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Bigmouth Buffalo
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain 
Black Buffalo
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain 
Smallmouth Buffalo
Photo: moxostoma, CC BY 4.0 
Freshwater Drum
Photo: Prof. emerit. Dr. Hans Schneider ( Geyersberg ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Louisiana lakes and reservoirs
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Bussey Brake Lake Fishing
A 2,200-acre Louisiana brake in Morehouse Parish.
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Morehouse Parish
First facts on Bussey Brake Lake from LDWF
By the LDWF size figure, Bussey Brake Lake spreads across 2,200 acres of Morehouse Parish. Average depth: near 11 feet in the LDWF text. Bastrop lies some 6 miles from the outline point. Anglers get in through Bussey Brake WMA.
LDWF tallies 1 launch, with 1 listed as public. Foot traffic gets 3 pier and bank sites. 1 reef sites of brush, pallets or concrete sit on its bottom. LDWF names it in 6 water-body exceptions. LDWF handles it from District 2.
2,200acres (LDWF)
11 ftaverage depth
1launches
1LDWF reefs
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans layer (Size, average depth, popular species, cover, access and tips text), Census 2023 places, retrieved October 28, 2026. LDWF office: District 2; 368 Century Tel Dr, Monroe, LA 71203; 318-343-4044.
Species
The LDWF popular-species line for Bussey Brake Lake
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans text (popular species, fishing tips, cover; not a full species census), LOWA records and LDWF stocking; retrieved October 28, 2026.
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Sunken brush and pallet reefs at Bussey Brake Lake
Below: 1 reef sites LDWF placed at Bussey Brake Lake, with what each was built from.
| Reef | Deployed | Depth | Material | Target fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NW Borrow Pit | 1/7/2026 | 14 ft. | 1 dozen Christmas trees | Crappie, Bass |
LDWF Freshwater Artificial Reefs layer (deployment, depth, material and target species as published), retrieved October 28, 2026.
Access
LDWF-listed launches on Bussey Brake Lake
- Bussey Brake Ramp3-lane concrete ramp, public
Pier fishing at Bussey Brake Lake
- Bussey Brakefishing pier, ADA approved pier; lighting, restrooms
- Elvira Pier on Bussey Brake Lakefishing pier, Restrooms
- South Pier on Bussey Brake Lakefishing pier
Nearby launches when Bussey Brake Lake is busy
- Ben Lilly launch on Bayou BartholomewBayou Bartholomew, 5 miles northeast
- Finch BayouFinch Lake, 9 miles west
- Ouachita River Levee on Bayou BartholomewBayou Bartholomew, 12 miles southwest
- Barrett's launch on Bartholomew LakeBartholomew Lake, 12 miles southwest
- Hwy 2 Ramp on Bonne Idee BayouBonne Idee Bayou, 14 miles southeast
- Hwy 136 launch on Bartholomew, Desiard and Black Bayou ComplexBartholomew, Desiard and Black Bayou Complex, 14 miles southwest
LDWF boat launch inventory (BoatRamps05152025) and LDWF Banks and Piers layer, retrieved October 28, 2026.
Stocking
What hatcheries stocked in Bussey Brake Lake
LDWF hatcheries report these releases into Bussey Brake Lake.
- Florida BassFlorida Bass, 40,100 fingerlings, 2025 (Stocked January-June 2025.)
- Black CrappieBlack Crappie, 4,200 fingerlings, 2024 (Stocked January-June 2024.)
- Florida BassFlorida Bass, 49,100 fingerlings, 2024 (Stocked January-June 2024.)
- White CrappieWhite Crappie, 132 fingerlings, 2024 (Stocked January-June 2024.)
LDWF hatchery stocking releases (spring 2024 and 2025 per-water tables, single stockings to 2026); LDWF publishes no per-row dates; retrieved October 28, 2026.
Limits
What may go in the ice chest at Bussey Brake Lake
| 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 |
| Sturgeon | No legal harvest or possession | Closed (no legal harvest or possession) |
| Other freshwater fish (all species of bream and garfish) | No daily limit | Open year-round |
| Crawfish | 150 pounds daily | Open year-round |
| Rainbow trout (Get Out & Fish! community ponds) | five fish per person (daily limit) | Stocked mid-January to early February, pending a decrease in water temperatures |
Begin with the statewide freshwater table for Bussey Brake Lake; pamphlet exceptions take priority.
