Louisiana Lake Calcasieu

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Spending my 60th birthday today and this weekend at Hackberry Rod and Gun with my best friend. We had miserable wind conditions this morning with strong thunderstorms south of the lake. But our guide Capt. Darney knew where to go and we finished the morning at 12 noon with a full limit of 45 speckled trout and 2 red drum. Will be fishing 2 more days.

 

[mdwest]

thats what I call a quality way to spend a birthday!

good fishin there Mark!

 

[Bullthrower338]

Happy Birthday Brother! That place is awesome fishing

 

[Ravensview]

Happy Birthday, what a great way to spend it!

 

[Red Leg]

Nice! I grew up fishing that lake. However, if you are going to keep going down there, you need to give it the local name. That is "Big Lake." There is even a Big Lake Road across the ship channel from Hackberry. Congrats on a great birthday.

 

[Inline6]

Happy Birthday!

Congratulations!

Know the owners of the outfit, they are good people.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Nice! I grew up fishing that lake. However, if you are going to keep going down there, you need to give it the local name. That is "Big Lake." There is even a Big Lake Road across the ship channel from Hackberry. Congrats on a great birthday.

Correct Sir!
Most would not have known if called it Big Lake. I have been coming here to Hackberry for over 20 years.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Happy Birthday!

Congratulations!

Know the owners of the outfit, they are good people.

Yes Sir.
Know them also. They know be by name as been coming here for over 20 years. I fish exclusively with Capt Darney last 15 years.

 

[jbirdwell]

Looks like y’all had a blast.

 

[gillettehunter]

Looks like some good eating. Congrats
Bruce

 

[Katy Darren]

Happy Birthday Mark! Love HR&G, been there many times and have fished with Darney as well, he’s a good’n!

That place and fishery never cease to amaze me. Been going since the 90s and it’s hard to believe how many fish they can pull out of there and it keeps cranking. Awesome way to spend your 60th, I’ll be in Africa for mine next year!

 

[cpr0312]

Looks like a good birthday!

 

[WAB]

Happy birthday Mark! I’ve had some great duck hunts at Hackberry. Those ladies make a mean duck gumbo!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Day 2 and another great day.
Captain Darney knows where to find them as always.
No wind early and bite was on.
We limited on trout with 45 by 9:30. Then went hit and miss on redfish till 11:30. Picked up 4 reds and 2 black drum. Called it and headed for the docks.
One more day fishing still and it will be a short morning as to head back home around noon.

 

[Red Leg]

Back when I was a young poor captain teaching ROTC at McNeese in the early eighties, my new bride and I would hit either Big Lake, the Cameron jetties, or Rockefeller Reserve every couple weeks. Depending upon the time of year, it was nothing to come home with 100 specks and a dozen reds. I hasten to add neither was a game fish in those days. We would keep filets from eight to ten and drop the rest with the local seafood market. As I remember, specks brought about fifty cents a pound and reds a little more. That fishery was a huge supplement to our income, and a great deal of fun.

 

[Katy Darren]

That’s a damn good day right there. I’ve introduced many to HR&G and always tell them you’re now spoiled for life. Fishing - or I should say catching fish - is not as easy as they make it out to be!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

They sure do feed you well at night here also! The Bread Pudding is out of this world delicious!

And yes. Got the cook to bring me a second helping of it tonight

 

[Inline6]

@Mark Biggerstaff your dinner looks a lot better than mine!

 

[Houston Bill]

Happy Birthday and looks like great fishing and an awesome meal!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Well we are done and headed home.
Day three was tough. All started out promising, up 4am breakfast at 4::45 line always. Flag was limp, no wind going to be great. Well that didn't last long by 5:30 am South West wind had kicked in at about 15 mph. By 7 am due west at 20 plus.
Made for tough conditions. Capt Darney made plenty of moves trying to find fish. No one was really on them at all this morning. We still managed to find 20 keepers before having to pull out and head in.