Fall Redfish Blitz in the New Orleans Marsh: Timing the Mullet Run
When the Marsh Explodes
From mid-September through late October, the marshes surrounding New Orleans erupt with the most aggressive redfish feeding of the year. The trigger is the annual mullet migration—millions of finger mullet and adult mullet flood out of the interior marsh ponds toward the Gulf, and every predator in the system keys in on the buffet. Redfish in particular go on a feeding frenzy that makes fall the single best time to target them in the New Orleans area.
What Drives the Mullet Run
Mullet spawn in the open Gulf, but they spend most of their lives in brackish marsh ponds and bayous. As water temperatures drop through the 70s in September, adult mullet begin their migration toward saltier water. Cold fronts accelerate the movement by dropping water levels in the interior marsh, flushing bait through the drains and bayou mouths into the larger bays. Redfish near New Orleans position at these drain mouths and bayou junctions to intercept the mullet.
Where to Find the Blitz
| Location | Why It Fires | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|
| Bayou mouths (Delacroix marsh) | Draining marsh funnels bait | Mullet spraying on surface, birds diving |
| Marsh points (Hopedale system) | Current seams along grass points | Wakes and swirls along the grass edge |
| Lake Borgne shoreline | Open water meets marsh—transition zone | Pods of redfish crashing bait on surface |
| Lafitte interior bayous | Narrow channels concentrate bait and reds | Schools of mullet jumping, water boiling |
The fall mullet run in the New Orleans marsh is hands-down the most exciting fishing in Louisiana. You can see the reds chasing bait from 200 yards away—the water looks like it's boiling. Throw anything vaguely mullet-shaped into the chaos and something eats it.
Techniques for the Blitz
- Topwater plugs: Heddon Super Spook, Rapala Skitter Walk, or MirrOlure She Dog worked fast across schooling fish
- Gold spoon: The Johnson Silver Minnow (gold) in 1/2 oz is the all-time Louisiana redfish lure—cast past the school and rip it through
- Weedless soft plastics: Paddle-tail plastics (Matrix Shad, Zoom Fluke) on 1/4 oz weedless jig heads for fishing tight to the marsh grass
- Cut mullet: For anglers who prefer bait—a chunk of fresh mullet on a circle hook under a popping cork catches reds all day
Tackle for Fall Reds
Fall redfish in the marsh average 4–8 pounds (slot fish of 16–27 inches), with schools of bull reds (20–40 pounds) mixing in near the bayou mouths and passes. A 7-foot medium-heavy spinning rod with a 3000–4000 size reel, 20 lb braid, and 25 lb fluorocarbon leader handles everything from slot reds in skinny water to bulls in the open bay. Carry a backup rod—the action can be fast enough that retying costs you fish.
Timing Your Trip
Target the week after the first strong cold front of fall—usually the last week of September or first week of October. Check the weather forecast for fronts with north winds of 15+ knots that will drop water levels in the marsh and push bait out. The day after the front passes, when the wind lays down and the sun comes out, is often the single best fishing day of the year. Speckled Trout near New Orleans feed alongside the reds during the mullet run—pack a lighter rod and pick off trout holding on the edges of the redfish schools.
Louisiana fishing regulations and license info at LDWF.