Caminada Pass Fishing Guides
The pass at the west end of Grand Isle where Caminada Bay drains to the Gulf, a tide-driven fishery for trout, redfish and flounder with a gauge reading stage and water temperature.
Guides on the Caminada Pass
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About the Caminada Pass
Caminada Pass separates the west end of Grand Isle from Elmer’s Island, and it is the drain for Caminada Bay and a good part of the marsh behind it. Every tide moves a large volume of water through a narrow opening, and that is the entire reason the fishing here is as good as it is. Bait leaving the bay on a falling tide has to pass through this gap, and the predators know it.
The gauge sits at the pass and reports stage and water temperature. Stage on this water is a tide record rather than a flow record, and reading it alongside the tide table is the practical way to plan a trip. The fishing is concentrated in the hours when water is actually moving. On a slack tide the pass goes quiet in a way that surprises anglers used to river fishing, and then it turns back on as the current picks up again. Anglers who plan around the moving-water windows rather than around daylight catch a great deal more here.
The bridge that carries Highway 1 over the pass is the obvious landmark and gives bank and pier access to water that otherwise needs a boat. Speckled trout and redfish are the mainstays, flounder stack up on the sand edges in autumn as they move toward the Gulf, and sheepshead hold on every piece of structure through the cooler months. Grand Isle itself is the most developed fishing destination on the Louisiana coast, with charter operators, launches, lodging and tackle all within a few minutes of the pass, which makes this one of the easier pieces of productive Louisiana saltwater to fish without a local connection. The pass is also shallow enough on its bay side to wade in places, and the sand flats either side of the channel are worth working on foot when the water is clear and the wind is down.
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Access
Grand Isle - the barrier island east of the pass, the most developed fishing base on the Louisiana coast, with launches, lodging, tackle and charters.
Highway 1 bridge - the crossing at the gauge, giving bank and pier access to moving water without a boat.
Elmer's Island - the undeveloped shore west of the pass, with surf and beach access to the Gulf side.
Caminada Bay - the bay behind the island that the pass drains, with marsh shoreline and protected water on windy days.
Grand Isle State Park - the east end of the island, with a fishing pier and beach frontage.
Barataria Pass - the larger pass at the opposite end of Grand Isle, the usual alternative when wind shuts this one down.
Leeville - the mainland town up Highway 1, the nearest fuel and launch approaching from the north.
Seasons
Spring: trout and redfish push back into the bay as the water warms, with the pass fishing well on strong outgoing tides.
Summer: the most consistent stretch, worked early around the bridge and the sand edges, with jack and ladyfish adding to the mix.
Fall: the flounder run through the pass is the event of the year, and trout feed hard behind bait leaving the marsh.
Winter: quieter and weather-dependent, with sheepshead and black drum on the bridge pilings and redfish holding in the back bay.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Caminada Pass?
Anglers target Black Drum, Blue Crab, Crevalle Jack, Gafftopsail Catfish, Ladyfish, Red Drum, Sheepshead, Southern Flounder, Spotted Seatrout, Striped Mullet, Tarpon on the Caminada Pass in Louisiana.
Where can you access the Caminada Pass?
Grand Isle - the barrier island east of the pass, the most developed fishing base on the Louisiana coast, with launches, lodging, tackle and charters. Highway 1 bridge - the crossing at the gauge, giving bank and pier access to moving water without a boat. Elmer's Island - the undeveloped shore west of the pass, with surf and beach access to the Gulf side. Caminada Bay - the bay behind the island that the pass drains, with marsh shoreline and protected water on windy days. Grand Isle State Park - the east end of the island, with a fishing pier and beach frontage. Barataria Pass - the larger pa...
When is the best time to fish the Caminada Pass?
Spring: trout and redfish push back into the bay as the water warms, with the pass fishing well on strong outgoing tides. Summer: the most consistent stretch, worked early around the bridge and the sand edges, with jack and ladyfish adding to the mix. Fall: the flounder run through the pass is the event of the year, and trout feed hard behind bait leaving the marsh. Winter: quieter and weather-dependent, with sheepshead and black drum on the bridge pilings and redfish holding in the back bay.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Caminada Pass?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Louisiana agency site: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/saltwater-sport-fishing-regulations