Artificial Lure here, coming to you from the heart of the Gulf Coast with your October 31 New Orleans fishing report.

The early autumn bite has been classic southern Louisiana—sunrise kicked off at 7:13 am and sunset will wrap it up at 6:14 pm, giving us a solid 11 hours of daylight to work the water. According to US Harbors, we’ll see sunshine most of the day, with calm temps hovering around the mid-60s, making it prime time for anglers to hit the marsh, the bridges, and the bays. Winds are light, water temps holding in the high 60s, and tidal activity is moderate today. At New Canal Station, we’re seeing a low-tide around 1:29 am, and an afternoon high at 3:21 pm, with a coefficient near 54. It’s not the strongest swing but enough movement that you’ll want to focus your casts around the transitions for best results.

Fish activity has been strong all week in and around Lake Pontchartrain, the Chef, and the Rigolets, with anglers boating healthy numbers of speckled trout and slot-sized reds. Louisiana Sportsman reports kayak anglers and waders have been filling coolers with specks all through October, especially on the falling tide. Grand Isle is seeing bull reds almost everywhere along the beach, and local chatter says the trout bite's hot right up into November. Most recent catches are coming in early and late, so get your lines in before that sun climbs and as it starts to dip.

Best baits this week have been live shrimp and croaker for the traditionalists—never a bad call in these waters. If you’re working artificial, tie on a Matrix Shad in Lemon Head or Shrimp Creole, rigged on a 1/4 oz jighead to get down in the deeper bayous and passes. Topwater lures like the MirrOLure She Dog or Heddon Super Spook Jr. excel right around dawn and dusk—watch for that explosive surface bite when the tide’s running. Soft plastics in chartreuse and glow are flat-out producing on trout, especially when bounced along the oyster reefs and bulkheads.

Redfish have been active anywhere there’s structure or a drain dumping into main channels—try a gold spoon or Gulp! shrimp under a popping cork for both reds and flounder. Local guides are reporting consistent limits of 16- to 20-inch reds with a few bulls cruising deeper marsh lakes. Catfish are steady near the bridges and pilings—cut bait or chicken liver will get the job done any hour.

For those looking to make the most out of their day, don’t miss these hot spots:
- **The Rigolets**: Trout and reds stacked up near the bridge on the moving tide, especially around the grass lines and drop-offs.
- **Lake Borgne Shoreline**: Consistent numbers of specks working the pockets behind the grass when the tide falls, with bonus reds mixed in.
- **Chef Menteur Pass**: Deep holes and oyster beds around the railroad bridge are holding big trout, with plenty of drum and sheepshead as bycatch.

Keep an eye out for birds working over bait—classic sign of hungry trout below. If you’re boatless, there’s solid action for bank fishermen at Seabrook or along Highway 90; cast live shrimp or artificials at structure for consistent bites.

This week, overall fish numbers are above average for late October. Anglers have landed everything from speckled trout bull reds to occasional flounder and black drum. No trophy reports for snook or tarpon, but a few big alligator gar have been spotted cruising the channels.

That’s all for today’s Gulf report. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe and catch us next time for your up-to-the-minute fishing news. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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