Panfish in the cypress

[jrabq]

In late May I spent some time at my old homestead in NW Louisiana and vowed to do fewer chores/projects and more fishing, was partially successful. Best 2 trips with my wife were in a nearby lake fishing in and around the cypress trees, focusing on panfish with worms and crickets. I really like living in New Mexico but sure do miss the lakes and rivers in LA; cypress trees, moss, lilly pads, etc, it was good to be "Home".

First trip we caught some nice bluegills and redear sunfish, plus a couple of bonus catfish. The lake was a few feeet high and one catfish had been eating some type of berry, never seen that before. Spent more time bass fishing on the 2nd trip with one decent sized caught plus a bunch of 6-8" throwbacks.

 

[shannerdrake]

I love this! Panfish on a bobber is first class living. And when an eater catfish smokes it, hold on!

 

[Hem]

That's pretty cool @jrabq
Thanks for sharing. Pretty exotic from a Northern Rockies perspective.

 

[Nick87]

If I had to pick two fish to catch for the rest of my life that'd be it. Looks like a good time!

 

[buckbull]

Dad and i used to go to southern illinois and fish the cypress and tupolos in horseshoe lake. Giant redear and bluegill were abundant. Flood of 1993 really screwed up that area.

 

[EastTNHunter]

We call the redears “shell crackers.” I’d rather catch them and some big bull bream than just about any other kind of fish. Bass tournaments around here hold no appeal for me at all, but I’m a sucker for some sunfish when I can find the time.

Gotta get out the jugs soon and start after the catfish though

 

[jrabq]

We call the redears “shell crackers.”

Yes, and chinquapin is another common name in LA.

 

[JakeB]

Swamp privet berries?

Looks like a good time, did the humidity slap you in the face when you got here?

 

[jrabq]

Swamp privet berries?

Looks like a good time, did the humidity slap you in the face when you got here?

I posted the picture on a Louisiana fishing site and the best answers I got were swamp privet berries, which I had never heard of.

Humidity, and heat, damn. I wish it was just a slap on the face. I grew up there but have lived in New Mexico 40+ years, so I'm no longer acclimated to that much water in the air. Last summer was absolutely brutal, which is why I made this trip in May instead of June. But I spent several mornings clearing and burning brush (I do this every visit) and was soaking wet head to toe after just a few minutes of work. And this was under better conditions than I had last year, a little cooler and less humid. In June-July 2023 the heat index was typically hitting 115-120, it was 125 the day I left. You can't do anything outside in that climate. Hope it's not that bad this summer.

 

[Hem]

Dad and i used to go to southern illinois and fish the cypress and tupolos in horseshoe lake. Giant redear and bluegill were abundant. Flood of 1993 really screwed up that area.

Never would have associated cypress and Illinois.
Probably cuz I've never spent anytime there.

 

[Nick87]

Never would have associated cypress and Illinois.
Probably cuz I've never spent anytime there.

It's a long state. The southernmost part doesn't resemble anything you'd think of when thinking of illinois.

 

[Hem]

It's a long state. The southernmost part doesn't resemble anything you'd think of when thinking of illinois.

Cypress makes me think bayou swamp.

 

[Nick87]

Cypress makes me think bayou swamp.

That spot pretty much is.

 

[LuketheDog]

In late May I spent some time at my old homestead in NW Louisiana and vowed to do fewer chores/projects and more fishing, was partially successful. Best 2 trips with my wife were in a nearby lake fishing in and around the cypress trees, focusing on panfish with worms and crickets. I really like living in New Mexico but sure do miss the lakes and rivers in LA; cypress trees, moss, lilly pads, etc, it was good to be "Home".

First trip we caught some nice bluegills and redear sunfish, plus a couple of bonus catfish. The lake was a few feeet high and one catfish had been eating some type of berry, never seen that before. Spent more time bass fishing on the 2nd trip with one decent sized caught plus a bunch of 6-8" throwbacks.

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Looks like fun! Can't think of two more opposite climates than New Mexico and Louisiana, must be fun to get out there

 

[buckbull]

That spot pretty much is.

Yeah, its where the ohio and mississippi meet. It used to be called the goose hunting capital of the world. Tons of goose hunting clubs. Geese dont fly that far south now and the clubs are all gone.

 

[Nick87]

Yeah, its where the ohio and mississippi meet. It used to be called the goose hunting capital of the world. Tons of goose hunting clubs. Geese dont fly that far south now and the clubs are all gone.

Yup I'm real familiar. Hunt just a little east of there every year. Grandparents live there.

 

[Treeshark]

I wonder if they were hunting the Mississippi Valley strain? We had a ton of them come through here too In years past, but that population has really dropped.

 

[Sytes]

Bluegill fish fry! What a great time - though the humidity/ heat index...? I'd become a boiled crawdad!
NM to LA - sweat lodge experience x10! Brutal!