Sportsmans Lodge

Trip Overview
Located in the southernmost part of Louisiana, Sportsmans Lodge offers a blend of great accommodations, memorable southern & Cajun cuisine, and true hospitality while partnering with some of the best fly fishing-focused guides in Louisiana. The Sportsmans Lodge is located in Venice, Louisiana in the Venice Marina. Your guide will literally come and pick you up at your doorstep! Venice is about a 2-hour drive south of New Orleans and is located on the edge of the Mississippi River Delta which is appropriately called the “Fishing Capitol of the World.” Venice is surrounded by vast marshes and is close to several barrier islands offering some of the best coastal fishing anywhere in the gulf. In addition to inshore fishing, Venice is the place to go for going offshore to target species such as – tuna, dolphinfish, tripletail, cobia, snapper, wahoo, more jacks, and even marlin! 

Lodging Details
The Sportsmans Lodge is essentially a floating houseboat featuring a large great room lounge area with comfortable seating and a wide flat-screen television for socializing. Watch your chef prepare fresh local fare in their open kitchen and dining area. Plus, the complimentary bar is always open for you to help yourself. There’s an outdoor seating area to enjoy your morning coffee or enjoy the evening sunset with a drink in your hand. There is also an additional widescreen television located outside on the back deck so you’ll never miss a sporting event. Upstairs are 8 individual bedrooms with a variety of bedding arrangements with private and semi-private bathrooms. The entire lodge is serviced by a central air conditioning system.

Food and Beverages
Anybody who has visited the deep south knows that good food is part of the draw and experience. Your stay at the Sportsmans Lodge will be no exception. Southern and Cajun cuisine will be on the menu every day. Food and beverages are all-inclusive with your package. Packages will include a hot breakfast before your guide trip, lunch along with snacks, soft drinks, and water on the guide boat, and then appetizers and dinner back at the lodge. And don’t forget about the complimentary bar. If you desire to take any alcoholic beverages with you on the guide boat during your day of fishing, you must bring it with you. The lodge legally cannot provide alcoholic beverages to take with you on the guide boats.

Non-Angling Activities and Options
For non-anglers accompanying anglers to Louisiana, or for those looking to take a day off from fishing, there is an endless number of activities and attractions that are available when visiting Louisiana and the greater New Orleans area. In New Orleans itself, take advantage of numerous history and heritage tours, enjoy the city’s world-famous cuisine, explore the famous nightlife on Bourbon Street, visit museums, shop, take in a professional sporting event, enjoying area festivals, and much more.

Internet / Communications
Wi-Fi access is available anywhere in the lodge, and most cell phones work while on the property.

How To Get There
The physical address of the Venice Marina is 237 Sports Marina Dr, Venice, Louisiana 70091. If you are driving on your own, go past the main green marina building and the lodge will be 100 yards down on your left. Airport shuttles can be arranged at an additional cost, but it is highly advised to rent a car and drive on your own. Without traffic, drive time from the New Orleans airport to the marina should take about 2 hours.

Arrival and Departure Details / Times
Check-in time is after 3PM on arrival day. It is also requested that guests arrive before 7PM which is when all guests at the lodge usually sit down for dinner. Late arrivals should plan on eating dinner before they get to the lodge. Check-out is before 11AM on departure day. If guests are fishing on their departure day, bags must be packed and moved out of rooms before heading out for their last day of fishing if the lodge has new guests arriving that same day. 

Documents Required
Louisiana charter fishing license which can be purchased over the phone upon arrival.

Travel Arrangements
Yellow Dog provides airline reservations ad ticketing assistance through etcTravel Group, and a full-service airline logistics agent that can help book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars, and more. You can click here to request a quote or contact Yellow Dog for more information at 406-585-8667. etcTravel Group offers dedicated support services for all Yellow Dog clients. Service fees may apply when booking or researching tickets, and etcTravel will discuss this with you before sending quotes.

