Mike Frennette Talks Northern Gulf Tripletail
It’s one of the Gulf of America’s top fishing destinations, with a far-reaching appeal drawing thousands to its bounty. We’re talking about the Mississippi River Delta and, while this wonder of Southeastern Louisiana definitely attracts anglers from far and wide, Capt. Mike Frennette also sees an annual influx of one of the ocean’s most unique species — the tripletail.
So named for the proximity of the secondary dorsal, anal, and caudal (tail) fins, this instantly recognizable species is present year-round throughout Gulf waters. Frenette said the warm season brings a dependable migration to the Delta coastline.
“We started seeing tripletail earlier than normal this year,” Frennette said. “They started showing up in late March and early April, but usually, they’re here from mid-May through October. They migrate to the mouth of the river for spawning and for all the nutrition and baitfish that comes out of the river."
Sneaky Style
With eyes positioned close to an upturned mouth and a short, powerful tail built for sudden bursts, this predator is well-designed for its crafty feeding strategy. Essentially, the tripletail uses a hang-and-wait technique, where it hovers or drifts like a piece of flotsam until a baitfish, crab or shrimp wanders too close.
“We also see tripletail floating by when we’re redfishing, so we always have a rod ready. In the deeper Gulf waters, we see them holding under floating pallets, logs and other flotsam; and when the river gets high and rafts of hyacinth start floating out the passes, we see tripletail holding on them like a weed line.”
Here’s something to note: While tripletail mostly occur in coastal to offshore waters, Frennette’s always watching for interior opportunities. For example, while guiding a group of redfish anglers well inside the Delta marsh, he noticed something that resembled a floating trash bag.
It was a 15-pound tripletail.
How to Catch Them
Mind your stealthy approach, keep your distance, cast beyond the fish and bring your bait across its radar. That’s the basic formula for tripletail success.
“The standard is Iive shrimp or small pogies on a Mustad Big Gun UltraNor hook," Frenette said. “The forging process makes that hook super strong and that’s what you need when you’re up against these vertical structures.”
Free-lining natural baits works in calm conditions, but if you need to keep a bait in place long enough for a tripletail to spot it, add a cork. The float not only maintains a constant depth, it also serves as an immediate strike detector.
Along with live baits, tripletail will also gobble a well-placed jig with a baitfish profile, a minnow-pattern fly or an artificial shrimp like the LIVETARGET Rigged Shrimp. Whatever you throw, Frenette recommends stout tackle.
“Sometimes, they’ll freight train the bait, but sometimes, it’s a light bite and you just see your line moving off,” he said. “Either way, you have to immediately dog them out from that structure. I like 4000 size spinning tackle with 30- to 50-pound braided main line with a 40-pound fluorocarbon leader so they don’t cut you off.
“Realistically, the average size is about 8 pounds. A big one is over 12-15 pounds, but we catch a lot of those. A giant is 20-plus and there are several caught (around the Delta) every year. They are beasts.”