Caddo Lake Fishing
A 26,800-acre Louisiana lake in Caddo Parish, shared with Texas.
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The LDWF picture of Caddo Lake
In Caddo Parish, Caddo Lake offers 26,800 acres of lake water by the LDWF count. Louisiana claims around 100% of the outline, with Texas holding the balance. On average it runs about 4.8 feet deep, LDWF says. Fuel and ice are closest in Vivian, near 8 miles away.
There are 6 launches on file with LDWF; 2 are public. LDWF also maps 2 pier and bank sites for shore fishing. The pamphlet prints 8 water-body exceptions for it. Biologists work it out of District 1.
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 1; 9961 Hwy 80, Minden, LA 71055; 318-371-5216.
Fish LDWF biologists name for Caddo Lake
The popular species LDWF lists for Caddo Lake: Excellent for largemouth bass and crappie; good for channel and blue catfish, white bass, redear; fair for bluegill.
The LDWF playbook for Caddo Lake
Crappie: yo-yos with minnows in late-winter/early spring, around submerged stumps in main lake most of year, school in deep water near Mooringsport Bridge and in river portion of lake in Texas in winter; catfish: trotlines, school near bridge; largemout
Habitat notes for Caddo Lake
Cypress trees, lily pads, floating and matted vegetation
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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- Drift-In Landing on Caddo Lake1-lane concrete ramp, private, fee, Private; $5 to launch
- Earl G. Williamson Park on Caddo Lake2-lane concrete ramp, public
- Mooringsport Ramp on Caddo Lake2-lane concrete ramp, public
- Pelican Lodge launch on Caddo Lake1-lane concrete ramp, private, fee, Private; $5 to launch
- Shady Acres launch on Caddo Lake1-lane concrete ramp, private, fee, Private; pay to launch
- Shady Rest launch on Caddo Lake1-lane concrete ramp, private, fee, Private; $5 to launch
Bank sites LDWF maps on Caddo Lake
- Mooringsport Bridge (Caddo Lake) on Caddo Lakebank fishing, Boat launch, bank access to bridge area
- Earl Williamson Park (Caddo Lake) on Caddo Lakefishing pier, Pier, bank access, restrooms
From the LDWF access note: Pier at Earl Williamson Park; shoreline access at Caddo Lake Drawbridge at Mooringsport ramp and in tailrace area below dam at Horace M. Downs Park
If the Caddo Lake launch is crowded
- Soda Lake WMA on Twelvemile BayouTwelvemile Bayou, 8 miles southeast
- Robert L. Nance Park on Black Bayou LakeBlack Bayou Lake, 12 miles northeast
- Noah Tyson Park on Black Bayou LakeBlack Bayou Lake, 12 miles north
LDWF boat launch inventory (BoatRamps05152025) and LDWF Banks and Piers layer, retrieved October 28, 2026.
Lake stage LDWF anglers check at Caddo Lake
USACE Vicksburg District, Caddo Lake; reading for October 28, 2026, retrieved October 28, 2026. Provisional; source page.
Each level for Caddo Lake carries an agency and time stamp.
Creel and size limits for Caddo 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 |
Caddo Lake follows the statewide freshwater limits unless named below.
Special pamphlet rules on Caddo Lake
| Water as printed | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Caddo Lake | Black bass: Whole water | 14-18" protected SL for Largemouth Bass; no length restriction for Spotted Bass; 8 daily; no more than four Largemouth Bass over 18" total length |
| Caddo Lake, Poverty Point, and Sabine River | Crappie: Whole water | no size limit; 25 daily; 50 fish possession limit |
| Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir | White bass: Whole water | no size limit; 25 daily |
| Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir | Yellow bass: Whole water | no size limit; No limit |
| Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir | Blue and channel catfish: Whole water | Blue & Channel Catfish: None; 50 daily in the aggregate; no more than five over 30" total length |
| Caddo Lake, Sabine River and Toledo Bend Reservoir | Flathead catfish: Whole water | Flathead Catfish: 18" MLL; 10 daily |
| Black Lake, Clear Lake and Prairie Lake (Natchitoches Parish), Caddo Lake (Caddo Parish), Chicot Lake (Evangel | Whole water | Trotlines and yo-yos: Except for an object used strictly in the construction of a pier, boathouse, seawall, or dock, no object which is driven into the lake bottom, a stump, tree, or the shoreline shall be used to anchor a yo-yo or trigger device. |
| Caddo Lake and Lake Claiborne | Whole water | No gill nets or trammel nets. |
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 and Texas residents who hold resident licenses from their resident state or who are exempted from holding resident licenses in their state may fish the border waters between Texas and Louisiana without additional licenses.
