Louisiana's State Park Hidden On A Gulf Coast Island Is A Wetland Wonderland With Renowned Fishing

A remote state park on a surf-kissed island in the Gulf of Mexico is one of Louisiana's best-kept secrets, and it's a haven for anglers, boaters, and sun worshippers looking to escape to the sea. Grand Isle State Park is situated on Grand Isle, a barrier island home to a scenic island town of the same name. The island is just over a two-hour drive from New Orleans and its international airport, and the state park is a great home base for seaside surf casting and fly fishing or bayside kayaking among the marshes of southern Louisiana.

When most tourists think of Louisiana, they conjure up images of sprawling Antebellum manors boasting ancient, moss-draped live oaks, or impenetrable cypress swamps where gators and snakes are more numerous than people. Having been to Grand Isle State Park many times, I can attest to its completely different vibe — it's a quiet and remarkably chill destination for beachgoers in search of sand and surf, but without that "spring break" feel. Instead, visitors to the park can slide into one of 49 pull-through RV campsites or grab one of 14 designated campsites right on the beach. Vehicles aren't allowed on the beach, so these sites are for tent campers only. From there, the best of the only inhabited barrier island off the coast of Louisiana is open for exploring.

For anglers, Grand Isle State Park might be one of the best fishing destinations in the country. While the area might reward you with anything from big summertime tarpon to fall and winter redfish, the star of the park's fishing show is probably the speckled trout. This native drum species is a prized game fish for both fly and gear anglers, and the waters around Grand Isle and Grand Isle State Park offer excellent trout habitat and plentiful trout fishing, even for foot-bound anglers. There's no bad time to fish from the beach or the wadable shallows for big speckled trout, and redfish are also on the angling menu from the beach. Also, every July, Grand Isle is home to a very popular tarpon rodeo. While there are other great fishing communities in Louisiana, like Delecambre, a Gulf Coast fishing town near Lafayette, it's tough to imagine a fishier destination than Grand Isle.

Anglers looking to get out into the marshes on the bay side of the island can rent kayaks from a number of local outfitters. Kayaks are excellent for helping anglers reach more remote waters, and during the winter or during blustery weather, they can help anglers find the deeper holes where fish might be waiting for warmer weather. For anglers who aren't familiar with casting to speckled trout and redfish, reputable guides and fishing charters operate on Grand Isle. I've found that hiring a guide on Grand Isle is a great way to get familiar with the fishing. It'll shorten the learning curve and make the fishing a bit easier for anglers who eventually want to go it alone in the waters around Grand Isle State Park.

Grand Isle offers amenities for anglers and non-anglers alike, particularly for those who like to travel with their RV. For just $33 a night, RVers can enjoy a pull-through site that's walkable to both the beach and the bay side of the island. Tent sites on the beach are just $18 a night — no pets or glass bottles are allowed. In addition to excellent camping, Grand Isle State Park boasts a mile of sandy beach and a 900-foot fishing pier. The park also offers a 2.5-mile nature trail for the non-angler in the group — it's popular with birders, and frequented by wading birds and migratory shore birds.

On the bay side of the island, which the locals call "the lagoon," Grand Isle State Park offers a crabbing pier. Louisiana's prized blue crabs are present year-round and in peak season from June through August, and all crabbers need is a Louisiana saltwater fishing license. Those wishing to crab from the park's crabbing pier must follow state regulations, and anyone with a license can keep up to 12 dozen blue crabs a day. While the Pelican State is likely better known for its crawfish — the vibrant Louisiana city of Breaux Bridge is known as the "crawfish capital of the world" — it's tough to beat a plate of delectable blue crabs pulled fresh from the sea.