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Port guide / Louisiana / Louisiana
Slidell fishing guide
Slidell sits on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain, where the Rigolets and Chef Menteur passes carry salty water in from Lake Borgne and the Gulf. The fishing here is about structure: the I-10 Twin Spans, the Highway 11 bridge and the 1884 railroad trestle act as miles of reef for speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead and drum, and the Pearl River delta marsh toward the Mississippi line holds reds and flounder. Compared with Hopedale, the nearest guide, which runs out of open marsh at the end of Highway 624 toward Breton Sound, Slidell is a lake and bridge fishery minutes from the interstate, with fresher water, blue catfish and even largemouth bass in the mix.
10 ft, conditions now
Conditions now
Live from NOAA and the National Weather Service. Times show in your own time zone.
Today’s bite
A forecast built from live data and the calendar below. Not a catch report.
Working out today from the tides, water and calendar.
Tides
- Loading the next highs and lows from NOAA.
On the water now
- Water
- Checking
- Wind
- Checking
Marine forecast
Loading the National Weather Service forecast.
7 day forecast
National Weather Service, for Slidell. Updates through the day.
- Loading the 7 day forecast.
NOAA tides, Rt. 433, Bayou Bonfouca, LA (opens in a new tab) NOAA station New Canal Station, LA (Lake Pontchartrain) (opens in a new tab) NWS 7 day forecast (opens in a new tab) NWS marine forecast, Lake Pontchartrain (east of the Rigolets: GMZ534 Lake Borgne) (opens in a new tab)
12 ft, the chart
Chart and depths
The official NOAA chart, centered on Slidell. Depths, channels, reefs and markers, live from NOAA.
The NOAA chart loads when you scroll here.
15 ft, fishing reports
Fishing reports
What people are catching, on what, and where. Every report links to whoever wrote it. We do not write these ourselves.
Latest reports
From local captains, shops and outdoor writers. Newest first, last 14 days.
- Checking the latest reports.
Report sources: Great Days Outdoors Louisiana Delta Fishing Report (opens in a new tab) Louisiana Sportsman (opens in a new tab)
Straight from the dock
Reports sent to us by shops and captains on this guide. We check each one before it posts.
Checking for reports.
20 ft, what is biting
What is biting, month by month
When each fish is at its best around Slidell. This month is marked.
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speckled trout | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Redfish | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Sheepshead | Good | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Black drum | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Flounder | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good | Good |
| Tripletail | Good | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
| Weakfish | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Slow | Slow | Good | Peak | Peak | Good |
| Blue catfish | Peak | Peak | Slow | Slow | Slow | Good | Good | Good | Slow | Slow | Slow | Peak |
| Largemouth bass | Good | Good | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Good | Good |
Speckled trout
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Work the bridge pilings slow and close with a jighead and plastic; the trestle holds more trout but Highway 11 gives up the biggest, and November is an excellent month as fish feed up for winter.
Redfish
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Reds hang on the bridges all year, the Pearl River delta marsh is loaded with them, and in late summer and fall bull reds push in through Lake Borgne and the passes chasing white shrimp.
Sheepshead
Peak: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
They pick barnacles off bridge pilings and the lake's artificial reefs, including around the US 90 bridge in the Rigolets.
Black drum
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Part of the regular bridge catch around the Twin Spans along with reds and sheepshead.
Flounder
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September
The marshes ringing the lake hold good flounder, but Louisiana closes flounder harvest October 15 through November 30 every year.
Tripletail
Peak: April, May, June, July, August, September, October
They move into the estuary at times in the warm months along with jack crevalle and sharks.
Weakfish
Peak: February, March, April, May, October, November
Rated best in late winter and spring and again in October and November, and slow in July and August.
Blue catfish
Peak: January, February, December
Fresh water from the spillway has brought more blues into the lake; guides see many once the water drops below 50 degrees and chum with shrimp heads or fish pieces.
Largemouth bass
Peak: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Rated best March through October on the Slidell fishing calendar, a sign of how much fresher water sits around town.
30 ft, seasons and rules
Seasons and rules
Open and close dates we could confirm from official sources, plus where to check limits before you keep a fish.
Southern flounder, Louisiana state waters
Closed to recreational and commercial harvest October 15 through November 30 every year.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, annual, applies to 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Red snapper, Louisiana private recreational and state charter
The 2026 season closed August 9, reopened August 27 to 30 and September 4 to 7, 2026, then closed until further notice. Applies in Louisiana state waters and federal waters off Louisiana.
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
Greater amberjack, federal Gulf waters
Open September 1, 2026, to 12:01 a.m. October 14, 2026; closed after that until September 1, 2027.
