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Pearl River Revival
Author:
Butch Thurmond
Location:
Captain
April 25, 20101969-12-31 18:33:30
Hurricane Katrina killed a lot of bass in the Pearl River lower basin, as well as some in the main river. The salt water pushed upriver was the reason for the numbers of fish killed. Katrina, however, is long past and the bass are back! There may not be as many big bass as there used to be, but they are definitely on the comeback. Many anglers that have been fishing the Pearl River for years have been keeping that comeback a secret, but the secret is out! Mark Mohr is one of those anglers who “had it to himself” for a while!
Mohr grew up on the banks of the Pearl River, as his folks had a house in the Doubloon Bayou area. Few anglers know the system as well as he does. Fishing bass tournaments for years and watching as anglers made long runs to places like Delacroix, Mohr simply “stayed at home.” If he didn’t win the tournament, he was usually “in the money!”
“There are plenty of bass now, almost anywhere you fish the river,” he said. Of course, knowing how to fish the system is the key. The Media Bass Tournament held near the end of last month proved that, as the top four boats all had close to 14 pounds (five bass) and they reported catching about 40 bass per team. Most of the bass were caught on spinner baits, while the bigger bass fell for plastic worms, lizards, and jigs on “outside cover” or near grass.
Fishing the Pearl River requires a completely different approach and style than fishing reservoirs and lakes. Even the West and East Pearl are different from each other. The West Pearl has a continuous current that makes bassin' tough at times, while the East Pearl has very little natural current. Perhaps due to the current and more cover for the bass to hide in, the West Pearl seems to harbor larger bass than the East Pearl.
Three main factors influence fishing on the system. Tides, river level, and river stage. By river stage, I mean whether the river is rising or falling. If the tide is rising and the river is high and rising, then stay home and do the chores so you can fish under better conditions. The best conditions are for the river gauge reading at the town of Pearl River to be seven feet or lower, the river to be on a slow, natural fall with the tide falling in a 1+ foot range. You can get all of this information from the weather section daily. Use the Long Point tide table and add as much as two hours if you are fishing above Interstate 10.
The terrain and cover are both very different above and below Highway 90. North of that dividing line you will find hardwood trees, cypress roots, and plenty of cover for the bass to hide in. No less than 17 pound test line should be used, with as heavy as 30 pound test when flipping worms into cover. South of Highway 90, the terrain changes to willow trees and marsh grass. Lighter line can be used. The "marsh" is generally considered all of the waterway below Highway 90.
When fishing the main river, look for the many cuts, ditche and other small bodies of water coming into the river. More bass are consistently caught at these spots, especially when a falling tide is pulling crawfish and other bait from the swamp. Always try to fish against the current, it is almost impossible to fish effectively with the current. The swift current will push your boat downriver too fast. Try lifting your outboard out of the water to cut down on the drag of the current. Most 12 volt electric trolling motors simply will not have the power to pull a boat against the strong current of the West Pearl. Spinner baits will catch more fish, but the jig and pig combination and plastic worms are the best bets for larger fish. Try to pitch your lure to every place where the current is broken. That might be behind a log, limb, or cypress knee. There are many spots along the river that only an expert baitcaster will ever get a lure into. Low hanging limbs protect spots in which bass hide out.
With the cold weather we have experienced this winter, the bass have not spawned yet. That means April will probably be a dynamite month to find those big lady bass up on the bank. Get to the back of all the many cuts off the main river system and toss worms, lizards or jigs. Work the lures slowly and get ready for some action!
A good place to start is the Hog Island area, where the Middle and West Pearl Rivers end. On a high tide, a small spinner bait or buzz bait can be fished over the grass beds. Fish either lure as slowly as possible, over the grass, and be ready for a lot of action, although most bass will be small, less than one pound.
When the water is not over the grass or when the tide is falling it is time to fish a plastic worm. A six inch worm is best for the marsh area. A slip sinker of no more than 1\16 ounce is preferred by most anglers. Keep in mind that bass over three pounds are rare here, but a limit of smaller bass in the one pound class are not uncommon. Work the worm over the grass to the edge, letting it fall slowly to the bottom.
Search out every small bayou and cut that goes back into the marsh. Remember, any water that is deeper than 3 feet is "deep" and that the deepest part of any cut will be the outside bends.
Last year, I fished the Wastehouse Bayou area and found a lot of bass, although most of them were small. It was easy to catch as many as 40 bass in a day. I’m looking forward to getting back there and seeing if all of those little bass that I released have grown some! The action is hard to beat, and you will catch enough that are close to 12 inches long to make a tasty fish fry!
The Pearl River meanders from the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Jackson, Mississippi to the marshes near Slidell. There its waters become part of the ecosystem that make up Lake Borgne, eventually mixing with waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way, many miles of shoreline offer anglers various angling opportunities. The section from just north of Slidell to the Rigolets south of the city are primary fishing grounds for St. Tammany anglers as well as bass anglers from across Louisiana and Mississippi.
The Pearl River harbors some great fishing. Learn its secrets and you will enjoy many a day of good fishing as well as seeing some of the beautiful terrain that has made it one of the "Scenic Rivers" in Louisiana.
Public boat launches can be found at Davis' and Crawfords' Landing, both off Military Road in Slidell; at the end of Indian Village Road; and along Highway 90 at the West, Middle and East
Pearl River. The East Pearl launch is the most popular launch and is host to all major tournaments. The divided launch there can handle up to six boats at once.
There are no boat rentals available on the Pearl River. So the first thing you gotta do is get a boat! It is really hard to beat a well equipped flat-bottomed boat for fishing the Pearl River. Equipped with a 24 volt trolling motor, you can fish against the current. A smaller boat can also get farther back into the cuts and into the "lakes" that are nothing more than sloughs. So if you don't have a boat and want to keep the initial outlay reasonable, a flat-bottomed boat is one way to go. With enough boat ramps scattered around, a big outboard isn't imperative; however, I do suggest purchasing a powerful electric trolling motor.
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