Artificial Lure here, bringing you the latest on coastal fishing around the Gulf near New Orleans for Thursday, November 13, 2025. If you’re headed out this morning, bundle up—temperatures are starting near 48°F and will rise to the low 60s, with a light north wind blowing at about 8 knots. Skies are mostly clear, making for good visibility. Today’s sunrise came at 6:24 a.m. and sunset’s rolling in at 5:00 p.m. That gives plenty of daylight for both early trips and those who like to fish right up to dusk.

Tides today will play a big role. We had a low tide just after midnight, with the next high tide around 10:30 a.m., then it’ll turn back out toward low again by 8:00 p.m. That morning high should have the fish a little more active in the marsh and bayous from sunrise through midday. This cooler weather and shifting water get the predators cruising, so anglers working the lower passes, especially by breakfast time, are likely to run into some real action.

Reports fresh from Shell Beach and Hopedale confirm it’s been a solid week for speckled trout—nice schools in the interior marshes, especially on falling tides. Several boats limited out before 10 a.m. yesterday. Over toward Lake Borgne, good numbers of slot reds have been crushing live shrimp near oyster reefs and the mouths of small drains. Folks drifting the deeper cuts near Chef Pass are picking up both trout and drum, with a few bonus flounder.

For bait and tackle: Local guides from The Big Outdoor Charters say live shrimp under a popping cork is hands-down the top producer right now. If you prefer artificial, soft plastics in chartreuse or opening night color, rigged about 18 inches under a cork or worked slow on a quarter-ounce jighead, are catching both trout and reds. On those sunny, windless days, topwaters and jerkbaits have been pulling a few bigger reds just after first light. If you’re targeting drum, try dead shrimp or cut mullet on the bottom.

Quick rundown of what’s coming over the rails:
- Lots of **speckled trout** between 13 and 18 inches, some limits by mid-morning.
- Healthy catches of **slot redfish**, with a good number just over the legal mark.
- Decent numbers of **black drum** and the odd flounder or two in deeper channels.
- A handful of sheepshead are beginning to show up around pilings and bridges, especially on higher tides.

Hot spots worth a visit today:
- The **MRGO rocks** by Violet, working outflow points on the outgoing tide.
- **Bayou Bienvenue** near the flood wall, especially on the outside bends with moving water.
- Don’t sleep on **Shell Beach**, especially the areas where small bayous dump into larger lakes—a live shrimp drift here can pay off big.

All signs point to fish moving shallow early, then dropping back as the sun climbs and the tide recedes. Always keep an eye out for slicks, birds, or jittery bait on the surface. With water clarity holding up from the north wind, your odds of sighting fish are higher than last week.

Thanks for tuning in to another Gulf Coast fishing report with Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a hot bite.
This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI