Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Grand Isle, LA (Full Guide)

Grand Isle has some of the best fishing on the Gulf Coast. Understanding the best times to fish in these rich waters can make a huge difference in your fishing success.

The best time to fish in Grand Isle, Louisiana is from March through October for cobia, grouper, speckled trout, tuna, and tarpon. Summer is the slowest fishing season for local redfish.

Fish Species	Best Times to Fish in Grand Isle, LA
Redfish	Can be caught year-round with summer being the slow season.
Cobia	March-May & September-October are the best times.
Grouper (All Species)	Spring is the best season for most grouper species.
Speckled Trout	Year-round availability; January-March & September-October are best.
Yellowfin Tuna	April through October is the best tuna season.
Tarpon	Year-round availability; September-October are the best months.

Grand Isle is the largest island in a chain of islands in Louisiana, just south of New Orleans. Grand Isle, like many other areas in Louisiana, is very well known for its redfish fishing. A large backwater area separates Grand Isle and New Orleans, which is the perfect habitat for redfish. The area also holds great fishing for plenty of other species, both inshore and offshore.

Best Time to Fish Grand Isle, Louisiana

The best time to fish Grand Isle would have to be in the springtime. Redfish and speckled trout are both very active during this time, making it a great time to do some inshore fishing. The water is also a bit cooler than in the summer, so fish tend to feed on the surface more, making the fishing even more exciting.

The fishing is also good during the winter as well, the water is even cooler which will push migratory species out of the area, but redfish will be in the area and actively feeding on the surface. As for offshore fishing, most species other than grouper are available year-round, and most fish will be active during the early fall and early spring.

Most fish like the fact that the water is a bit cooler than in the summer months, and migratory baitfish will also be moving into the area during this time, adding to their food supply.

Recommended Fishing Charters in Grand Isle

These Grand Isle-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.

Recommended Fishing Charters	Location
Big Dog Fishing Charters	Barataria, LA
Southern Access Charters	Venice, LA
Jean Lafitte Harbor Charters	Lafitte, LA
Bayou Boys Charter LLC	St. Bernard, LA
New Orleans Style Fishing Charters	Lafitte, LA
Pelican Fishing Charters	Venice, LA
Got To Fish Charters	Venice, LA
Native Adventures	Buras, LA
Bayou Obsession Charters	Lafitte, LA
Big Dog Fishing Charters	Barataria, LA
Chasin Em Down Fishing Charters	Barataria, LA
Capt. John’s Fin-tastic Charters	Grand Isle, LA
Duvalle’s Cajun Charters LLC.	St. Bernard, LA

Grand Isle Species Breakdown: Best Time

Redfish

Redfish are available year-round, and their only downtime is during the summer when the water gets too warm for them. As soon as the sun rises, redfish start actively hunting for baitfish.

They generally stick to inshore waters with lots of cover, so the Grand Isle area for them is perfect. Redfish can be found all over, but are commonly found at places that have plenty of structure and cover and that are decently shallow (4’-10’).

Cobia

Cobia are available year-round in Grand Isle and are most active during the spring and fall. Generally, cobia are found in clean waters, so you’ll want to go south of Grand Isle for the best chance to catch them. During the warmer months, cobia move a bit deeper and can even be found at deep offshore wrecks at times. 

Grouper

There are a lot of different species of grouper in Grand Isle, but they mainly stick to the same areas. Some of the most common species found are black, red, yellowfin, and goliath grouper.

They are mainly found offshore, near wrecks and reefs, but can also be found inshore around piers and bridges. Seeing that there are so many species of grouper, the fishing seasons change from specie to specie. Most species will be the most active during the spring.

Tuna

Tuna are almost always found in offshore waters. They can be caught year-round and only migrate to deeper water in the wintertime.

Even though they are available year-round, their peak seasons are from January through March and September through October. Some of the best spots for them are in offshore open water. They like to follow currents and not necessarily structure.

Speckled Trout

Speckled trout are a very popular species to fish for in Grand Isle, the habitat in the area makes it the perfect place to fish for them. They are generally most active during the summer, April through November is their peak season, but they are available year-round.

They are most active in the morning, when the water warms up during the afternoon, they will start to hide under cover making them easier to find, but harder to catch. Any inshore spot in the area should hold trout, but some of the most popular areas are Caminada Pass and Middle Bank.

Tarpon

Somewhat surprisingly, tarpon are a very common fish in the Grand Isles area, they generally stick to clear and clean water, but make an exception for the inshore waters of Grand Isle. They can be caught year-round but are very active in September and October.

Most of the time, they will be more active in the morning, but tides play a big role as to when tarpon will be biting. Some of the most popular areas to catch them are in Caminada Bay and Lake Pierre.

