wax lake dangerous!!!

So im currently deployed and return home just in time for the second split. Got the boat ready and im all set to harvest some ducks. jus one thing though, i am hearing all this commotion about public waters and them being dangerous, especially out at the wax? personally i do not think anything will bother me after this deployment, but my friends and family are hesitant to go. any info will help and tips on where to go when i get back thanks guys.

I have only been to the Wax Lake outlet once. It was a fun trip. Things that I was warned about:

If you are not familiar with the terrain do not venture out with no light (morning)

Hunt the tides (Hellacious fluctuations leave boats high and dry)

Bring a GPS because the fog is terrible

Bring a decent sized boats as the calumet cut has crew boat traffic.

WE didn't have any problem with pressure because we went on a Monday. I have heard many stories about blind conflicts, so I recommend hunting out of a pop up boat blind. Good luck and hope you kill.

Man Ive been wonderin the same thing. Ive never hunted the wax before but I have a buddy that goes all the time and he wants me to go. He hunts in the holes and walks from his boat. Im worried Ill walk up and my boats on the ground. I dont if you have a mud motor but I have an outboard so I dont know how that will go. Ive heard stories of barges making 4ft wakes almost sinking boats. I think Ill go scout over the split even though my buddy will be with me when we hunt. Might want to consider doing the same.

I hunt the Wax Lake Outlet often, about 10 trips during this first split. I would say the real dangers are in the trip out in the morning. They are working on bulkheads right down from the launch on Calumet Cut so you have some added activity right there. If you hunt a weekend there is a lot of boat traffic coming down the cut, not all with proper lights, and most are a little q-beam happy which can be distracting. You cross the intracostal a few miles down from the launch so you have to beware of barges crossing.
As for the tides, look up Point Chevruil's tides and add I usually add a couple hours to that. This way if you do choose to leave a boat behind and walk in you know how much water to leave your boat in. The tide does drop pretty fast, but it usually comes up even faster so being left high and dry tends to be more of an inconvenience than a safety concern.
If you hunt the marsh out there scouting is a must, as much for water as for birds. I have options for a large variety of water levels. The tide range plus fronts pushing water out can dry up your honey hole quick. Definitly an area where you need plans a,b,c...
Good Luck

I agree wit Mr autin Ive been hunting there for 7 years scouting is a must.i suggest u build a blind way in the open water.make sure nobody is around cause if u hunt close in there will be a want to be duck hunter come stick there selves right by u even if u blind them with a lite. And if u never been there in a while r never went u better go with somebody that knos were they going cause when its high tides they have a bunch of sand bars and a few spots with big tress thats under the water.but if u play your cards right and put in the hours u could really be successful

if you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me. I'm prior military served in first gulf war and hunted the wax lake area since i was 10 years old and im a son of a full time commercial fisherman and was a full time commercial fisherman myself. im not claiming to be a professional, but i do have lots of exp. I hope i can help a former combat vet.

Wax Lake can be dangerous. A buddies friend died of hypothermia when they were in the bay in a small boat, in rough water, it was cold, no life jackets, boat swamped, etc. Luckily a crab fisherman passed by and picked up one guy, but only after one died and passed away from hypothermia.

When a North wind is blowing down Gadwall pass @ 25 mph, it can kick up a 2.5' swell straight down the pass. If you venture far off the bank, it will get rough. Open water and sand bars that are everywhere, not marked. Channels between the sand bars. I take my children from 12-17 but we always wear life jackets, go out in a boat that is big enough, are aware of the conditions and just try to be very cautious. It is a big wide open area, this isn't hunting the marsh. Keep your life jacket on, the water can go from 6' to 10' very quickly. Don't go out in a tiny flat boat. It is a great place to hunt but deserves your respect.

Hey guys I have a 15’ semiV aluminum boat 5’ wise boat with a older50 hp mercury Does anyone know or think that it would be safe to go in wax lake with that boat

You should be fine as long as you stay in the main channels. The area is full of sandflats. I would suggest going on a rising tide. The other big risk is fog. I would recommend having a GPS to help with navigation.

Hard to believe anywhere in the south has a tidal range more than 3 feet (excluding the wind). The tides described here are what is experienced on the west coast and the far north. What do you think makes that area so much more tidal? I hunt in Venice and we never seen tides that strong without a 3 day heavy north wind honkin on top a 2 foot tide range. I'm no doubting. I have always heard about the wax tides. I'm just curious.

I've only hunted Wax lake a couple times and every time, we planned to be there on a low tide. The water went from dry land or a couple inches of water to over 3' of water depth in a couple hours. This was on a normal day with no wind extremes.

If you arrive on a high tide and the water falls out on you, you could spend a long time on the sand flats waiting for the tide to rise.

This is the only area I have hunted in Louisiana where this occurs.