The 2026/2027 Southwest Louisiana duck season dates are officially set, and our books are now open at Hackberry Rod & Gun!
WEST ZONE
Youth & Veterans:November 7 First Split:November 14–December 6 Second Split:December 19–January 24
Duck season is our favorite time of year around here, and we’re already looking forward to getting back into the marsh!
Whether you’re coming down for a morning duck hunt or want the full experience with one of our Blast & Cast packages, now is the time to get your dates on the calendar.
Popular weekends and prime dates tend to fill up quickly, so give our office a call at (888) 762-3391 to reserve your hunt.
We can’t wait to share another season with you and make some memories that’ll last a lifetime!
October provides again with yet another great week of fishing over here at Hackberry Rod and Gun! It was full throttle at the lodge as we had many days of 10+ boats head out fishing for both morning, afternoon, and even a couple of casino pick-ups. Many crews had success heading north or south chasing both speckled trout and redfish this week. High winds and higher tides made the decision easy for anglers to head back into the marshes for protection to chase redfish and even run across a few bonus trout and flounder. When winds lay, crews opted to drift oyster reefs or search for birds picking to locate trout gorging on bait. Live shrimp under a cork have done it for both reds and trout, and Marker 54 shrimpletts under a cork, or downsouth lures on a jig head have tricked a trout or two. To sum it all up, the best time to be out there was yesterday, the next best time is tomorrow! Give us a call at (888) 762-3391 or visit Book a Trip, so you can tell (and not be told) “Ya Shoulda” Been Here Yesterday!”
Oh, and don’t forget…” Ya Shoulda’ Been Here Yesterday!”.
Bird activity over Calcasieu Lake is really an ecological signal. When gulls or terns repeatedly dive into one area, they’re often exploiting shrimp or small baitfish that predatory fish have forced toward the surface. The birds aren’t creating the feeding frenzy—they’re taking advantage of it.
We have boats available so call (888) 762-3391 and come see what Hackberry Rod & Gun Club is all about!
To check out our complete photo gallery on our website, click HERE.
A new stocking effort could help shape the future of Louisiana’s coastal fisheries
Calcasieu Lake just received 50,000 new residents.
CCA Louisiana recently released 50,000 hatchery-raised redfish into Cameron Parish waters as part of an expanding effort to study whether marine fish stocking can become another useful tool for managing Louisiana’s coastal fisheries.
But this release is about much more than simply putting more redfish in Big Lake.
FROM LOUISIANA TO THE HATCHERY — AND BACK HOME
The project has been roughly two years in the making and is part of a larger scientific effort to learn how hatchery-raised redfish perform after being released into Louisiana’s coastal environment.
The brood fish used in the program originated in Louisiana waters near Grand Isle. Their offspring were raised at a hatchery in Mississippi before making the trip back to Louisiana for release.
And these aren’t just 50,000 anonymous little redfish.
The hatchery fish carry identifying markers that will allow researchers to distinguish them from naturally produced redfish. As the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducts future sampling and stock assessments, biologists can collect fin samples and determine whether individual fish originated from the stocking program.
That gives researchers an opportunity to answer some important questions:
How many survive? How quickly do they grow? Where do they move? And, perhaps most importantly, what types of habitat give stocked redfish the best chance of success?
WHY CALCASIEU?
For those of us who fish Big Lake, CCA’s decision to conduct this release here should come as no surprise.
Calcasieu’s surrounding marshes, bayous and estuarine habitat provide tremendous nursery grounds for juvenile redfish. Young reds spend the early portion of their lives utilizing these shallow marsh environments before eventually moving into larger bays and, as they mature, toward the Gulf.
That makes Calcasieu an excellent place to study how hatchery-raised fish adapt to a productive natural estuary.
And there’s an important distinction to make:
CCA isn’t stocking Calcasieu because we’re out of redfish.
CCA Louisiana CEO Rad Trascher specifically noted that Louisiana still has a strong redfish fishery. Instead, the organization wants to develop stocking as another tool that could be available when our fisheries need it.
Hurricanes, freezes, habitat loss and other environmental events can quickly affect coastal fish populations. Having the knowledge and infrastructure necessary to successfully raise and stock marine fish could give Louisiana another option for responding to those challenges.
STOCKING ISN’T A REPLACEMENT FOR CONSERVATION
Perhaps the most important part of this project is understanding what stocking can — and can’t — accomplish.
Releasing hatchery fish cannot replace healthy marshes, productive estuaries, responsible fisheries management or natural reproduction.
The goal is supplementation, not substitution.
Texas has used redfish stocking programs for decades, and Louisiana is now gathering the information necessary to determine where stocking fits into management of our own fishery.
Calcasieu is helping provide those answers.
The 50,000 little reds released here may eventually scatter throughout the estuary. Some won’t survive. Others could spend years growing in the marshes and bays we fish every day.
And somewhere down the road, there’s a very real possibility that somebody fishing Big Lake will set the hook on one of them.
When that happens, it’ll be more than another redfish.
It’ll be another piece of information helping Louisiana determine how we protect and enhance our coastal fisheries for the next generation.
NEWS COVERAGE & SOURCES
KPLC 7 News — “Redfish restocking effort brings 50,000 fish to Cameron Parish”
Local coverage of the September 2026 release, including interviews with CCA Louisiana CEO and Executive Director Rad Trascher. KPLC reports on the 50,000-fish release, the two-year development of the project, how the hatchery fish will be identified during future sampling, and the research goals surrounding survival, growth, movement and habitat.
Recreational Fisheries Research Institute (RFRI)
RFRI is involved in the research effort behind the stocking program. Its website now lists the September 2026 redfish release as part of its fisheries research work.
CCA Louisiana
CCA Louisiana organized the stocking effort and is one of the primary organizations behind the project. CCA has a long history of redfish conservation and fisheries advocacy in Louisiana.
LDWF will play an important role in monitoring the stocked fish through future fisheries sampling and stock assessments. Fin samples can be used to identify hatchery-origin fish and help researchers evaluate the success of the program.
The Dock Shop
Come on by the Hackberry Mall and pick up a gift for that special someone in your life. We have a variety of items to choose from including Florida Fishing Reels, Costa Sunglasses, Olukia Shoes and flip flops, Ranger Turtlebox speakers and many other items.
Call or email Pauline at dockshop@hrandg.com if you would like to place an order to be shipped or if you would like to purchase a gift card to bless someone that has an upcoming trip. Thank You for your business!
BE SURE TO VISIT OUR ONLINE 24/7 CAMERAS EVERYDAY LOCATED ON OUR DOCK. TUNE IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR CUSTOMERS DAILY CATCHES AS THET RETURN TO THE DOCK. BEST TIME IS USUALLY 11:00A.M. UNTIL 3:30 OR SO. CHECK IT OUT.
