More moderate weather heralds one of the best weekends on Louisiana’s nonstop fishing calendar.

Saturday and Sunday have been declared Free Fishing Days, and they come with a forecast of something other than the wind and rain that has plagued most of the state during the past eight days.

No one, residents and nonresidents alike, needs a state fishing license to take freshwater or saltwater fish for the two days that end National Fishing Week.

Even though the recreational red snapper season ended in federal waters last Saturday, offshore fishermen taking red snapper in state waters out to nine miles along with several other reef fish, billfish and deep-water species are required to have the no-fee Recreational Offshore Landing Permit.

And all fishermen need to abide by size and creel limits along with gear restrictions.

But where?

Free license days are good, but with all the runoff in the freshwater basins, your options will be limited.

Water levels in the Verret Basin, from Bay Natchez south into Lake Palourde, are extra high; spring floodwaters have put the Atchafalaya Basin out of commission; and a week or more of rain has the Florida Parishes’ rivers and bayous on the rise.

The best freshwater spots appear to be in the marshes south of U.S. 90 from Amelia and Gibson launches, and in the marshes off Bayou Bienvenu, the MRGO and into Lake St. Catherine, where redfish and bass can latch onto a spinnerbait or a floating worm around grassbeds. Try a frog in the grass, too.

Reports from the Fourchon and Grand Isle areas are that trout are moving along the beaches in the early morning and late afternoons. Topwater plugs like MirrOlures and Zara Spooks, soft-plastic minnow imitations on a jighead, VuDu Shrimp under a cork and live bait are good choices, and platforms in Lakes Pelto and Barre are holding trout running up to four pounds.

Bud Light change

David Cavell sent a note to the guys planning to compete in Saturday’s Bud Light Bass tournament, which was originally set for the Atchafalaya Basin and now will be held from the public landing in Amelia. Cavell said teams can begin to check in at 4:30 a.m. at the Amelia or Berwick landings, launch from either location but must quit fishing at 3 p.m. and be in line to weigh their catch at the Amelia launch no later than 4.