NOAA Fisheries, 2026 Official page (opens in a new tab)
40 ft, where to fish
Where to fish
- Bridge
Railroad trestle
The 1884 rail line crossing the lake from Slidell toward New Orleans East; a longtime Slidell guide says it holds more fish than any other bridge, though most are smaller.
- Bridge
Highway 11 bridge
The 4.78 mile bridge that produced an 11.99 pound speck in 1999; fewer trout than the trestle but the biggest ones.
- Bridge
I-10 Twin Spans
Shade in summer, plus concrete rubble from the old Katrina-damaged spans on the bottom that still holds fish.
- Pass
The Rigolets
The pass to Lake Borgne; the old railroad bridge is always productive and sheepshead hold on the US 90 bridge.
- Pass
Chef Menteur Pass
The second pass to Lake Borgne, crossed by a rail bridge and a 1930 car bridge.
- Marsh
Pearl River delta marsh
Between the Rigolets and the Mississippi state line, a fertile marsh loaded with redfish and flounder.
- Bay
Lake Borgne and the Middle Grounds
In late summer and fall bull reds come in through Lake Borgne and the passes, and big schools work the Middle Grounds under diving birds.
50 ft, launch and piers
Ramps and piers
Public launches and fishing piers. Fees and hours change, so check the link before you tow.
| Name | Type | Fee | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigolets Marina (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 52250 Highway 90, Slidell, LA 70461 |
| Marina Drive boat ramp (Bayou Bonfouca) (opens in a new tab) | Ramp | Check | 101 Marina Dr, Slidell, LA 70460 |
60 ft, bait, tackle and charters
Bait, tackle and charters
Where to get live and fresh bait, tackle and a guide. We are not paid to list anyone here.
Bait and tackle (1)
- MarinaLive bait
Rigolets Marina (Rigolets Tackle and Marina)
Bait: live bait
52250 Highway 90, Slidell, LA 70461
On US 90 at the Rigolets with a large variety of live bait, fuel, ice, a fish cleaning station and a seafood market; launch site for several area charter captains. Open 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. fall through spring and until 8 p.m. in summer; no fishing from the docks.
Live bait comes and goes with the weather and the season. Call before you drive.
Charters and guides
| Charter | Fishing |
|---|---|
| Angling Adventures of Louisiana (Capt. Mike Gallo) (opens in a new tab) | Inshore |
| Lake Pontchartrain Charters (Capt. Kenny Kreeger) (opens in a new tab) | Inshore |
| Captain Dudley Vandenborre Fishing Guide Service (opens in a new tab) | Inshore |
| DockSide LA Guide Service (Capts. Bubby Lamy and Kris Robert) (opens in a new tab) | Inshore |
80 ft, asked and answered
Fishing Slidell, asked and answered
When is the best time to fish the Slidell bridges for speckled trout?
Trout are rated best March through October, and November is an excellent month as fish feed up for winter. Work the bridge pilings slow and close with a jighead and plastic.
Which bridge holds the biggest trout?
A longtime Slidell guide says the railroad trestle has more fish but most are smaller, while Highway 11 has the biggest trout. An 11.99 pound speck came off Highway 11 in 1999.
Where can I buy live bait and launch in Slidell?
Rigolets Marina on US 90 sells a large variety of live bait and is the launch for several charter captains. It opens at 5 a.m. Fishing from its docks is not allowed.
Can I keep flounder this fall?
Not from October 15 through November 30. Louisiana closes southern flounder harvest for everyone during that window every year.
90 ft, the kit
What we would take to Slidell
Sources for this guide (9), last checked 2026-10-27
- captainexperiences.com/locations/louisiana/slidell/seasonality (opens in a new tab)
- marinas.com/view/marina/95c7gp1_Rigolets_Tackle_and_Marina_Slidell_LA_United_States (opens in a new tab)
- fisheries.noaa.gov/bulletin/recreational-fishing-season-length-announcement-greater-amberj (opens in a new tab)
- howsyourriver.com/access_sites/marina-drive (opens in a new tab)
- louisianasportsman.com/fishing/inshore-fishing/fish-traffic-picks-up-under-lake-pontchartr (opens in a new tab)
- visitthenorthshore.com/listing/rigolets-marina/459/ (opens in a new tab)
- visitthenorthshore.com/things-to-do/water-recreation/fishing/ (opens in a new tab)
- wlf.louisiana.gov/news/flounder-season-set-to-close-october-15-to-november-30-for-commerci (opens in a new tab)
- wlf.louisiana.gov/news/rec-red-snapper-season-reopens-for-two-fourday-periods (opens in a new tab)
100 ft, the seabed
Gear up for Slidell
UPF 50+ fishing shirts, hats and gloves for the Gulf Coast. Free shipping over $100. Ships from Texas, usually within 1 to 2 business days.