Travel Tools
- Travel Insurance
- Moon Phases
- Airline Ticketing
- Rent This Rod
- Global Rescue Membership

General Information
Due to Venice’s close proximity to the gulf, it is where you go to catch big bull redfish that move into the marsh during the fall and early winter months! That being said, because it is also at the mouth of the Mississippi, the area can also get “blown out” for part of the year and limit the areas that are fishable. When fishing the vast, beautiful marshes of the coast of Southeast Louisiana, the exact waters where you’ll be fishing will depend on the time of the year that you’re there, as well as the general weather and water conditions during the time of your stay. Typical areas where the guides will take you offer outstanding opportunities for the shallow-water fly angler as all contain countless shallow bays, ponds, canals, and expansive mudflats. In addition to redfish, anglers will also have opportunities to target sheepshead, black drum, jacks, speckled trout, and alligator gar if fishing inshore.

There is a good reason why Venice is rightfully known as the “Fishing Capitol of the World!” In addition to the inshore fishing, the oil rigs dotting the indigo blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico are like underwater skyscrapers for aquatic life that attract dozens of different gamefish that can be targeted by anglers – tuna, dolphinfish, wahoo, jacks, cobia, snapper, mackerel, tripletail, triggerfish, and marlin!

Southeast Louisiana’s vast ecosystem is an amazing place and truly one of America’s most impressive saltwater fisheries!

Package Rates
Remember that Yellow Dog’s services are completely free! When you book a trip with Yellow Dog, you never pay more than when you book directly with the lodge.

2026 Pricing (based on double occupancy)
3 nights / 2 days = $1,850.00 per person
4 nights / 3 days = $2,625.00 per person
5 nights / 4 days = $3,400.00 per person
6 nights / 5 days = $4,175.00 per person
7 nights / 6 days = $4,950.00 per person

*Offshore charter trips are also available upon request

Included

• Lodging
• Guided fishing
• Breakfast and dinner at the lodge
• Bag lunch, sodas, and water during guide trips
• House alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at the lodge
• Rod/reel, all flies, and all tackle provided by the guide

Excluded

• Airfare
• Airport transportation (can be arranged at an additional cost)
• Gratuities for guides and lodge staff
• Gratuities for guides
• Fishing licenses
• Alcohol during your guide trips
• Lodging taxes (will include upon invoicing)

Sportsman’s Lodge (Venice, Louisiana)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS – CANCELLATIONS
Receipt of deposit and/or final payment is acknowledgment that registrant has read and accepts the deposit, cancellation, refund and responsibility clauses for these packages. A deposit of 50% per person is due at the time of booking for all trip packages and reservations, and final payment if due 90 days prior to arrival. All trip cancellations must be received in writing, sent to Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, LLC. For all cancellations outside of 60 days of scheduled trip date, a refund or full trip credit (minus a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee) will be issued. For cancellations inside of 60 days no refunds or trip credits will be issued. If a cancelled package is resold by either the lodge or by Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures, then a refund will be sent minus a $100.00 per person Yellow Dog cancellation fee. In the case of cancellation by the client, both deposit and final payment may be transferred to another guest or angler for those same (original) dates if facilitated and arranged by the client. If your fishing trip is cancelled by the guide or lodge due to weather, then you will be issued a trip credit for unused portion of your trip or missed fishing days. Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures strongly recommends that anglers and guests purchase travel insurance for this trip.

Payment Terms for All Yellow Dog Trip Bookings  
Unless otherwise noted on your invoice, for all trips less than 90 days out, full payment is required after receipt of the confirmation email to secure guides and reservations. For trips outside of 90 days, a 50% deposit is required upon receipt of confirmation email to confirm your reservations.   

Yellow Dog accepts on-line payments via a secure payment portal – a quick and easy way to complete your trip reservation. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com to gain access. 

Yellow Dog Flyfishing Standard Forms of Payment 

• Debit card (fee-free) and credit card (3% convenience fee) - to pay via card please utilize the customer payment portal. If you need assistance, reach out to 406-585-8667 ext. #3 
• Wires - please include name and/or invoice number for reference on your wire. Please reach out to accounting@yellowdogflyfishing.com for wiring instructions. (client is responsible for wiring fees) 
• Physical check - please include your invoice number in the memo. Mail checks to 213 S. Willson Ave. Bozeman, MT, 59715

If you have any questions about alternate payment methods, please contact Yellow Dog at (406) 585-8667 ext. #3. We are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM MT.