More Fishing at the Speckled Trout Capital of the
World- Hackberry Rod and Gun
Fishing Slicks
 Editor’s
Note: The first week in June, I fished at the Speckled
Trout Capital of the World – Hackberry, Louisiana,
located on Lake Calcasieu. In 2005, Hackberry was destroyed
by Hurricane Rita. However, in 10 months, with a lot
of hard work and sweat, it was restored. Today, it’s
better and stronger than ever before and home to giant
speckled trout, big redfish and plenty of medium-to
small-sized fish. This week, we’ll take another
look at fishing in Hackberry. Kirk Stansel, one of the
owners of Hackberry Rod and Gun, a guide service in
Lake Calcasieu, was my guide at Lake Calcasieu. Although
the weather was extremely hot (mid-90 degrees with high
humidity), I was cool wearing my new Under Armour fishing
shirts and shorts. Under Armour’s HeatGear Performance
Polos wicked moisture away from my body to keep me dry
and provided ultraviolet protection from the sun’s
intense rays. The Guide Shorts had mesh venting for
coolness.
Question: Kirk, what’s a slick and how do you
find them?
Stansel: A slick, created by feeding fish, looks like
an oil sheen on the water. When the fish are in a feeding
frenzy, they regurgitate some of the bait they’ve
just eaten. That bait has oil in it and the oil floats
to the surface, which creates the slick above the area
where the fish are feeding. The best way to fish a slick
is to get upwind of the slick and fish into it. When
the slick first originates, the specks and reds are
right under it. But as the slick is blown by the wind,
it moves out in front of the fish. You’ll usually
find the fish upwind or up-current of the slick.
Question: How many fish will be in a slick?
Stansel: Normally, slicks indicate that there are larger
fish feeding in the school. A slick can be made by one
fish or by a large school of fish. So, you never know
how many fish are in the school you’re fishing
over.
Question: What’s the best way to fish a slick?
Stansel: The best slicks to fish are the smallest ones.
When these slicks first appear, I cast strai ght
to them.
Question: Kirk, you just caught a speckled trout off
a slick. Where was that trout in relationship to that
slick?
Stansel: The fish was about 10-yards upwind of the slick.
The oil came to the surface, and the wind blew the slick
away from the fish. Although many people don’t
understand how to fish slicks, more people are learning
the technique.
Question: What baits do you usually use when you’re
fishing a slick?
Stansel: Any bait you use for speckled trout and redfish
will be a good bait to fish a slick.
Question: How dependable are slicks?
Stansel: They often are very dependable with speckled
trout and redfish, and black drum and catfish also will
create a slick. Whenever speckled trout and redfish
are feeding, find them and catch them around slicks.
Question: Once you find a slick, how long can you usually
fish from that slick?
Stansel: I’ve sat on slicks and caught fish until
I’ve gotten tired of catching fish. I’ve
fished other slicks and not had a bite. It really depends
primarily on how fast the fish are moving. 
Question: You use a lot of indicators like slicks and
birds to tell you where the trout are and how to catch
them, don’t you?
Stansel: Yes, we do. Slicks and birds are both excellent
ways to locate and fish for trout and redfish.
Question: Can you fish birds or slicks longer?
Stansel: The length of time you can catch specks and
reds under birds or slicks depends on how long the schools
of fish stay under the birds or the slicks. But these
are two of the best indicators you can have to locate
specks and reds each day you go fishing. Whether you’re
fishing birds or slicks, always position your boat upwind
or up-current, troll to the slick or the birds with
your trolling motor until you’re almost close
enough to cast and then turn off your trolling motor
and wind drift into casting distance. Always turn your
boat sideways as you drift through the schools so that
everyone in the boat will have an opportunity to cast
to the fish.
For more information on Under Armour’s cool summertime
clothing, visit www.underarmour.com.
To learn more about Hackberry, go to the web page at
www.hackberryrodandgun.com,
or call 888-762-3391.
Tomorrow: Bank Fishing for
Speckled Trout and Redfish
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