Fishing in Louisiana
Pine-country reservoirs, cypress swamps, bayous and Gulf marsh, with LDWF limits for every water.
Search a town, county, lake or bait shop
- 96lakes
- 32coast pages
- 704launch pages
Pick for redfishPiscifun Alloy S inshore spinning reelCheck price at PiscifunPhoto of Caddo Lake: Shiva Shenoy, CC BY 2.0
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Louisiana lakes, bayous, marsh and Gulf water
Louisiana fishing runs from the pine-country reservoirs of the north, such as Toledo Bend, Caddo and D’Arbonne, through the cypress swamps of the Atchafalaya Basin to a coast of marsh, bays and passes where redfish and speckled trout feed year round. Oxbow lakes along the Mississippi and Red rivers hold bass, sac-a-lait and catfish, and out past the barrier islands platforms and reefs hold snapper, cobia and tuna.
This guide holds 96 lake pages, 148 river and bayou pages, 32 coast pages, 704 boat launch pages, 223 bait shops and marinas, all 64 parishes and 222 towns, each with the 2026 LDWF limits for its water.
For the redfish herePiscifun NautiX saltwater spinning reel14% OFFSale $94.99 Louisiana's biggest lakes, each with a page
Atchafalaya Basin
833,000 acres, St. Martin Parish and 9 other parishes
Lake pageToledo Bend Reservoir
181,600 acres, Sabine and De Soto parishes
Lake pageGrand Lake
44,000 acres, Cameron Parish
Lake pageCaddo Lake
26,800 acres, Caddo Parish
Lake pageLake Bistineau
17,200 acres, Webster Parish and 2 other parishes
Lake pageFausse Point, Dauterive and Catahoula Complex
17,000 acres, Iberia Parish and 2 other parishes
Lake pageCatahoula Lake
16,527 acres, LaSalle and Rapides parishes
Lake pageD'Arbonne Lake
15,000 acres, Union and Lincoln parishes
Lake pageLouisiana bays, sounds and passes
Atchafalaya Bay
bay, St. Mary Parish
Coast pageBarataria Bay
bay, Plaquemines Parish
Coast pageBreton Sound
sound, Plaquemines Parish
Coast pageCalcasieu Lake
lake/estuary, Cameron Parish
Coast pageCalcasieu Pass
pass, Cameron Parish
Coast pageChef Menteur Pass
pass, Orleans Parish
Coast pageLake Borgne
lake/estuary, St. Bernard Parish
Coast pageLake Maurepas
lake/estuary, Livingston Parish
Coast pageLouisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers with pages
- Calcasieu RiverVernon Parish
- Ouachita RiverCaldwell Parish
- Tchefuncte RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Little RiverLaSalle Parish
- Amite RiverLivingston Parish
- Bayou DorcheatWebster Parish
- Tickfaw RiverSt. Helena Parish
- West Pearl RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Bayou D'ArbonneClaiborne Parish
- Blind RiverSt. James Parish
- Comite RiverEast Feliciana Parish
- Liberty BayouSt. Tammany Parish
- Tangipahoa RiverTangipahoa Parish
- Bayou BartholomewMorehouse Parish
- Bogue ChittoWashington Parish
- Bayou Cocodrie (Concordia Parish)Concordia Parish
Louisiana statewide freshwater limits at a glance, 2026
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (largemouth and spotted) | 10 daily | Open year-round |
| Striped or hybrid striped bass (or any combination thereof) | 5 daily; no more than two over 30" total length | Open year-round |
| White bass | 50 daily | Open year-round |
| Yellow bass | 50 daily | Open year-round |
| Sunfish (bream) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Crappie (black and white) | 50 daily; 100 fish possession limit | Open year-round |
| Bowfin (choupique) | No daily limit; 16" MLL | Open year-round |
| Buffalo fish (or their hybrids) | 25 daily; 16" MLL | Open year-round |
| Catfish (blue, channel and flathead) | 100 daily in the aggregate. An angler may possess up to 25 undersized catfish of the three species combined.; Blue Catfish: 12" MLL; Channel Catfish: 11" MLL; Flathead Catfish: 14" MLL | Open year-round |
| Freshwater drum (gaspergou) | 25 daily; 12" MLL | Open year-round |
| Paddlefish | 2 daily (fish cannot be retained alive & cannot be harvested by snagging methods); 30" max lower jaw fork length | Open year-round |
| Shad | 50 pounds daily | Open year-round |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 16 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF freshwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana inshore saltwater limits at a glance
| Species | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Cobia (ling or lemonfish) | 1 daily per person; no more than 2 per vessel; 36" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Black drum | 5 daily per person – bag and possession; no more than one over 27" max total length; 16" min total length; 27" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Red drum (redfish) | 4 daily per person – bag; none over 27" max total length; 18" min total length; 27" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Southern flounder | 10 daily per person | Open year-round except no possession allowed from Oct. 15 – Nov. 30 |
| Spanish mackerel | 15 daily per person; 12" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Striped mullet | 100 lbs. daily | Open year-round in state waters |
| Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) | 15 daily per person with no more than 2 over 20" max total length; 13" min total length; 20" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Sheepshead | No daily limit | Open year-round in state waters |
| Tripletail | 5 daily per person; 18" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 28 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana fishing dates to know
- Red snapper (private recreational and state charter): Season opens, seven days a week, 4 fish, 16" TLMay 1, 2026
- Red snapper (private recreational and state charter): Bag limit 5 fish per person per day (Memorial Day weekend)May 22, 2026
- Gag grouper: State season open 12:01 a.m. Sept. 1 to 11:59 p.m. Sept. 30, 2026 (Declaration of Emergency)September 1, 2026
- Greater amberjack (recreational): Closed 12:01 a.m. Oct. 14, 2026 until the 2027 season, currently September 1, 2027October 14, 2026
- Southern flounder: Closed to commercial and recreational harvestOctober 15, 2026
- Free Fishing Weekend: June 6, 2026 and June 7, 2026; 2027 dates not yet announced.no license needed
The heaviest Louisiana record fish, fresh and salt
Freshwater
- Alligator Gar, 179.00 lbRed River, 1997
- Blue Catfish, 114.00 lbMississippi River, 2014
- Flathead Catfish, 95.0 lbWax Lake, 2007
- Bigmouth Buffalo, 70.31 lbBussy Brake, 1980
Saltwater
- Bluefin Tuna, 1,152.0 lb30 m S of South Pass`, 2003
- Mako Shark, 1,149.50 lb70m S. of Fourchon, La., 2009
- Blue Marlin, 1018.50 lb, 1977
- Warsaw Grouper, 383.13 lbGarden Banks, 2017
Charters, bait shops and gear for a Louisiana trip
- Guides and charters82 listings, most in Barataria, Buras and New Orleans
- Bait shops223 shops and marinas
- Popping corks on Amazonfor redfish and speckled trout in the marsh
- Crappie jigs on Amazonfor sac-a-lait in the cypress
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Louisiana fishing pages by water and place
- Lakes96 lakes
- Rivers and bayous148 streams
- Coast32 coastal waters
- Parishesall 64
- Towns222 cities and towns
- Species74 fish
- Tournamentstrail schedules and winners
- Water levelsUSGS gauges, Corps pools, NOAA tides
Louisiana rules, records and directories
- Every Louisiana water, A to Zlakes, coast, bayous, parishes, towns and fish on one list
- Louisiana licenses and limitsfees, who is exempt, the freshwater table
- Saltwater rulesinshore, reef fish, pelagics and sharks
- Water-body exceptionslakes and basins with their own limits
- Texas border watersToledo Bend, Caddo and the Sabine
- Free Fishing Weekendthe June weekend with no license needed
- LOWA state recordsrod and reel and fly records, fresh and salt
- LDWF stockingFlorida bass and the other hatchery releases
- Water levelsUSGS gauges, Corps pools and NOAA tide stations
- The Louisiana coastbays, sounds, passes and the delta
- Artificial reefsinshore, nearshore and offshore reef sites
- Natural and Scenic Riversprotected stream segments
- Get Out & Fish! pondscommunity ponds with winter trout and fall catfish
- Boat launchesLDWF-listed launches by parish
- Piers and bank fishingLDWF piers and bank sites
- Bait shopstackle stores and marinas in five map groups
- Guides and charterscaptains and guides by parish
- Tournamentstrail schedules and results
- Protected fishsturgeon, sawfish and the other no-take species
Fish photographs for Fishing in Louisiana
Photo: Dominic, CC BY 4.0
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Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain
Photo: qfc79, CC BY 4.0
Photo: USFWS Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Public domain
Photo: Jorge Alarcon or Dr. Daniel Benetti, Public domain
Photo: Attackgirl (talk) (Uploads), Public domain
Photo: Steve Hillebrand, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Sportsman's Paradise fishing basics, asked and answered
What license does an adult need to fish in Louisiana?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents. Fishing for saltwater species south of the saltwater line adds a Saltwater License.
Which Louisiana lake here covers the most acres?
Atchafalaya Basin, listed at 833,000 acres.
What is the Louisiana redfish limit?
4 daily per person – bag; none over 27" max total length; 18" min total length; 27" max total length.
When is Louisiana Free Fishing Weekend?
June 6, 2026 and June 7, 2026 in 2026, for residents and visitors; 2027 dates are not yet announced.
Who sets Louisiana fishing rules?
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission sets them and LDWF publishes them in the yearly recreational fishing pamphlet.
Can I fish Toledo Bend with a Texas license?
Texas residents with a Texas resident license may fish the Louisiana and Texas border waters, Toledo Bend included, without a Louisiana license.
Who keeps Louisiana fish records?
The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association; LDWF biologists verify the species.
Where are Louisiana tournaments listed?
The Louisiana tournaments page lists trail dates and posted winners.