Any Louisiana input

[bud]

I have been working in TX and moved over to Louisiana for 2 weeks. Will be between New Orleans and Houma. Any tips on fishing or crabbing spots. Got my wife with me, also looking for good places to eat. Love traveling to different parts of the country to explore and see the culture. I have enjoyed the warm weather compared to WY, but how do you guys stand this traffic all the time! Camped out on Galveston Island and had a ball but one trip thru Houston was enough for this WY guy.

 

[derland]

Try big al's in Houma. Fremin's in Thibodaux. Alumni grill in Thibodaux has a great burger.

Stanley's for breakfast in New Orleans. Antonines in Nola.

What kind of fishing?

 

[2ski]

Hunting season is open for double breasted mattress thrashers in the French Qtr.....but your wife probably wouldn't be too keen on that hunt....

I just got back from Nola for Mardi Gras. Stood in one place for 7 hours watching parades on Tuesday. Sore does not begin to describe it. Theres a place over on the other side of Canal that had pretty good cajun food. Mulates or something like that. Have the BBQ shrimp at Mister B's bistro and ask for extra bread. Dipping your bread in the sauce is the best part, and the shrimp are pretty good. Have brunch at the Court of 2 sisters. Its pretty good. There was a mexican restaurant in the Garden District that was pretty good. On Magazine, I believe. We spent most of our time in the French Qtr, so I don't really know much outside of that area. When I was in NOLA about 10 years ago, we took a tour and there was this small house that was in the middle of a residential area that was supposed to have great BBQ. I think there's quite a bit of stuff like that around there.

 

[MSElkHunter]

GW Fins is a great place to eat. It a half block off of Bourbon Street on Bienville Street. My wife and I eat there every time we go to New Orleans.

If you have the time I would head to Grand Isle and charter a boat for redfish or you could go offshore if you wanted. The fishing is great down there.

 

[jwatts]

There are a lot of charters that leave out of Grand Isle, Venice, or Shell Beach/Delacroix area. I would suggest making a trip for speckled trout and redfish. If you charter, I suggest Captain Dude out of the Delacroix area or Tight Spot Charters out of Venice.

As far as food, there are tons of places around there to eat. Pretty much anywhere around there that serves seafood is worth checking out. I would suggest going to Thibadoux and visit Bourgeois Meat Market for boudain, cracklins, and jerky. If you end up close to New Orleans I would suggest eating at Dragos for charbroiled oysters.

 

[LaGriz]

bud,
Welcome to the Bayou State! You have gotten some good ideas at this point. Would like to sugest a night time bow-fishing charters close to Venice,La. They provide the archery gear and you get to shoot redfish, gar fish, and other species off their specialized boats. Sounds like a hoot to me. Be sure to keep a Thermal-cell and some quality repellent in the truck or boat. The wife and you will appreciate having it on hand when needed. You might look into some kayak fishing as another option. This sport is growing and you can "put down" nearly anywhere, taking advantage of all small water opportunities.

I am more familiar with the Lafayette area as a 37 year resident of Iberia Parish. I too came from a very different climate and culture (Western Mass.) moving here in the late 70's at age 23. Have made a living in the oil patch (pretty tough right now) and learned to love the culture, Cajun cooking, and the long deer seasons. I mostly fish to kill time between hunting seasons. Make a yearly trip to the Rockies for Elk or Mule Deer, and enjoy the January whitetail rut each year in Louisiana. I’m not much of a “wing shot” but if waterfowl truly interests you, welcome to paradise!
I will send you a PM with my contact info. Give me a call if you are on this end and we can grab a bite if you like. LaGriz

 

[rob_E]

Welcome to Sportsmans Paradise. Closest spot to you if you are In houma for some good inshore saltwater fishing is in Golden Meadow. In my humble opinion of course. If you have access to a boat I can drop a couple pins for you where we have shot our limits of reds, black drum, and Sheeps head at night while bow fishing and caught a few specs during the day time recently.

 

[Laelkhunter]

If looking for Bar B Q, and in Houma, Big Mikes Bar B Q next to the Civic Center is the best I have had anywhere. Between Hammond and on the way to New Orleans, Middendorf's (Pass Manchac) on I-55 has "thin fried catfish" that is awesome, and worth the trip from anywhere within 100 miles.
In New Orleans on Iberville St at Dauphine St (French Quarter) or in Metairie (actually Lake Ave in Bucktown), Deanie's Seafood. Get the fried artichoke appetizer, and the seafood platter. If you visit New Orleans much, bring larger size clothes, because your regular clothes seem to shrink real fast, especially around the waist.
If you have a Concealed Carry permit, you should exercise that right while in New Orleans. After patrolling the streets there as a Police Officer for 30 years, I won't even drive through the City without a weapon.

 

[Marshmstr]

If no boat, I'd recommend a redfish charter out of Bayou Dularge....if you will be here in a couple more months I could take you on a great speckled trout trip, and if calm, run offshore for snapper!

 

[84jeep]

For Houma places to eat:
BBQ-Big Mikes
Seafood-1921 on Barrow Street, or Griffins for anything fried, Spahr's (great fried catfish, and great bloody mary's)
Lunch specials-The Jolly Inn, Griffins, Aubert's, Plantation Inn
Pizza-Peppers (one in Thibodaux and Houma), Rotolos
Friday fried chicken-Bayou Delight (not in Houma but on 182 towards Gibson)
Fancyish dinner-Copeland's (yeah its a chain but its good)
Also check out Rouse's grocery stores, several of them sell local products and boiled seafood in easy to take portions.

As for fishing, do you have a boat? If not, there are a lot of good charter guys out of Cocodrie or Bayou Dularge. There is also several places you can fish from side the road down the bayou.

Grand Isle has a state park you can camp at and is pretty nice also. You can fish off the beach or the pier at the state park and there is a fishing pier at the beginning of the island near Bridgeside Marina.

If you like seeing the local sights, definitely make the drives down the bayous and down to Grand Isle. I hope you and the wife enjoy your time here.

 

[84jeep]

Hunting season is open for double breasted mattress thrashers in the French Qtr.....but your wife probably wouldn't be too keen on that hunt....

this is hilarious, but i think that seasoned closed for me fat tuesday lol.

 

[bud]

Thanks for the input men! Sorry it took me so long to reply. Been working lot of overtime. My wife and I got a big laugh from 2ski,s reply. Hilarious. P.M. inbound La Grizz. Moving to Thibodaux next week. Going to hit some of the restaurants you guys tipped me off too. Actually went to Grand Isle this weekend, took Hwy1 all the way down and went in the state park. Had a ball. Loved seeing all the shrimp boats. Daughter and son-in-law coming down this weekend got rooms on Canal street so we can do the French Quarter. Laelkhunter thanks, heard a lot of stories on the crime in New Orleans, I always carry. MSElkhunter G.W. Fins is on the wifes hit list. Been having an awesome time other than working.

 

[SMITTY1HUNTER]

I may be too late but if you're still downtown and want to listen to some good jazz music while you eat check out Muriel's. Our fishing is second to none but limited without a boat. That Hwy down to Grand Isle has prob. some of the best bank fishing and you can wade fish on Grand Isle in the spring and summer. Also check out Elmer's I
sle right before you hit Grande Isle. I used to crab along the Lake Pontchartrain seawall, need crab nets and a long rope to throw out there. While crabbing use baby crabs to catch huge sheepshead that swim right along the seawall steps. Welcome to the bayou state!