Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, our guests fly into New Orleans, LA (MSY). You will more than likely need a rental car. Most fishing locations are about a 90-minute drive from the airport.

The best answer to that is, "When you can." The Louisiana Marsh offers great year-round fishing, but with seasonal differences in areas fished and how fish may be targeted. Weather and tide conditions can and do impact the fishing. September through March is our most requested season and does offer incredible opportunities to target truly giant fish spawning and in their post-spawn forage.

We target redfish with 8–10 weight rods, with a 9 weight really being the sweet spot, always with weight-forward floating fly lines. Lines that are slightly overweighted, like the Scientific Anglers Grand Slam, are very effective for the often heavy flies that we throw. Matching saltwater reels with a reasonable and smooth drag are needed. Leaders are 7–9 feet, with 15–20-pound test tippet. We will not fish "Bubba leaders" of straight heavy mono like 40 or 50 pound. Sharks have become more abundant in the area, and we need to have the ability to break a fish off to avoid it being eaten.

Definitely not. While he certainly is Cajun, and you may occasionally hear a hint of an accent on certain words or phrases, or a full-on Cajun accent when telling a Cajun joke or story, Ron spent decades in the broadcast radio industry and had most of his accent beaten out of him by program directors and consultants.

While fly fishermen make up the vast majority of our business, we do guide spin fishing trips and provide quality spinning tackle. Our spin fishing trips are done on the same sight-fishing program as our fly fishing trips, poling shallow water, generally waiting until a fish is spotted to cast, using only artificial baits consisting of small jigs, soft plastic swimbaits, chatterbaits, spoons, etc. We do not use or accommodate bait fishing.

You will need to provide your own lunch, snacks, and drinks other than water. We will provide water for everyone on board in thermoses, as well as a cooler with ice for drinks and food items.

Depending on the time of year and fishing plans for the day, we generally meet between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. We will reach out to you the day before your trip with the specifics of when and where to meet.

For redfish, the "magic" fly is the one that lands right in front of it. Redfish aren’t typically super selective about fly patterns, and we have great success on a variety of rather generic baitfish and shrimp patterns. More so than matching the hatch, it’s important to match conditions. Generally, we are fishing flies with a good bit of weight (1/30 oz dumbbell eyes are my default). Simple weighted streamer patterns that are similar to a "Redfish Crack" fly in purple, purple and black, black and red, chartreuse, white, and natural tans work (we really lean into the darker colors). Having a few shrimp patterns and crab patterns is advisable too. Black drum can be caught on the same sinking patterns, as well as sheepshead, although if specifically targeting sheepshead, think smaller. That being said, Redchaser Guide Service will have all of the flies you need available.

We generally do not provide pickup or ground transport services. If you are flying in, you will generally need a rental car.

You will need to buy a fishing license. However, Louisiana provides a reduced-price license for individuals fishing with a licensed guide. You will need to purchase a "Saltwater Charter Passenger License." These are $20 and are valid for three consecutive days. If your fishing trip spans more than three days, you will need to buy consecutive licenses.

They are available at:

https://louisianaoutdoors.com/licenses-and-permits

Depending on the specific area we think we will be fishing at a given time, we will make specific recommendations to you on where to stay that will be most convenient to where we are fishing. These are places we have vetted that offer clean and comfortable accommodations, are convenient to launch/meetup locations, and have great access to dining, supermarkets, and other amenities.

While redfish (particularly big ones) are the star of the show, you may also have opportunities at black drum, sheepshead, alligator gar, as well as sharks.

The redfish we target range from 2 to nearly 40 pounds, and we are frequently targeting fish in the 20–30 pound range (roughly 38–44 inches). Black drum range from 5–50 pounds, sheepshead from 2–10 pounds, and alligator gar from 2 feet to 7 feet long.

We can accommodate 1 or 2 anglers in addition to the guide in each skiff. We are fishing shallow-draft flats skiffs with somewhat limited room. We can arrange multi-boat trips for larger groups.

We work with a small, select group of highly trusted guides to be able to provide multi-boat trips for groups. Because of the amount of scheduling involved, it is best if these trips are booked as far out as possible to ensure availability.

Balances are paid at the end of your trip by Venmo, cash, or check.

Redchaser Guide Service makes every effort to support the conservation of our resources. As such, our service is 100% catch and release. We don’t facilitate keeping fish and do not offer fish-cleaning services.

We will fish in moderate rain and moderately inclement conditions. If it appears that conditions will be dangerous and present hazards due to lightning or very high winds, we will cancel and gladly refund or move your deposit to another date. These decisions are made by the captain based on their experience and evaluation of the conditions.

It’s a French/Cajun thing. Capt. Ron’s last name, Begnaud, is pronounced Beg-No.

You will spend your day(s) sight fishing in relatively shallow water. Your guide will give you directions on the distance and direction of fish, have you point your rod to spot them if needed, and work with you to help you improve your skill on the front of the boat. Expect shots from 10 to 60 feet, with most in the 20 to 40-foot range. At the beginning of your trip, the guide will review the skiff "Clock System" and various distances to make sure everyone is on the same page. The primary thing you should expect, though, is to have a good time.