing before they left was what they needed. Now I call that good planning. They did a catch and release trip, but decided to keep these fish for James the limo driver. Megan caught this red fish and released it after we took her picture. Thanks folks, I hope you have a wonderful cruse. We hope to fish with you again some day.

January 5th & 6th

Pictured here are Eddie, Mike Walt James, Jake, and Alba showing off the 130 trout caught on day one of their 2-day package, and a few of the guys with their catch from day two. All together the 2-day total was 220 trout and 5 reds. They had such a good time fishing and eating Pat's jambalaya, they've already booked a trip for later this year. The weather was great on the first day but a cool front came through on the 2nd. The fish didn't seem to care, they just kept on biting. Thanks guys, see you later this year.

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