CatchWindow fishing intelligence

Port Fourchon, Belle Pass, LA Daily Water Report — October 8, 2026

Port Fourchon gets a qualified go today: sailing and powered boating are the strongest fits, while fishing, paddling and diving remain workable but lose some comfort to a freshening NNE breeze and short-period chop. This is not the glassy run seen earlier this week; it is a day for choosing your window rather than assuming the water will stay polite. The best all-around stretch is around the late-morning high tide at 10:47 AM, overlapping the 10:21 AM–12:21 PM solunar major period. Pressure is rising through a 1010.8–1013.2 hPa range, and the fishing estimate is a respectable 6.4/10. The tide range is modest—high water is 0.40 m, falling to 0.32 m at 6:52 PM—so expect less tidal drama than timing nuance. A second fishing opportunity arrives during the 10:21 PM–12:21 AM major period, near the 11:34 PM high. Winds run 6.2 to 18.2 knots from the NNE, with gusts building as high as 27.2 knots near 9 PM. That supports sailing’s 7.1/10 estimate, but the gust spread deserves attention. For boaters, the 7.0/10 score reflects usable conditions rather than a free pass: waves hold around 0.8–1.2 m, with a representative 0.86 m at a quick 4.1 seconds. Wind waves account for 0.72 m of that, so the ride can be more insistent than the headline height suggests. The calmest wave reading, 0.8 m, is near midnight—not necessarily the most convenient launch window. Kayaking rates 6.2/10 and diving 6.7/10. Both are better treated as early, daylight operations before the stronger evening gusts. Water is warm near 29 C, but the available atmospheric visibility of 19.4 km says nothing about underwater visibility. CoastWatch chlorophyll is very high at 13.45 mg/m³, indicating bloom conditions; it should not be read as a fish-activity report. Compared with the last several days, boating, paddling and diving have all eased as winds and chop return. Friday and Saturday look wetter and rougher, with waves reaching 1.8 m; Sunday begins a much calmer, drier stretch. Best bet: make the late-morning high-tide/solunar overlap your main outing, then be home before the NNE gusts decide they own the evening.