Timbalier Bay Fishing
A bay of the Louisiana coast in Lafourche Parish, inside the LDWF saltwater line.
Pick for redfishPiscifun Alloy S inshore spinning reelCheck price at PiscifunPhoto: NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0
What the gazetteer and LDWF record about Timbalier Bay
Timbalier Bay, a bay, sits in Lafourche Parish on the USGS names map. It falls on the salt side of the LDWF line, where saltwater rules apply. The closest Census place is Golden Meadow, roughly 16 miles away.
Boaters reach it from 3 launches. LDWF maps 2 pier and bank sites for fishing from land. Offshore and inshore crews have built 8 reef sites within 25 miles. There are 2 water-level stations in range. The gazetteer maps 9 named passes close by.
USGS Geographic Names Information System (feature class and point), LDWF saltwater line, LDWF launch and Banks and Piers layers; retrieved October 28, 2026.
Where boats go in for Timbalier Bay
- Melancon's Launch on Timbalier Bay4-lane concrete ramp, public
- Port Fourchon Marina on Timbalier Bay3-lane concrete ramp, public
- Moran's Marina on Timbalier Bayboat launch private
Marinas serving Timbalier Bay
- Moran's Marina on Timbalier BayMarina, charters, fuel, tackle, lodging, dining, 985-396-2727
Nearby launches when Timbalier Bay is busy
- Leeville Public Launch on Bayou LafourcheBayou Lafourche, 10 miles northeast
- Boudreaux's Waterfront Motel launch on Lake RaccourciLake Raccourci, 10 miles northeast
- Topwater Marina on Bayou LafourcheBayou Lafourche, 11 miles northeast
- Oakridge Public Launch on Lake RaccourciLake Raccourci, 16 miles north
- Isle de Jean Charles Marina on Lake TambourLake Tambour, 18 miles northwest
- Pointe Aux Chenes Marina on Lake TambourLake Tambour, 19 miles north
LDWF boat launch inventory (saltwater, brackish and freshwater launches), retrieved October 28, 2026.
Fishing Timbalier Bay on foot
- Melancon's Public Boat Launch on Timbalier Baybank fishing, salt or brackish, Bank access, handicap accessible, boat launch, restrooms, Year-round
- Port Fourchon Bridge on Timbalier Baybank fishing, salt or brackish, Bank access, Year-round
Shore fishing a short drive from Timbalier Bay
- Leeville Boat Launch on Lake Raccourcibank fishing, salt or brackish, 10 miles
- LA Hwy 1 on Barataria Passbank fishing, salt or brackish, 16 miles
- Elmer's Island on Barataria Passbank fishing, salt or brackish, 17 miles
- Caminada Pass West Pier on Barataria Passfishing pier, salt or brackish, 18 miles
- Caminada Pass East Pier on Barataria Passfishing pier, salt or brackish, 19 miles
LDWF Banks and Piers layer, retrieved October 28, 2026.
Where LDWF built reefs by Timbalier Bay
Near Timbalier Bay: 8 reef program sites, 6 inshore.
| Reef | Program | Depth | Size | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelican Island Reef | inshore | under a mile south | ||
| Bay Marchand 3 Reef | nearshore | 42-ft | 10 acres | 13 miles southeast |
| Point Mast Reef | inshore | 9-ft | 50 acres | 18 miles west |
| Bully Camp 1 Reef | inshore | 4 acres | 21 miles north | |
| Bully Camp 2 Reef | inshore | 4 acres | 21 miles north | |
| South Timbalier 51 Reef | nearshore | 21 miles southwest | ||
| Bird Island Reef | inshore | 9-ft | 69 acres | 24 miles west |
| Bodwin's Point Reef | inshore | 24 miles west |
LDWF Artificial Reef Program saltwater reef layer and site PDFs (depth and acres as printed), retrieved October 28, 2026.
Tide and water level at Timbalier Bay
NOAA CO-OPS water level, preliminary reading at retrieval (October 28, 2026); station page for live data.
- Pelican Islands, Timbalier Baytide predictions, 5 miles
- East Timbalier Island, Timbalier Baytide predictions, 7 miles
- Port Fourchontide predictions, 10 miles
- Leeville, Bayou LaFourchetide predictions, 10 miles
On Timbalier Bay a north wind can drain the flats; watch the gauge, not just the tide table.
NOAA CO-OPS water level and tide prediction stations within 25 and 15 miles, retrieved October 28, 2026.
Where current runs near Timbalier Bay
- Belle Pass9 miles southeast
- Caillou Pass10 miles southwest
- Chinois Pass9 miles north
- Little Pass Timbalier8 miles south
- Pass a Jean10 miles north
- Pass Barre11 miles west
- Pass Fourchon11 miles southeast
- Pelican Pass3 miles northeast
- Wrong Name Pass4 miles east
USGS GNIS passes and guts within 12 miles; retrieved October 28, 2026.
