But in this business, it keeps you beat down just enough, where vacations or even a few days here and there going somewhere else is not something that I can practice. I believe it's just a Jacksonville thing....
So, with no boat in tow (that would cost too much) my Pops and I are heading there in his new SUV. I should be towing my boat over there given the new 2500 Dodge Ram "tuned" turbo diesel is now pumping out 420 HP and 800 pounds of boat pulling and cruising torque. "Yeah I know... she doesn't look like it. But she's a sleeper!" I would need $800 worth of new tires, first. To even think of a trip like that. "See what I mean..."
One of my first stops over there is right off I-10 at the Slidell exit. Do some looping around Eden Isles, a water front community filled with miles of canals right off of Lake Pontchartrain,and at the marina basin there's Dockside bait & tackle.
Already, this looks like PURE heaven to me: http://www.docksidela.com/dockside/Services.html
Ya' mean no ships, no current, no Navy, and loads of dock space? You gotta be kidding!!
I just have to see how the other half lives. So, yep I'll be dragging Pops to yet another (as he see's it) boring bait shop!
We've booked 3 night at what has to be the coolest place to stay, versus a fishing lodge with 10 rigged bay boats. And it's this place.
Pontchartrain Landing RV Park.
I believe we're going to be staying in one of their "tropical villa's".
Adjacent to New Orleans in the "Seabrook area", which is a real hot spot certain times of the year for MEGA Speckled Trout fishing!
Of course, we'll have to do the 26 mile causeway, so to get the feel of how much water that it.
(Kinda like from Mayport to Orange Park on the St. Johns River, except 1000 times wider!)
Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, "the bridge is so long that the curvature of the Earth obscures the shore from sight!"
And loop back on the land bridge between the west side of Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, and see some "swampy'ness".
Other areas I'd like to just see is Venice, aka; "the end of the world", Hopedale/Shell beach, and of course Bourbon Street.
I'm sure I'll find more marinas, bait shops and boat ramps that'll have me screaming in jelousy.
Not 100% sure at the moment, but I've talked to the host of Louisiana Sportsman TV show, Sam B. and he said we'll get together and fish one day while I'm there and possibly even do filming for an upcoming show! Now that's a dream come true.
