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For the catfish herePiscifun Chaos XS round baitcaster36% OFFSale $57.99 $89.99
Calcasieu River 57 mi
Photo: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Red River 7.6 mi
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 
Kisatchie Bayou 27 mi
Photo: US Forest Service – Southern Region, Public domain 
Cane River Lake 35 mi
Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Louisiana lakes and reservoirs
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Cotile Lake Fishing
A 1,775-acre Louisiana lake in Rapides Parish.
Pick for catfishPiscifun LumiCat II catfish rod48% OFFSale $114.99 Photo of Calcasieu River: Patrick Feller, CC BY 2.0
Rapides Parish
Cotile Lake at a glance for Louisiana anglers
Cotile Lake spans 1,775 acres of lake water in Rapides Parish, by the LDWF figure. Its average depth is about 10 feet, per LDWF. A run of about 15 miles reaches Colfax, the closest town.
The LDWF launch inventory lists 2 launches, 2 of them public. There are 1 pier or bank site as well. Questions go to LDWF District 3.
1,775acres (LDWF)
10 ftaverage depth
2launches
1piers and bank sites
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 3; 1995 Shreveport Hwy, Pineville, LA 71360; 318-487-5881.
Species
Bass, sac-a-lait and catfish on Cotile Lake
Popular species on the LDWF record for Cotile Lake: Bass, crappie, catfish.
Seasonal patterns LDWF gives for Cotile Lake
Bass: in spring in coves off main lake; crappie: in winter under lights in deep water
Stumps, grass and timber in Cotile Lake
Submerged aquatic vegetation, dead timber/stumps
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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Backing a trailer down at Cotile Lake
- Cotile Rec. Areaboat launch public, fee, Public – fee
- Cotile South Ramp1-lane concrete ramp, public, no fee, Public; free to launch
Fishing Cotile Lake on foot
- Cotile Recreation Areafishing pier, Pier, bank access, restrooms
Bank access, in the LDWF words: Pier, shoreline access at Cotile Lake Recreation Area
More LDWF launches a short tow from Cotile Lake
- Red Store Landing on Rodemacher LakeRodemacher Lake, 5 miles north
- Sharps Landing on Rodemacher LakeRodemacher Lake, 6 miles north
- Boyce Boat Launch on Red RiverRed River, 8 miles northeast
- Tunk's Landing on Kincaid LakeKincaid Lake, 8 miles east
- U.S. Forest Service West Ramp on Kincaid LakeKincaid Lake, 8 miles southeast
- U.S. Forest Service East Ramp on Kincaid LakeKincaid Lake, 9 miles east
LDWF boat launch inventory (BoatRamps05152025) and LDWF Banks and Piers layer, retrieved October 28, 2026.
Stocking
The LDWF stocking file for Cotile Lake
Releases LDWF lists for Cotile Lake:
- Florida BassFlorida Bass, 26,200 fingerlings, 2025 (Stocked January-June 2025.)
- Florida BassFlorida Bass, 24,800 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
Louisiana freshwater limits on Cotile 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 |
The statewide rows are the default on Cotile Lake, with any listed exception on top.
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.
Compare
Comparing Cotile Lake with nearby Louisiana lakes
The biggest lake in the table is Iatt Lake with 7,100 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Average depth | Launches | LDWF reefs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotile Lake | 1,775 | 10 ft | 2 | 0 | |
| Rodemacher Lake | 5 miles north | 3,070 | 9 ft | 2 | 0 |
| Kincaid Lake | 7 miles southeast | 1,915 | 9 ft | 3 | 10 |
| Buhlow Lake | 18 miles east | 265 | 9 ft | 2 | 0 |
| Iatt Lake | 21 miles north | 7,100 | 4.5 ft | 4 | 0 |
| Nantachie Lake | 22 miles north | 1,580 | 7 ft | 4 | 0 |
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans, launch inventory and reef layers; retrieved October 28, 2026.
Nearby
The parish country around Cotile Lake
Louisiana lakes a short drive from Cotile Lake
- Rodemacher Lake5 miles north
- Kincaid Lake7 miles southeast
- Buhlow Lake18 miles east
- Iatt Lake21 miles north
- Nantachie Lake22 miles north
Louisiana tackle counters close to Cotile Lake
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Alexandriasporting goods store, Alexandria, 18 miles
- Cooper's Wholesale Baitbait and tackle shop, Ball, 20 miles
- Holloway Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Pineville
Louisiana guides and captains for Cotile Lake
- Fisher Fishing and More Lcharter, Deville, (318) 704-5794
Places to sleep near Cotile Lake
- Colfax15 miles
- Woodworth17 miles
- Alexandria17 miles
Parish guides covering Cotile Lake
- Rapides Parishseat: Alexandria
Piscifun
A Piscifun outfit to take down to Cotile Lake
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photos
Pictures of fishing water by Cotile Lake
Photo: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: US Forest Service – Southern Region, Public domain
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers
Questions people ask LDWF about Cotile Lake, answered here
How do I spot Cotile Lake on a parish map?
Look in Rapides Parish, about 15 miles from Colfax.
How big is Cotile Lake by the LDWF figure?
1,775 acres by the LDWF size field.
Is there a public launch on Cotile Lake?
2 launches in the LDWF inventory; try Cotile Rec. Area.
What does LDWF say anglers catch at Cotile Lake?
largemouth bass, white crappie and channel catfish, by LDWF and the records.
Which pamphlet rules reach Cotile Lake?
Black bass (largemouth and spotted): 10 daily; Open year-round.
Which LDWF license do I carry on Cotile Lake?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
Is Cotile Lake a shallow lake?
Average about 10 feet; LDWF prints no deepest point.
Which tackle counter on our Louisiana list sits nearest Cotile Lake?
Academy Sports + Outdoors Alexandria is the nearest tackle stop we list, about 18 miles away.
What has LDWF stocked in Cotile Lake?
Hatchery rows include Florida Bass, 26,200 fingerlings, 2025.
Take the back roads to Cotile Lake
Every Louisiana fee and creel limit is one click away.