Fishing on the river is a true challenge, if you are kin to a mountain goat you will have no trouble.  The Corps of Engineers have done a fantastic job of creating shipping lanes on the Mississippi River and at the same time developing one of the finest flood protection projects ever made.

The levees in some areas are 25 feet high to protect the low lying communities that line the river including New Orleans. The entire area is below sea level and RIVER LEVEL. It is very sobering to drive down La. 23 and look towards the river and see massive oil tankers and freighters moving along and they are higher than the road you are traveling on. This may not seem strange to you until one realizes that the water on the other side of that levee of mud and rocks is about 12 feet higher than the road so technically you are driving under water. 

I like to fish the areas in lower Plaquermines Parish between Port Sulfur and Venice (near Fort Jackson). Lower Plaquermines offers more fishing diversity because the saltwater concentration is greater and you have all that fresh water as well so YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT NIBBLES AT YOUR BAIT !

Only about 30 miles or so from here is where the Mississippi River dumps into the Gulf of Mexico. Usually between July thru December the river is at its lowest point and salt water from the gulf comes up the river sometimes as far as New Orleans. There have been years when I have caught Redfish sitting under the Greater New Orleans Bridge.

You know the fishing is right when the locals start saying THE RIVER IS GREEN !! And it truly does turn green and very clear.

Some common catches are Flounder, Croakers all manner of fresh and salt water catfish, hybrid bass, stripped bass, Sheephead, trout, Redfish drum, Crevelle jack, ocean perch, fresh water perch the list could go on and on.

But by far the greatest challenge is trying to land a 5 foot Alligator Gar or a 40 lb. yellow catfish while balancing yourself on a boulder about 8 feet high WHAT A RUSH !!!!