I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.

Best Time of Day to Fish Grand Isle

The best time of day to fish in Grand Isle is in the morning. Most fish in the area will be much more active during this time because of the low sun and cool waters. Fish will be swimming out from cover on the hunt for food and will move closer to shore, making them easier to target and catch.

The evening is also another great time for fishing for all the same reasons why morning is great, but fish will be a bit less active seeing that they are still cooling down from the afternoon.

Grand Isle Fishing & Tidal Impacts

Tides can be very important when targeting fish, especially inshore species. Most of the time, high tide is the best tide to fish. There will be clean water being moved into the area, and the added current will help move food into the area.

There will also be more room for the fish to move closer to shore, making them easier to find and catch. As for offshore fish, high tide is generally the best for fish that are on the move. When fishing vertically, you’ll want to fish around the peaks of the tides. The water will be moving much less, making it easier to keep your bait in front of the fish.

Is Winter Fishing Bad in Grand Isle?

Winter fishing can be great in Grand Isle and is referred to as one of the best times to fish for redfish and sea trout. Both of those species like the cooler water and like to feed on the surface during the winter.

Migratory fish like tarpon, shark, and tuna will be harder to find, but most inshore fish will stay in the area during the winter.

Top 5-10 Fishing Spots in Grand Isle

Caminada Bay

One of the most popular spots in the area, Caminada is a large bay located just north of Grand Isle. The bay is connected to the main ocean through a channel that runs through the south side of Grand Isle, which lets big fish easily move to and from the bay.

You can expect to find sharks, tarpon, and redfish at the edges of the bay and grouper and cobia closer to the middle of the bay.

Fisherman’s Bay

Fisherman’s Bay is located northwest of Grand Isle, on the edge of the thick backwater area. This bay is so good because it is a large area of open water surrounded by marshy backwater. Both areas can be good, but during low tide, all of the fish in the backwaters will move into the bay.

Barataria Bay

Being the largest bay in the area, Barataria Bay holds tons of fish. On the edges of the bay you can find plenty of tarpon and speckled trout, but as you move closer to the middle, you can find deeper water species like cobia, grouper, and even dorado.

This bay is located northeast of Grand Isle and offers a unique fishing experience where you can fish backwaters half the day and deep water the other half.

Mendicant Island

This island is located almost straight north of Grand Isle, bordering Barataria Bay. The unique shape of this island acts as a current break for fish and can make the water much more manageable on a windy day. Most fish caught here are tarpon and trout on the north side of the island, which is Bassa Bassa Bay.

Beauregard Island & Isle Grande Terre

Both of these islands are located off the northeast tip of Grand Isle and offer great tarpon and redfish close to the island.

You can also fish from Grand Isle State Park if you want to fish from shore and catch plenty of fish while casting towards the islands. The area is so good because of the different currents that run around the islands. The current brings in baitfish which eventually brings in gamefish.

Booking Guides & Charters in Grand Isle

-Best Season to go 

Charters can be extremely helpful when fishing, even if you own your own boat. The captain will know spots around the area that might take you days to find. When booking a charter in Louisiana, you’ll want to take into consideration what species you’re going to be targeting and how busy the charters will be during that time.

As mentioned before, the cooler months of the spring and fall tend to produce better fishing, and winter is another solid option. Louisiana’s busiest seasons are during Mardi Gras, which runs from mid-February to early March, and the summer.

This makes winter a great option for those who want to catch a lot but not be bothered by crowds. Even though this is a less busy time than normal, it is still a good idea to book your charter well in advance. 

–Morning vs. afternoon 

Some of the benefits of booking a charter in the morning are that you don’t have to deal with the sun and fish tend to be more active during the morning and evenings rather than in the afternoon.

Tides will also play a role in this, but a general rule of thumb is that mornings and evenings are better. This isn’t to say that fishing is bad in the afternoon, there are some days when the afternoon is much better than the morning.

Afternoon fishing can be great if you find areas where the fish are going to be taking cover from the sun if there are any. This makes afternoon fishing in Grand Isle much better than most areas because the area is filled with trees and backwater areas.

-1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters 

The biggest difference between these options is obviously the amount of time you spend on the water. This means that with more time, you will have more opportunities to find and catch fish. But, if you’re looking for a relaxing trip and are just happy with the chance to catch a fish, a half-day charter would be perfect for you.

A full day is one of the most common trip lengths as it lets you fish for a long time without making a multi-day commitment to staying in the same area. With full and half-day trips, you can book multiple charters around the area for your trip.

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Venice, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in New Orleans, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Louisiana, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Lake Charles, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Chauvin, please check out this helpful article I wrote.