Situated Between Lafayette And Baton Rouge Is A Louisiana Town With Delicious Cajun Cuisine And Fishing

You don't have to be "born on the bayou," as Creedence Clearwater Revival puts it, to appreciate Louisiana's unique culture and abundant, gorgeous, and peaceful bayou scenes. The state's Cajun culture is derived from the descendants of French-Canadians, or Acadians, who immigrated to Louisiana in the 18th century. Cajun culture is perhaps best known today for its delectable cuisine, which is a melting pot (pun intended) of other cultures, including Creole and Native American influences. 

It wouldn't be a trip to the Pelican State without a road trip sampling of some Cajun culture and sumptuous seafood — and spending time in and around the water. Whether it's eating seafood or catching seafood you're most interested in (or both), you'll want to plan a trip to the riverside town of Henderson, Louisiana, which offers stellar fishing as well as mouthwatering Cajun food.

Henderson, located in St. Martin Parish, is just a 20-minute drive from the city of Lafayette, and around 45 minutes from Baton Rouge. The town is nestled within the Atchafalaya Basin Swamp, nicknamed "America's Wetland," and sits on the banks of man-made Henderson Lake – so freshwater fishing abounds. If you're flying into Henderson, you'll likely want to fly to Lafayette Regional Airport, about 18 miles away, a small airport with airline connections to hubs like Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte.

As Louisiana Destinations says, this is the "heart of Louisiana crawfish country." Indeed, Henderson was the home of Louisiana's first commercial crawfish pond. So without further ado, get yourself to the aptly-named Crawfish Town USA. At this eatery and seafood emporium, housed in a historic barn, you'll find a menu comprising a variety of Cajun and Creole classics. It's rated the No. 1 restaurant in town with 4.1 stars on Tripadvisor. From boiled crawfish and seafood gumbo to catfish, shrimp, and even fried alligator, everything on the menu here is fresh and local. Even if you're not a seafood lover, you can still dine on local dishes like red beans and rice, hushpuppies, Acadian-style steaks, and more. (If you're looking for a bargain, pop in for lunch when there's a special $15 menu.) Before leaving, don't forget to head next door to the restaurant's adjacent Fresh Market, where you can purchase seafood, meat items like boudin, cracklins, and seasonings to cook with at home.

For more Cajun dishes in an informal setting, make your way to nearby Chicken on the Bayou and Boudin Shop, where you can order a po'boy sandwich with a range of options, such as oysters, crawfish, catfish, alligator, hot sausage, and beyond. The kitchen also whips up other Cajun delights, including crawfish étouffée and fried quail. This eatery also has a shop that's perfect for home cooks, or aspiring ones, to stock up on sauces, seasonings, sausage, and more.

With its location smack-bang in the middle of the Atchafalaya Basin — the largest river swamp in the United States — Lake Henderson is chock-full of aquatic species, including catfish, sunfish, bluegill, bream, bass, and white perch (known locally as sac-au-lait, or "bag of milk"). Since most of the lake is extremely shallow, it's ideal for kayak fishing. Fortunately, there are multiple launch sites around the lake suitable for paddlecraft or jonboats. For trailer boats, or if you're looking to add a swamp tour boat excursion to your trip, set off from Atchafalaya Basin Landing & Marina. Here, you'll find a three-lane boat launch (new in 2021) and the option to launch a boat after hours with an honor system for payment. The marina also has a waterfront bar and restaurant called Turtles, and their tours are rated a Traveler's Choice Award winner with 4.9 stars on Tripadvisor. 

Tried-and-true Henderson locals know that a prime location, particularly for panfish, is amongst the trees in the cypress swamp side of the lake. Or, head to the southwest side of the lake, near Kern's Landing, where you'll likely snare plenty of bluegill. And if you're still itching to go fishing after your time in this bayou haven, carry on to nearby Delcambre: a Gulf Coast fishing town that's one of Louisiana's best-kept secrets.