When the ducks fly south, one Louisiana angler swaps his shotgun for a fishing rod—and the results are jaw-dropping. But here’s where it gets interesting: while most hunters pack away their gear after waterfowl season, Trevor Huval of Erath is just getting started. Every February, he heads to Lake Arthur in Southwest Louisiana, not for ducks, but for a different kind of prize: sac-a-lait and bass. And this is the part most people miss—his techniques are so effective, they’ve turned this hidden gem into a hotspot for anglers in the know.
Huval, a lifelong fisherman who’s been casting lines in the region since he was a kid, swears by Lake Arthur and the nearby Mermentau River. His secret? Two go-to lures that consistently deliver results. First, there’s the black/chartreuse hair jig crafted by Daniel Mire of D&M Custom Jigs. Huval pairs it with a cork, fishing it about a foot below the surface around cypress knees—a tactic that’s proven gold for sac-a-lait. His second favorite is a monkey milk-colored Bobby Garland Baby Shad, a soft plastic minnow he tightlines without a cork. “Sometimes they go for the jig, sometimes the cork,” Huval explains. “It’s all about reading the water and the fish’s mood.”
But here’s the controversial part: While many anglers avoid the Mermentau River due to its perpetually muddy waters, Huval argues it’s a goldmine for sac-a-lait. “Yeah, it’s dirty,” he admits, “but the fish are used to it. It’s the fishermen who struggle.” Last year, he landed his personal best—a 2-pound, 8-ounce sac-a-lait that now hangs on his wall. So, is the Mermentau an overlooked treasure or a hassle not worth the effort? Let’s debate that in the comments.
February, Huval says, is prime time for sac-a-lait as they move into shallower waters to spawn. He targets canals and cypress-lined points on the south end of Lake Arthur, where water temperatures hover between 65-68 degrees. “That’s when I start finding females loaded with eggs,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll pull up to a tree and catch 25 fish in 10 minutes. It’s consistent—unless a heavy rain pushes them off.”
For bass, Huval relies on a Texas-rigged black/blue Senko under a pegged ¼-ounce weight. And thanks to recent stocking efforts by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Lake Arthur’s bass population is booming. “They’re doing a great job managing that lake,” he notes. “Bass fishing there is top-notch.”
But here’s a surprising twist: When it comes to the Mermentau River, Huval targets fresh laydowns—newly fallen trees—for the best results. “I always thought older structure would hold more fish, but the fresher the laydown, the better the bite,” he says. Why? That’s still a mystery, even to him.
So, whether you’re a seasoned angler or a beginner, Huval’s advice is clear: don’t overlook Lake Arthur or the Mermentau River this February. And if you’re willing to brave the mud, you might just land the sac-a-lait of a lifetime. But here’s the question: Are muddy waters like the Mermentau worth the hassle, or do you prefer crystal-clear lakes? Let’s hear your thoughts below!
