FISH CATCHING TRAVEL
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The first time we went to Biloxi was over 25 years ago, the waterfront was not much. If memory serves me right there was a gambling boat but no real casinos, and really not much else on the water. I believe we were on the way to Florida and that is where we stopped for the night. The next time was exactly 1 year after Katrina and we drove through on the way home from Florida to see if they were making any progress on the recovery. It was sad and I remember thinking why is the government not working faster? But after just driving through New Orleans, the answer to that was, the disaster was just to massive. All those great old homes on the coast nestled in the giant old live oaks were gone, but the oaks remained as they have through thick and thin.
So with me still not released to boat fish we decided to visit Venice Louisiana a night and then revisit Biloxi. And let me tell you, I was freakin’ amazed! Mississippi has taken a lot of guff over the years, last in education, last in this, last in that. But folks, what they have done with their recovery is nothing short of awesome, and it really opened my eyes. With the money from the oil spill Mississippi did something unusual for state government, they actually spent the money fixing the coast, and that they did. And of course the casino taxes have not hurt anything.
We stuck to the coast on Hwy 90 out of New Orleans and made our way to Biloxi. Of course I was scoping out places to fish, and places to fish would be an understatement. We cruised the whole area from Louisiana to Pasgaguola, visiting towns, marinas, boat ramps, and the beach.
First to the fishing. There is more water than a guy could fish in a lifetime. From Pontchartrain to Pasgagoula, there is something for any inshore guy. Miles of creeks, rivers, and lakes, there would always be somewhere out of the wind. I stopped at a tackle store and spoke with a couple of great brothers, Mike and David at Nelson Outdoors and they basically clued me in. This year they have had lots of rain and of course the trout are out of the rivers and the creeks with all the fresh water. The redfish just do the redfish thing. They have the usual suspects, flounder, sheephead, Spanish, jacks, tarpon during the summer, all the stuff we catch in Texas. It looks good for a first time visitor who brings his own boat. Here is the MS Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks for general fishing information.
We visited several places and the folks were great. Of course I pick up every free and not so free fishing publication I find and in one I saw an ad for Nelson Outdoors in Pasgagoula at 2034 Market Street. So for my tackle store visit we put them in the gps and off we went. It is in town proper and they have all the “right stuff.” It is a local but well stocked store that has just been open less than a year. It is the kind of place I love to stop. They were so friendly, it was nice to visit a friendly store where they were happy to have you. We shot the stuff a while and they will be my resource when I return, and trust me I will return. When I go somewhere I always hit the local spot, spend a couple of bucks and learn something. Plus it is good to support guys like this, you can learn so much more than stopping at Academy. Nice to know I have a place to call and find out the local conditions, because their fishery is much more effected than ours by freshwater. Just something to think about when choosing a new place to go. There is no such thing as to much information! After checking out their facebook page when I got back others are just as impressed. They have a great fly fishing department, with a kayaking redfish fanatic behind the counter, and are getting more into the kayak thing. Trust me if you ever think about visiting contact them, they will help you however they can. Thanks guys, I wish you nothing but success and will see you soon.
https://www.facebook.com/nelsonoutdoors/?fref=ts
And to make a fishing trip here even better, it was freakin’ ramp heaven! They are everywhere, especially as you near Biloxi and then all the way to Pasgagoula. They are paved, multi ramps, with parking, and I mean parking. Many were 6 lane with quick access to rivers, bay, and open water. One that we stopped at even had wash downs. (As states mandate new rules on cleaning boats it has always puzzled me why they are not working towards providing launch washes so that folks could stop the spread of invasive species and comply with the law. Typical of most states, Mississippi on the other hand is getting it done.) It was a beautiful Sunday and there was not one ramp that was overloaded, even the busy ones had more than enough parking. I was almost in a tizzy, really, the access was better than any destination I have fished in the US or Canada hands down. And guess what? The public ones are free, no local stickers or annual fees. And to top it off the private ramps are literally everywhere and most are $5 or less. And with some in the rivers, canals, and bayous there is plenty of place to launch no matter the conditions or time of year. We stopped and spoke to some water cops, not sure if G&F or a marine patrol, forgot to check the logo, to ask about rules, and were told basically the Coast Guard rules apply. Which is good considering occasionally you run across some esoteric rule like Missouri requiring a paddle. And one last word to you kayakers, it should be heaven, the access for kayaks is unlimited.
So now a word about combining the fishing with the wife and family. The coastal area, along with great ramps, has miles of paved walkways, beaches, cool places to eat, and plenty for the family to do. There are parks with splash pads, it is hard to tell you how impressed I was with the infrastructure. The Biloxi area is a great place to get to enjoy the fishing but still leave the family with plenty to do. Seriously you can tell your family what a good guy you are to take them there, and they won’t notice your boat on the back until you take off! Places like the Margaritaville Biloxi Resort (Not a casino.) are family friendly with a water park and tons of stuff to keep the kids busy while you fish. And of course if you are like me and play an occasional game of chance there are multiple casinos from reasonable to high class depending on your tastes. This trip we stayed at the Golden Nugget and as we were headed out at daylight to walk one of the floor guys stopped us and said had we walked the bridge, so we did. Out the door and hang a right is a 1.7 mile bridge over the bay. What makes it different is there is a huge walkway with markers every tenth of mile and a few benches spread out on the way to catch the sunrise or sit a while and catch your breath. And boy did we catch a sunrise. And there were lots of folks, young and old, fat and skinny like me, all walking and enjoying the morning. Great experience.
Hope this loads correctly. But if not, you get the point!
There are also plenty of condos, rentals, and small resorts scattered all over so no matter you preference or price range there is plenty of choices. And like to eat? Stuff yourself blue on seafood looking at the bay as the boats go in and out, or enjoy a great sunset with your favorite beverage.
So as you can tell I was impressed. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is not a second class destination for the fisherman or the family. The best word to describe it is cool. So next time you are up for someplace new, check it out. If the fishing is anything like it appears I will be reporting on a trip this fall. (Probably this winter as I learned their trout head up the rivers in the winter and that should be crazy.) Having fished from Key West to Canada it is hard to find another place that offers as much. And last, congratulations to the State of Mississippi, you have spent your money well and the results bear that out. There is so much more to say but you get the point. So look it all up, you might be surprised.
Good Luck and Tight Lines
