Let me start by telling you how it was before. I fish a tiddle flowing series of lakes and bayou's with the deepest at about 6'. It's truly a sportsmans paradise when you can catch bass up to the double digit catagory, redfish as big as 30-40 lbs and speckle trout all within about 5 miles of each other. Everything was great, the bass were getting bigger and bigger while the redfish was thicker than ever. Let's not forget about the speckle trout one after another.

Then comes the storms back to back, Gustav and Ike. We took a good blow with Gustav but with Ike we had a tiddle surge just as bad. The louisiana marsh was completly under water by atleast 5'. All my bass fishing holes were full of gulf water and you could imagine what could have happened.

I went out 4 days after Gustav had passed fishing for anything that would bite. We found some redfish early then we were able to pick up on some little dinks. Catching the dinks was defenetly a confidence builder after a huricane that brought in a 8' tidle surge.

Now 5 days afer Ike we took another trip to see the damage. I'll tell you one thing we defenetly have alot more fishing water but we losed all of our cover (grass). We bombed out bad, not even a sniff of anything. It looked like a war zone. The bush was spread out across the lakes and the water was the saltiest I have ever tasted out there. The fish had dissapeared. I haven't got skunked in a long time and it was very humbling.

We was still making our come back after Katrina and we take a double blow. I'm realy not sure if the bass fishing will ever bounce back after all this. Everything is dead, the marsh, the fish and it smells like te water died to.

This was a very dissapointing day for me as a bass angler. Tomorrow is my birthday an my wife got me a new E7 and I'm not sure when I'll be able to set the hook on a bass with it in the near future. Looks like I'll be taking some road trips as long as the price of gas keeps going down.

:'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

It does sound BAD. Can't even say "know how you feel" ...

                    As ever,

                     skillet

Marshmaster, Sorry to hear about your favorite waters taking such a bad hit from the storms...Somthing good has to come out of all of this. At least you and your family are safe. We are all thankful for that....

Come on over our way. Some good Tx fishing waiting on you and you're familiar with many of these lakes.

Big O

At least you and your family are safe. We are all thankful for that....

Big O

Exactly.  The fishing will come back but family being safe is #1.  Maybe this is a good time to explore new water, expand your comfort zone.

I'm with the "at least your safe" wing of this thread.

Lord knows how important bass fishing is, but it can't compare to losing your home or worse.

Count your blessings, the fishing will come back.

Yes you all are right I am thankfull me and my family are safe. I guees this is the price you pay for living 10' below sea level.

Big-O I mite be taken some road trips soon to the lonestar state. I'm thinking about Sam Rayburn.

Thats a fine lake and from what I've heard it has been producing well recently....Wonder if all of the rain changed it up much.

You might call around to get some info on it. I will as well and let you know what i find out.

Big O

I believe you meant "Tidal surge" as opposed to "tiddle surge"  

Yep, it's a bummer to see your favorite holes get messed up.  But as they say, "Nature finds a way."  Hopefully the waters will straighten out in time.  In the meantime, you'll likely have to tow your boat inland for a spell-something folks in my neck of the woods have always had to do.

Glad to hear you are safe.  Hope you didn't lose anything (else) in the storms.