PERSONAL
AUTHENTIC GUIDED ECOTOURS
INTO THE LARGEST ATACHAFALAYA BASIN SWAMP
AND THE LARGEST NESTING AREA OF WADING BIRDS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. |
Bryan Champagne, Chief Guide
Hello, my name is Bryan Champagne. I was born on the banks of Bayou Teche in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. "Teche" is an Indian word that means
"snake".
I am Cajun, speak French (The Cajun Language) and grew up fishing and hunting in the swamps of Cypress Island,
which is still home to my Parents and I am now conducting tours in it. I'll show you how people, the Cajuns
like myself, made a living in the swamp years ago, and some still today, by crawfishing, fur trapping, fishing hoop nets for catfish & Bait Fish, running trout lines, etc.
The boat I use to conduct the tour is a 24 foot crawfish skiff (all aluminum) which has a 5 foot flat bottom which makes the boat very stable and safe.
All of the seats are well padded and have padded back rest for your comfort on the tour. The boat was designed and built by me
to run in very shallow water, through dense mats of floating vegetation that make it impossible for outboard or water cooled boat motors
to run. The motor that I use is a very dependable 24 horse power engine called a "mudrunner" motor, this is not an outboard engine.
My motor is and cooled by air, not water, which makes it possible for me to take you, in the swamp, on a trip that you
would never think possible. The motor is mounted on a 7 foot shaft and is very quiet, and will run in water 1 to 2 inches deep.
24 Horsepower
(Mud Runner Motor)
The tour is slow so you can view wildlife and take pictures as we travel through the swamp. We will travel through very dense water vegetation
that is native, and non native, to us in South Louisiana. We will also travel into the dense interior of the swamp, and go where no other type of boat can go.
All tours are guided by me personally.
The tour will depart from the Lake Martin Landing, where we will then drive into a flooded forest of Cypress and Topulo trees
draped with spanish moss. The Flooded Forest is home to 197 different species of birds, which we could see. Such as Borrowed Owls, Great horned Owls,
Pileated Wood Peckers
, Anhinga, Cormorants, Wood Ducks, Yellow (and Black) crowned Night Herons, The Great Blue Heron as well as nutria, frogs,
snakes, and best of all alligators.
After, we will travel through the largest nesting area of wading birds, found in the spring. We will see many of the birds
mentioned in the prior paragraph.
Next, we will travel through a grove of Cypress Trees that are 500 plus years old, draped with Spanish Moss. We will then stop and I will tell you the history
of Spanish Moss and how useful it was many years ago, and is still today.
We will also talk about how cypress trees were taken out of the swamps here in Louisiana back when there were no boats.
I will show you pieces of cypress drift wood, and Cypress roots (Cypress Knees).
Along the way, we could see alligator 3 to 16 ft long. I will also show you how we Cajuns harvest alligator eggs, and alligators
out of the swamps,bayous and marsh lands here in South Louisiana. I also have Gator tags if anyone is interested in hunting Gators with me.
Then we will pull into my Duck Blind where I will show you how we hunt ducks in the swamps and lakes here in South Louisiana. I also guide Duck hunts if anyone is interested.
You will see cajuns fishing for Sac-A-lait (Means Sack of Milk), crappie to other people in the world. Also Catfish, Bream, Largemouth Bass
an many other species of our favorite sport fish here in Louisiana. So, Please join me, anytime of the year, on a very pleasant trip
into the Swamps of Louisiana. Then you will know why it is called the Sportsman Paradise.
Thank You;
Bryan Champagne
Owner & Chief Guide
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