Harbour towns near Timbalier Bay
- Port FourchonLafourche Parish, 10 miles
- CocodrieTerrebonne Parish, 20 miles
USGS GNIS coastal towns and fishing ports within 20 miles; retrieved October 28, 2026.
Legal keepers on Timbalier Bay
| 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 |
| 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 |
The table puts the inshore rules for Timbalier Bay on top and freshwater rows below.
South of the LDWF saltwater line an angler 18 or older carries a Basic Fishing License plus a Saltwater License: $17 and $15 for residents, $68 and $60 for nonresidents.
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 19 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
For the redfish herePiscifun NautiX saltwater spinning reel14% OFFSale $94.99 Neighbouring bays measured against Timbalier Bay
For more launch choices, Lake Tambour offers 11 in the LDWF inventory.
| Water | Distance | Type | Launches | Piers and banks | Reefs within 25 mi | NOAA stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timbalier Bay | bay | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | |
| Lake Raccourci | 5 miles north | bay | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| Lake Felicity | 10 miles northwest | bay | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Lake Barre | 12 miles northwest | coastal lake | 4 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Terrebonne Bay | 13 miles west | bay | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 |
| Lake Tambour | 15 miles northwest | coastal lake | 11 | 5 | 6 | 1 |
LDWF launch, Banks and Piers and reef layers, NOAA CO-OPS stations, USGS GNIS; retrieved October 28, 2026.
The country behind Timbalier Bay
Neighbouring lakes to Timbalier Bay
- Lake Fields and Lake Long Complex36 miles
- Lake Salvador39 miles
- Dufrene Ponds45 miles
- Lake Cataouatche47 miles
Bayous and rivers feeding toward Timbalier Bay
- Bayou Terrebonne24 miles
- Bayou Des Amoreux29 miles
Bait and ice near Timbalier Bay
- Gail's Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Golden Meadow, 10 miles
- South Lafourche Tackle & Hunting Suppliesbait and tackle shop, Cut Off, 23 miles
- Montegut Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Montegut, 25 miles
- Captain Allens Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Houma, 30 miles
- Greater Lafourche Port Commmarina, Golden Meadow
- Griffin's Marina & Icemarina, Golden Meadow
Booked trips to Timbalier Bay
- Fishtales Guide Servicecharter, Lockport, (985) 696-1801
- Hawk Eye Fishing Charterscharter, Cut Off, (985) 232-3449
- Spots & Specks Charterscharter, Galliano, (985) 637-3177
- Tuna Time Charterscharter, Lockport, (985) 665-3769
- Midnight Blue Bowfishingfishing guide, Golden Meadow, (985) 677-9407
Louisiana overnight bases for Timbalier Bay
- Golden Meadow16 miles
- Grand Isle20 miles
- Galliano20 miles
- Cut Off25 miles
Parish pages that list Timbalier Bay
- Lafourche Parishseat: Thibodaux
Reels and line from Piscifun ahead of Timbalier Bay
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Fish to recognise before a trip to Timbalier Bay
Photo: タウナギ, CC0 1.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Cláudio Dias Timm, CC BY-SA 2.0
What first-timers on Timbalier Bay want to know
Which parish holds Timbalier Bay?
The gazetteer point is in Lafourche Parish, about 16 miles from Golden Meadow.
Do I need a saltwater license for Timbalier Bay?
South of the LDWF saltwater line an angler 18 or older carries a Basic Fishing License plus a Saltwater License: $17 and $15 for residents, $68 and $60 for nonresidents.
Where do bay boats put in for Timbalier Bay?
LDWF lists 3 launches, Melancon's Launch on Timbalier Bay among them.
Which creel limits cover Timbalier Bay?
Cobia (ling or lemonfish): 1 daily per person; no more than 2 per vessel; 36" min fork length; Open year-round in state waters.
How many reefs lie near Timbalier Bay?
Pelican Island Reef is nearest of 8 sites.
How high is the water on Timbalier Bay?
Use Port Fourchon, Belle Pass, shown in the tide band.
Does LDWF map a pier on Timbalier Bay?
2 pier and bank sites on the LDWF list; Melancon's Public Boat Launch on Timbalier Bay is one of them.
Where can I pick up shiners near Timbalier Bay?
Closest on our Louisiana list: Gail's Bait Shop, about 10 miles away.
Which cuts are near Timbalier Bay?
Within 12 miles: Belle Pass, Caillou Pass, Chinois Pass, Little Pass Timbalier and Pass a Jean.
Put Timbalier Bay on the inshore list
Check the wind and tide, then pick the launch nearest your target.