MARINE RANGERS

Hi All
Planning a trip fish the Lump in the month of Feb. Im from Texas and would like Information from you Veterans to make my trip a success. Need to know which is the best place to launch and what lodging is close (and affordable). We'll be fishing out of a 21 ft Contender and plannin on the 2nd weekend in Feb if someone wants to buddy boat.

Thankx for all your input.....
MARINE RANGERS

BOOMER

Venice Marina to launch and stay. Cabins are $150 per night and will sleep 6 with a full kitchen.

silver bullet

I'll 2nd Venice Marina. Feb will be interesting for a 21' boat. Keep an eye on the weather and it should be great. Good luck..

MARINE RANGERS

I always check weather and have XM sat. weather on board.
"HOPE FOR THE BEST PREPARE FOR THE WORST"

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BOOMER

I'm sure you've heard the anchor drill but I'll go through it again. 600 ft. of anchor rode 20-30ft. 5/16 chain and anchor ball to pull it all up. If you're fishing out of a 21 ft. boat an anchor for a 25-30 ft. boat would be a good idea. And don't forget the radar.

Reel Screamers

Consider Grand Isle, it will be a lot closer to you coming in from the west and it is the same distance to the lump. If you have never run the river, you will not have the passes to worry about.

There are hundreds of rooms to rent this time of the year on the island. Anything from a small cabin for 4 with kitchen for about $59.00 a night up to the finest of houses overlooking the gulf for considerable more change.

Both Bridgeside and Sand Dollar have good backdowns as well as a couple of other marinas on the back side of the island.

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MARINE RANGERS

I thought Grand Isle was a longer run to the lump? I like the additional number of rooms to choose from and the fact that you dont have the passes..........Thankx for the info

Still looking for buddy boat if anyone is planning to go around 2nd weekend in Feb.

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stumprunner

Grand Isle and Venice are about the same distance to the Lump. You will only have an 18 mile "open" water run the Lump from SW Pass. Running the River and/or smaller passes in Venice will require some experience. You may also have severe fog while running the river/passes/ and West Delta. I do not mind the fog or River in Venice. I like only having an 18 mile run back to the River if a 20kt North wind starts to blow.

Grand Isle does have many more choices for rooms and places to eat. Also, fog is rarely a factor in Grand Isle from what I am told.

big money

MARINE -

It's the same distance frm either place, 42NM. From Venice you are in the river for 18 miles or so, from Gand Isle it is open water the entire way.

BM

prockvoan

I second Grand Isle if the weather is clear.Now if the weather is somewhat iffy,Venice.If you need to save a little money,Venice inn has rooms for around $90 a night and they have twin double beds.The rooms are clean and parking is no problem with a boat there.Fog will be a problem out of Venice with the Mississippi river high at this time of the year.You can run Tiger pass which is marked real good now,but you should run it in day light for your first time.It is tricky at best in day light when you get to the gulf.Also,the inlet runs east-west which will screw with you.A up to date chartplotter will help big time.Now running this pass is a bit-h in fog even if you ran it a hundred times in the past.Also,a good thing is if you run out of Venice,there will be other boats(more) heading out to the lump then there is leaving out of Grand Isle on any given day.Just be at the landing before 5am and ask around to see if you can buddy up with someone.Do keep your VHF radio on 16 and check 13 as you head down river.Once you are out in the gulf,change over to channel 68 which most people use out there.Post back here closer to ya'lls date.Somebody might be heading out at that time.Weather is very important at this time of the year and planning a trip that far away is hard to do.Watch for a high pressure to set up over the mouth of the river with little to no winds for the best seas offshore.There is a problem with that,the fish don't bite as good,but they still bite.