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.
Weigh-ins held on Caddo Lake
Organizer dates, launch sites and printed winning weights for Caddo Lake share one page.
Parish lakes near Caddo Lake, side by side
Cross Lake has the most water in this group, 8,576 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Average depth | Launches | LDWF reefs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caddo Lake | 26,800 | 4.8 ft | 6 | 0 | |
| Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish) | 12 miles north | 3,960 | 4.6 ft | 2 | 0 |
| Cross Lake | 19 miles southeast | 8,576 | 7.7 ft | 4 | 1 |
| Black Bayou Reservoir | 20 miles east | 620 | 9.9 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Cypress Bayou Reservoir | 22 miles east | 3,100 | 8.3 ft | 3 | 0 |
| Ivan Lake | 31 miles east | 520 | 6.5 ft | 1 | 1 |
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans, launch inventory and reef layers; retrieved October 28, 2026.
More of Louisiana near Caddo Lake
Lakes worth a look after Caddo Lake
- Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish)12 miles north
- Cross Lake19 miles southeast
- Black Bayou Reservoir20 miles east
- Cypress Bayou Reservoir22 miles east
- Ivan Lake31 miles east
Louisiana bait stops around Caddo Lake
- Drift Inn Landingmarina, Mooringsport, 6 miles
- Northwood Bait & Tackle Cobait and tackle shop, Shreveport, 14 miles
- Gator Bait Incbait and tackle shop, Shreveport, 14 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Bossier Citysporting goods store, Bossier City, 23 miles
- Bass Pro Shops Bossier Citysporting goods store, Bossier City, 23 miles
- Bait Bucketbait and tackle shop, Benton, 24 miles
Where to stay for Caddo Lake
- Vivian8 miles
- Blanchard13 miles
- Benton17 miles
Parishes along Caddo Lake
- Caddo Parishseat: Shreveport
Bayou-tough Piscifun reels for a day on Caddo Lake
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A picture guide to fish at Caddo Lake
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: Prof. emerit. Dr. Hans Schneider ( Geyersberg ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Before the drive to Caddo Lake, the common questions
What parish line does Caddo Lake sit on?
It lies in Caddo Parish, about 8 miles from Vivian.
How much water does Caddo Lake spread across its parish?
About 26,800 acres, with about 100% of the outline in Louisiana.
Which launch should I use at Caddo Lake?
Use Earl G. Williamson Park on Caddo Lake, one of 6 launches.
Which species can I catch at Caddo Lake?
LDWF points to largemouth bass, white crappie, blue catfish, white bass, redear sunfish, bluegill and channel catfish.
What creel does LDWF allow on Caddo Lake?
Black bass (largemouth and spotted): 10 daily; Open year-round. An exception in the 2026 pamphlet overrides part of that.
Do I need a Louisiana license to fish Caddo Lake?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents. Louisiana and Texas residents who hold resident licenses from their resident state or who are exempted from holding resident licenses in their state may fish the border waters between Texas and Louisiana without additional licenses.
How deep does Caddo Lake run on average?
About 4.8 feet on average, per LDWF; no maximum is printed.
Is there a bait stand on the way to Caddo Lake?
Drift Inn Landing, about 6 miles away, is the first bait counter on our Louisiana list.
Where can I check the pool at Caddo Lake?
Above: the dated reading from USACE Vicksburg District.
Put Caddo Lake on the Sportsman's Paradise list
License prices and the statewide creel limits sit on one page.