You need to go to Rockefeller WMA located between Grand Chenier and Pecan Island. I use my 1448 jon in that area all the time because the canals are protected water and it won't get too rough for a small jon even if a storm pops up.
If you are coming from the Lafayette area, just head south towards Abbeville, get on HWY 82 West and it will take you directly there. There are a couple of main launches at the WMA, one on the east side called Rollover Bayou, and one on the west side called Joseph's Harbor. I prefer Joseph's Harbor because it's a nice, large launch with plenty of parking and it's free. The town of Perry is just south of Abbeville on HWY 82 and the distance from Perry to the Joseph's Harbor launch is 55 miles. If you are near the launch on Hwy 82 and you pass the Wildlife & Fisheries main complex on the left (you can't miss it), then you've gone too far, turn around and go back 3 miles.
Inside the Rockefeller WMA is a series of interconnecting man-made canals created to help regulate the water levels, salinity, etc of that area maintaining a healthy marsh environment. Along some of the canals are concrete and steel weirs designed to hold water in the marsh during low water levels and when the water levels are high they allow a controlled overflow. These usually have moving water and are the best locations to catch crabs using either drop nets or string & bait. Also shrimp can be caught in the moving water using a cast net, and during certain times of year even redfish and specs can be caught on rod and reel in these areas. Just beach your boat near the weir, get out and crab from either the top of the weir or on either side.
Important - The LW&F headquarters is located in that area and they patrol those canals and inspect boats often. Make sure you review your required safety equipment for your size boat. You have a better chance than not that they will pull up next to you and ask to take a look at registration, life jackets, etc. Just make sure you have what you're supposed to have and you'll be fine. Also, when you see a NO WAKE sign, obey it. The wildlife agents have always been cool with me, but then again I always treat them with the same respect as any other law enforcement officer and I don’t try and get away with anything stupid while I’m out there.
The past few weeks the crabbing reports have been great. You can catch your 12 dozen limit easily in one day if the conditions are good…and they usually are this time of year.
I believe shrimp season is still closed, so you are limited to 10 lbs of shrimp for bait purposes right now. When shrimp season does open you can keep up to 25 lbs per boat/vehicle per day.
If you get tired of crabbing and your arm is tired from throwing the cast net, you can also take your boat down the south canal and beach it near the mouth where the canal opens into the gulf, south of the LSU weir in the picture. There are some sandy areas right there before the surf zone where you can get out and go shelling or setup your hibachi and have a fun lunch with the kids. Sometimes the reds are moving through this area and I’ve caught quite a few there.
Something else to remember…this entire area is tidal. The reason I mention this is you have to keep an eye on your boat if you beach it near the mouth and get out and walk around for awhile. Depending on the tide, you may come back to it an hour later and find it almost completely beached in a dropping tide…or completely drifting in a rising tide. It’s nothing that happens really fast, but thought I’d mention it.
It really is a blast shrimping and crabbing on the refuge. I go there at least once or twice a month during summer and fall. Weekends can draw a crowd during summer, so I usually try and go in the middle of the week...there is less boat traffic and it's more enjoyable to me. Enjoy it and let me know if you have any questions.
Here is the Rockefeller WMA website -
Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge | Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
I like mapping and Google Earth so here are a few helpful pictures…
Red dot is Joseph's Harbor launch and black dot is Rollover Bayou launch
Attachment 314430
This is the entire WMA. The red crabs are the weir locations where you can get out your boat and crab along the weirs
Attachment 314431
This is the west end and the weirs I go to from the Joseph's Harbor launch
Attachment 314432
Likes: 
Thanks: 
HaHa: 
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by clay slayer
You need to go to Rockefeller WMA located between Grand Chenier and Pecan Island. I use my 1448 jon in that area all the time because the canals are protected water and it won't get too rough for a small jon even if a storm pops up.
