November Fishing in Buras: Cool Weather, Hot Bite

Species: Red Drum (Redfish), Speckled Trout

Fall has finally made it down to the Gulf Coast, and anglers are taking advantage of the incredible November bite that the cooler weather has brought. Few places fish better this time of year than the lower end of the Mississippi River. Captain Martha Spencer runs inshore charters out of Buras, fishing both the east and west sides of the river. She says November is one of the best months of the year to book a trip. “I would say everything’s on the table in November, as long as you catch the right weather,” Spencer said. The redfish have already turned on, and from the looks of it, they are catching bigger ones as the year progresses. Speckled trout should push in as the water cools. And for anglers who want something different, sheepshead and tripletail are still around. Spencer has a unique edge when it comes to reading those conditions. Before she started guiding, she was a television meteorologist in New Orleans. Today she uses that same know-how to watch cold fronts, wind and river levels so her clients end up where the fish are. Capt. Martha Spencer shows off a redfish, one of the most dependable catches during November trips out of Buras Redfish When it comes to what her clients want, Spencer keeps it simple. “Most people just want to catch chunky redfish,” she said. The good news is that redfish are the most dependable bite she has this time of year. The fishing has been solid this fall, with plenty of options close to the marina. Spencer said most of the reds she’s been catching lately are upper slot fish, from about 23 inches up to bulls. "The best part is you don’t have to run to open water to find a bull," she said. "With so much white shrimp around, the big reds are pushing into the marsh, so any slot redfish trip has a real shot at putting a few bulls in the boat as well." Spencer’s formula for finding redfish is straightforward: look for bait, moving water and some water clarity. That last one surprises a lot of anglers. “I think a lot of people think…