November is here, and that means it is time for some serious fishing or, I should say, catching, here on Sabine Lake.
The shrimp have been on the move from the marsh to the bay for some time now, and the fish have them figured out.
The bird action in the bay is in full swing and the fall flounder run could really get cranking at any time.
The only obstacles we’ve got standing in our way are the cold fronts that will become a little more intense as we edge closer to the Christmas season. Ironically, it’s these same cold fronts that make November one of the best fishing months of the year on Sabine. We need the fronts and the low tides that come with them to pull the shrimp from the marsh and add fuel to the feeding frenzy fire.
Make no mistake; you don’t want any part of Sabine, or any other bay system when a front is actually blowing through. You do, however, want to be here a couple days later, once things have settled down and we’ve got light north winds.
I would recommend investing in a Louisiana fishing license because the bayous on that side of the lake can absolutely come alive this month. The term "stupid good," which is quickly gaining popularity in these parts, is probably the best way to describe how bayou fishing can be in between November cold fronts.
Believe it or not, fishing the birds in the bayous can be every bit as good as in the lake, if not better. That action usually peaks within the first two weeks of this month as seagulls, trout and reds intercept a lot of the shrimp before they ever make it to the bay.
When you find birds picking in the bayou, you can expect to stay on them for a while and catch big numbers of very solid trout, and bruiser redfish, some well over the slot.
Those big reds will also be roaming the shorelines along with some nice flounder that are beginning to stack up in anticipation of their migration to the Gulf.
The hottest action should be at the mouths of small cuts and drains within the bayou on outgoing tides. Dark soft plastics rigged on 1/8 oz. lead heads, dragged or bumped slowly along the bottom will definitely get their attention. Morning Glory, Red Shad and Root Beer are killer color choices.
We are right in the middle of some of the most consistent action of the year, and with the fall flounder run primed to blast off any day now, it will only get more exciting.
THE BANK BITE
Location: North Revetment (Pleasure Island)
Species: Trout, Reds, Flounder
Baits/ Lures: Live Shrimp, Finger Mullet, Topwaters
Best Times: Mornings and Evenings with moving tides