Where the pamphlet singles out Bussey Brake Lake
| Water as printed | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bussey Brake | Black bass: Whole water | 18" maximum total length limit, EXCEPT one fish over 22" may temporarily retained in an aerated livewell prior to weighing. The bass must be immediately released into Bussey Brake Reservoir following weighing, and all anglers in the boat (if caught from boat) |
| Bussey Brake | Crappie: Whole water | 10" MLL; 25 daily |
| Bussey Brake | Sunfish (bream): Whole water | 50 daily, in the aggregate |
| Poverty Point Lake and Bussey Brake Reservoir | Whole water | No trotlines or yo-yos. |
| Bussey Brake, Bundick Lake, Nantachie Lake and Ivan Lake | Whole water | No nets allowed. |
| Poverty Point Lake and Bussey Brake Reservoir | Whole water | No slat traps. |
Rules as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), pages 18 to 21 (pamphlet PDF); second read on the LDWF freshwater page October 28, 2026.
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 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 freshwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Records
LOWA records caught in Bussey Brake Lake
| Species | Division | Weight | Angler | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUFFALO, BIGMOUTH | Rod & Reel | 70.31 lb | Delbert Sisk | April 1980 |
| CARP, COMMON | Rod & Reel | 35.0 lb | James D. Rodgers, Jr. | April 1981 |
| BUFFALO, BLACK | Rod & Reel | 22.30 lb | Layne Smalley | December 2023 |
Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association state fish records (rank 1 entries; LDWF keeps no record list), retrieved October 28, 2026. All Louisiana records.
Compare
Bussey Brake Lake and five nearby lakes
Anglers wanting a bigger lake can run to Bonne Idee Bayou, 1,900 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Average depth | Launches | LDWF reefs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bussey Brake Lake | 2,200 | 11 ft | 1 | 1 | |
| Finch Lake | 9 miles west | 586 | 1 | 0 | |
| Bonne Idee Bayou | 14 miles southeast | 1,900 | 6.5 ft | 5 | 0 |
| Horseshoe Lake (Mer Rouge) | 17 miles southeast | 133 | 4.5 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Bartholomew, Desiard and Black Bayou Complex | 18 miles south | 800 | 14 ft | 4 | 0 |
| Black Bayou Lake (Ouachita Parish) | 20 miles south | 800 | 1 | 0 |
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans, launch inventory and reef layers; retrieved October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Shops, towns and water by Bussey Brake Lake
Neighbouring lakes to Bussey Brake Lake
- Finch Lake9 miles west
- Bonne Idee Bayou14 miles southeast
- Horseshoe Lake (Mer Rouge)17 miles southeast
- Bartholomew, Desiard and Black Bayou Complex18 miles south
- Black Bayou Lake (Ouachita Parish)20 miles south
Bait and ice near Bussey Brake Lake
- Toledo Tackle, 7913 Desiard Stbait and tackle shop, Monroe, 24 miles
Louisiana overnight bases for Bussey Brake Lake
- Bastrop6 miles
- Sterlington14 miles
- Swartz20 miles
Parish pages that list Bussey Brake Lake
- Morehouse Parishseat: Bastrop
Piscifun
Reels and line from Piscifun ahead of Bussey Brake Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Fish photos
Fish to recognise before a trip to Bussey Brake Lake
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
_juvenile_(52573391196).jpg){kind=link}
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Photo: moxostoma, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Prof. emerit. Dr. Hans Schneider ( Geyersberg ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers
What first-timers on Bussey Brake Lake want to know
Where in Louisiana is Bussey Brake Lake?
The outline sits in Morehouse Parish, about 6 miles from Bastrop.
How many acres does LDWF credit to Bussey Brake Lake?
Roughly 2,200 acres.
Where is the closest launch to Bussey Brake Lake?
Yes: LDWF lists 1 launch, Bussey Brake Ramp among them.
Which gamefish does LDWF credit to Bussey Brake Lake?
LDWF names bigmouth buffalo, black buffalo, common carp, largemouth bass, black crappie and white crappie.
Is there a size limit at Bussey Brake Lake?
Black bass (largemouth and spotted): 10 daily; Open year-round. Its own pamphlet rules sit in the limits band.
Can a visitor from Texas fish Bussey Brake Lake?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
What is the average depth of Bussey Brake Lake?
LDWF lists roughly 11 feet as the average.
Where can I pick up shiners near Bussey Brake Lake?
Closest on our Louisiana list: Toledo Tackle, about 24 miles away.
Has LDWF added fish cover to Bussey Brake Lake?
Yes: 1 site on the LDWF freshwater reef layer.
Is Bussey Brake Lake in the LOWA record book?
BUFFALO, BIGMOUTH, 70.31 lb, by Delbert Sisk (April 1980).
Were Florida bass put in Bussey Brake Lake?
The stocking band shows Florida Bass, 40,100 fingerlings, 2025.
Spend a Louisiana weekend on Bussey Brake Lake
Buy the Louisiana license online before you go.