Goose Point Reef is a new artificial reef in Lake Pontchartrain, and many are asking questions about it. Where is it located? Will it actually attract speckled trout and redfish? What other spots in Lake Pontchartrain are worth trying?
These questions and more are what you'll find answered in this guide.
Where is Goose Point Reef located?
This new man-made reef is located off of Goose Point near Lacombe, Louisiana. The general location is perfectly depicted in the map below.
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To be more exact, you will find the center of Goose Point Reef at 30° 15’15.91” N 89° 57’55.76” W
Northwest corner: 30° 15’16.98” N 89° 58’02.86” W
Southwest corner: 30° 15’12.44” N 89° 58’01.76” W
Northeast corner: 30° 15’19.30” N 89° 57’50.10” W
Southeast corner of Goose Point Reef: 30° 15’14.77” N 89° 57’49.00” W
Click to Enlarge
What's the nearest boat launch to fish Goose Point Reef?
You can use the public boat launch on Lake Road, like what you see in the map above. There's also the Main Street launch in Lacombe, but that would require a longer run down Bayou Lacombe.
Yes, you can also get to this new fishing spot via launches at Mandeville, Slidell or on the south shore. Doing so will require running open water and lots of it. So you will want to ensure that you make a good wind call when you do. My favorite tool to that end is Windfinder, and this guide will show you how to do that.
How deep is it at Goose Point Reef?
It is about ten to thirteen feet deep across the area, and you can expect it to be slightly shallower over the top of the reef. There really aren't any navigational hazards in the immediate area that you need to be wary of.
What is Goose Point Reef made out of?
This new man-made reef is comprised of concrete rubble sourced from new construction on Interstate 12 to the north. I think this can make for a good reef, but it's worth noting that other reefs on Louisiana's coast are made out of reef balls, limestone, and other material.
Will this new artificial reef in Lake Pontchartrain actually attract fish?
I have reasons to believe that it could. The first being that broken concrete can be a good surface for things like barnacles, clams and oysters to attach themselves to, thus building a living reef.
The next thing that's good is that Goose Point Reef is located just off a major point in a tidal highway. This is what migrating bait and fish use to get about, and they will certainly inhabit this new man-made reef on their way in and out of the Pontchartrain basin.
Ultimately time will tell.
When is the best time of year to fish Goose Point Reef?
I think pretty much any time of the year is worth fishing it. You can expect redfish to be there year-round, and I would expect to see speckled trout there during fall, spring and the warmer parts of the winter pattern.
I would especially look to fish it during the spring pattern, when demersal finfish are a primary forage.
You shouldn't expect a lot of speckled trout to be had during summer, because that's when they are outside of the marsh in saltier water for their spawn.
What tackle should I use for speckled trout and redfish at Goose Point Reef?
Because it is located in deeper water unfit for a popping cork, you will really want to consider throwing a Heavy Drop Shot, especially if you're unfamiliar with fishing in deep water and fast moving current.
In fact, if you're not 100% gravy on fishing the challenge of deep, fast moving water, then you really want to make time to watch my free video course on how to do exactly that.
In it you'll learn how to position your boat on biting fish, how to know when you hit the bottom and what you need to do to ensure the fish see the bait. If they can't see it, then they cannot possibly bite it!
And no, live bait will not do it for you.
After that, if you're savvy using casting tackle, then I would consider jigging. It's what I would do before I ever touch a Heavy Drop shot at a place like Goose Point Reef. If you're unfamiliar with this technique or the Pontchartrain Pop, then please bookmark my ultimate guide to jigging and make time to review it in the future.
Where else in Lake Pontchartrain should I try fishing?
If you're going to fish Goose Point Reef then you should have other fishing spots identified in the event that the reef doesn't produce, which is more likely than not.
A great community hole worth trying, especially during spring and fall, is the Trestles railroad bridge on the east side of Lake Pontchartrain. Practically any other bridge in Lake Pontchartrain is worth considering, to include the Twin Span, Highway 11, and Causeway bridges.
Much farther to the south and west lies the powerlines that could also be worth trying, mostly for redfish.
Power line redfish can be a great choice, especially during the summer.
Last, but not least, there are a slew of other artificial reefs in Lake Pontchartrain worth trying. Some are near Goose Point Reef, others require a longer run. Either way, you can count on having more than one fishing spot to try on the day of your fishing trip.
Discover How I Catch Speckled Trout & Redfish From Scratch
This guide contains key information to make your fishing trip to Goose Point Reef happen. The most important is making a good wind call. If you manage to screw that up, it will be a self-correcting error, that I can promise you.
But what other conditions should you be looking at? The way I plan successful fishing trips is by judging the past, current and predicted conditions, choosing fishing spots based upon that judgment then laying out safe routes to get me there and back.
Do you want to catch a box of speckled trout? Pay close attention to how I plan successful fishing trips and copy what I do.
This and more is what I teach inside my flagship course, Inshore Fishing 101. It's only available inside my membership LAFB Elite. There I'll show you how to successfully fish more spots than just Goose Point Reef.
Knowledge Gained Is Priceless
My experience was excellent, I found that the knowledge gained in Inshore Fishing 101 is priceless. I found that a lot of the things I thought I knew were not what I thought I knew. This course has expanded my knowledge and has already honed some of my skills.
I am forever grateful for finding LAFB and for joining LAFB Elite.
Devin, I can honestly say there is nothing in this course I dislike.
I made it through the course in 3 days watching all videos and webinars. I live in Greensburg Louisiana and managed to make a run to the Long Rocks to check out the action Wednesday, this within the 3 days it took me to get through 101.
To do everything I've done in the last three days and manage to make it through this course means it had my unconditional attention. Thank you so much for the knowledge!
Colin Bamber
Free Mason
In a word: GREAT!
I learned that I couldn't see the marsh for the bayou. What I mean by that is I was unknowingly doing a lot of things wrong with poor results and just chalked it up to a bad day of fishing. Devin presents a ton of concepts that the average fisherman either overlooks, isn't executing properly or is flat out ignorant of.
Inshore Fishing 101 isn't just a bunch of random tips! It is an intricate web of interconnected actions, equipment, locations, biology, conditions, techniques, technology, and experience that come together to give you the best chance of filling the box with fish on a consistent basis.
He shows how simple it is: you don't need a 24 ft bay boat, you don't need 500 different color lures, you don't need the most expensive gear, all you need to is a rod, a reel a lure and a little moving water, clean water and lots of bait in the area.
Randy Ahrabi
Small Business Owner
Captain Devin knows his stuff!
I fished largemouth bass in Arizona’s Salt River reservoirs (Saguaro, Canyon, and Apache Lakes) for years, and then moved back to Louisiana after decades of being away.
I wondered if all that bass knowledge and skill would be useful here in saltwater. Devin has showed me how incredibly useful it is! I don’t regret for one microsecond the money I spend on his membership, LAFB Elite.
Chuck Roger
Out of State Angler
Upon joining you gain instant access to LAFB Elite's Community, where our members enjoy detailed fishing reports and get help planning their next fishing trip. It's the best resource you can have for gaining long term success for your fishing trips, whether you plan to fish Goose Point Reef or somewhere else on Louisiana's coast.
Hope to see you inside!
