Artificial Lure here, bringing ya the Friday, November 7th fishing report from the sweet and salty waters around New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. Get that coffee hot and your reels ready—here’s what’s biting today, where, and how to fill that box before sunset.

We’re off to a foggy, humid start this morning, classic early November stuff. Sunrise hit at 6:21 a.m., and we’ll have the sun hanging around until 5:05 p.m. Winds are light from the north-northeast, air crisp in the low 60s early, warming into the upper 70s by midday. Storm threat low, just a mix of clouds and sunshine. Water clarity is improving—thanks, north winds—the perfect recipe to sneak up on those hungry redfish.

Check your tides: low hit just after 1 a.m. at 0.07 feet and your next high is rolling in around 12:24 p.m., peaking at 0.36 feet, with another quick low then small push high by late afternoon. That noonish high combines with the warming sun, priming those marsh drains and points for a solid fall bite according to Fishingreminder. As that tide drops, every cut, drain, and shell point around Bayou Bienvenue, Hopedale, and the interior marsh will stack up bait and fish.

Now, onto what’s hot:

Speckled trout are thick just outside Lake Pontchartrain’s bridges, especially at dawn and dusk, with schoolie redfish mixed in. Popping corks with live shrimp are working best when the breeze settles, but natural-colored soft plastics on a 3/8-ounce jighead—working ‘em slow and low near pilings—are nailing the keepers. For more aggressive action at first light, topwater plugs like the Super Spook or Skitter Walk can draw explosive hits from both trout and reds.

Down near the marsh edges and cuts, gold spoons and weedless paddle tails in chartreuse or opening night are killer for slot reds, especially around windblown points. If you’re searching for flounder, try a slow-rolled jig tipped with a minnow along deeper channel edges or undercut banks—don’t be afraid to revisit those old faithfuls, as every drain could be loaded after this week’s tidal swings.

The Shreveport boys at Captain Experiences reported plenty of action this week: limits of redfish up to 28 inches, steady numbers of slot specks, a couple of chunky flounder, and even a surprise black drum at the trestles. A few guides are scoring bonus yellowtail snapper and mangrove out by the rigs, but that’s a longer run in calm weather.

For bait, it’s tough to beat live shrimp under a cork for specks right now, but finger mullet and mud minnows are solid redfish baits. Cut pogies are always a must if you’re soaking on the bottom for drum or hoping for a bull red.

Two local hot spots that’ve been firing this week:
- The spans along the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and Seabrook Bridge at dawn—moving water, diving birds, trout all over.
- The marsh drains at Reggio and Hopedale on the outgoing tide—if you see pelicans diving and bait popping, drop anchor and work the area slow.

If you’re landlocked, city wharves like Bienville Street and Powder Street have been producing puppy drum and the occasional heavy sheepshead, especially around the turn of the high tide.

Keep moving if you don’t see life—look for flicking bait, foamy slicks, or working birds. When you get a bite, spot-lock or stake out and pick the area apart shallow to deep. Don’t forget to check the regulations, and if you’re hunting the elusive big flounder, stick with bone diamond paddle tails or live minnow jigs.

Thanks for tuning in—whether you’re a diehard angler or just looking for a little piece of peace on the water, there’s plenty happening right now. Make sure to subscribe for more timely reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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