Unexplored, difficult to reach and even harder to navigate, the interior of the Biloxi Marsh is believed to be a major factor in the success of fisheries from the lower Mississippi River Delta, to Lake Pontchartrain, to the Chandeleur Islands.

Great fisheries are blessed with great features. And the Biloxi Marsh has more than its share. Like inland real estate, location is a major factor here. Its proximity between Lake Borgne and a legendary chain of barrier islands make it a vital sanctuary - a prolific nursing ground for hundreds of marine species.

Yet the interiors remain notoriously underfished. Wherever you're launching from, be prepared for a considerable run. Louisiana anglers will generally launch from Slidell or Hopedale. From Slidell it's a rough 15-mile ride across Lake Borgne. This relatively shallow water body that links Lake Pontchartrain to the Gulf of Mexico can he brutal with bow busting cross chops.

LDWF biologist Brian Lezin said a handful of Biloxi Marsh veterans take a protected interior run by launching from Hopedale, crossing the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet (MRGO), then entering the western edge of the marsh. However, anyone entering the maze from the west end needs to be intimately familiar with the area.

"You've got to know the area," he said. "It is like a maze and one can get lost very easily ."

Anglers must be prepared with a marine radio because cell phone service is spotty, at best. They should also have all required safety equipment, a post-Katrina map and, of course, a push pole.

-Text by Al Rogers from his article Pristine Paradise  - Fishing Deep in the Biloxi Marsh