Warming up for winter.

Zeke Zimmerman and a large-mouth bass he pulled from the Atchafalaya Basin.

While the rest of the nation gears up for the snow season, Lafayette natives are out and about like ants from a freshly kicked hill. The end of October brings a consistently cool break from summer heat and with it a whole slew of seasonal activities:
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• Fishing — Yeah, this time of year the water levels drop and anglers break out buzz baits, minnows and shrimp in hopes of luring bass, sac-a-lait (crappie), redfish, speckled trout, flounder and more. If you're thinking of fishing Louisiana's coast, fall is a great time.
• Hunting — September teal season can be daunting. It's still hot and duck habitat is full of mosquitoes. But as November rolls around sportsman enjoy cooler temps, fewer bugs and the first waves of larger, tastier ducks. 
• Cooking — Yes, cooking is a sport and competitions are at full steam. We suggest a gumbo cookoff (there are several) and just about any fall festival will have a competition worth tasting.
• Gardening — Winter gardens. That's a thing. You see, freezing temperatures are the exception, not the rule in South Louisiana, so gardens full of greens, kale, lettuce and more can grow abundantly all winter long.  If you're not planting them yourself, you're enjoying them at a range of farm-to-table restaurants.
• Dancing — It's dancing season. Check out the festival lineup for more on where the best bands are playing. Bring your boots.

A good friend once told me that Louisiana is one of the best places to live because it's seasons are the reverse of most of our nation. While his far-north friends enjoyed three to four beautiful months a year, they struggled through the snowy eight or so remaining months. Louisiana is one of those amazing places with eight to nine months of great opportunities to get out and about. If you're looking for an escape from the snow this winter, join us for Festival Season (fall), Holiday Season (winter) and ... immediately following ... Mardi Gras Season (spring). Because when the weather starts to cool, we're just getting warmed up! 

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