Ivan Lake Fishing
A 520-acre Louisiana lake in Bossier Parish.
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The LDWF picture of Ivan Lake
In Bossier Parish, Ivan Lake offers 520 acres of lake water by the LDWF count. On average it runs about 6.5 feet deep, LDWF says. Fuel and ice are closest in Springhill, near 12 miles away. Its water sits within Bodcau WMA.
There are 1 launch on file with LDWF; 1 are public. LDWF also maps 1 pier or bank site for shore fishing. Crews sank 1 artificial reefs here. The pamphlet prints 2 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 Ivan Lake
The popular species LDWF lists for Ivan Lake: Good for largemouth bass, black crappie, redear, bluegill.
The LDWF playbook for Ivan Lake
Bream: live bait, bed around sandy areas along shore; crappie: live bait, jigs under a cork, pole fishing around deeper cover or along shoreline weeds, two large artificial reefs marked with buoys near dam; bass: along weed lines with topwaters and soft
Habitat notes for Ivan Lake
Stumps and submerged timber scattered throughout Phillips and Caney arms of reservoir; artificial reefs marked with buoys near dam
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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Ivan Lake holds 1 LDWF freshwater reefs, mapped and tabled here.
| Reef | Deployed | Depth | Material | Target fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan Lake #1 | Fall 2011 | 12-16 ft | Polyethylene pallets | Crappie |
LDWF Freshwater Artificial Reefs layer (deployment, depth, material and target species as published), retrieved October 28, 2026.
Launch choices on Ivan Lake
- Ivan Lake Boat Ramp1-lane boat launch, public
Bank sites LDWF maps on Ivan Lake
- Ivan Lakefishing pier, 5 piers, cleared bank areas, restrooms
From the LDWF access note: Five fishing piers (one handicap accessible), shoreline access within Bodcau WMA
If the Ivan Lake launch is crowded
- Hwy 160 launch on Bodcau CreekBodcau Creek, 3 miles southeast
- Corner of the Old Field launch on Bodcau CreekBodcau Creek, 4 miles southeast
- Wenk's Landing on Bodcau CreekBodcau Creek, 4 miles northeast
- Hwy 2 launch on Bodcau CreekBodcau Creek, 5 miles north
- Pardee Calloway launch on Bodcau CreekBodcau Creek, 5 miles southeast
- Duck Dam launch on Bodcau CreekBodcau Creek, 7 miles south
LDWF boat launch inventory (BoatRamps05152025) and LDWF Banks and Piers layer, retrieved October 28, 2026.
LDWF hatchery releases into Ivan Lake
Ivan Lake received these LDWF releases:
- Florida BassFlorida Bass, 10,000 fingerlings, 2025 (Stocked January-June 2025.)
- Florida BassFlorida Bass, 6,000 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.
Creel and size limits for Ivan 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 |
Ivan Lake follows the statewide freshwater limits unless named below.
Special pamphlet rules on Ivan Lake
| Water as printed | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bussey Brake, Bundick Lake, Nantachie Lake and Ivan Lake | Whole water | No nets allowed. |
| Chicot Lake and Ivan Lake | Whole water | No fish 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.
Parish lakes near Ivan Lake, side by side
Lake Bistineau has the most water in this group, 17,200 acres.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Average depth | Launches | LDWF reefs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivan Lake | 520 | 6.5 ft | 1 | 1 | |
| Cypress Bayou Reservoir | 14 miles southwest | 3,100 | 8.3 ft | 3 | 0 |
| Caney Lakes | 17 miles southeast | 220 | 2 | 0 | |
| Black Bayou Reservoir | 17 miles southwest | 620 | 9.9 ft | 1 | 0 |
| Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish) | 28 miles west | 3,960 | 4.6 ft | 2 | 0 |
| Lake Bistineau | 30 miles south | 17,200 | 9 ft | 19 | 0 |
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans, launch inventory and reef layers; retrieved October 28, 2026.
More of Louisiana near Ivan Lake
Lakes worth a look after Ivan Lake
- Cypress Bayou Reservoir14 miles southwest
- Caney Lakes17 miles southeast
- Black Bayou Reservoir17 miles southwest
- Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish)28 miles west
- Lake Bistineau30 miles south
Louisiana bait stops around Ivan Lake
- The Bait Shackbait and tackle shop, Plain Dealing, 8 miles
- Bait Bucketbait and tackle shop, Benton, 11 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Bossier Citysporting goods store, Bossier City, 22 miles
- Bass Pro Shops Bossier Citysporting goods store, Bossier City
Where to stay for Ivan Lake
- Springhill12 miles
- Benton17 miles
- Eastwood19 miles
Parishes along Ivan Lake
- Bossier Parishseat: Benton
Bayou-tough Piscifun reels for a day on Ivan Lake
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A picture guide to fish at Ivan 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: (c) Quinn, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0
Before the drive to Ivan Lake, the common questions
What parish line does Ivan Lake sit on?
It lies in Bossier Parish, about 12 miles from Springhill.
How much water does Ivan Lake spread across its parish?
About 520 acres.
Which launch should I use at Ivan Lake?
Use Ivan Lake Boat Ramp, one of 1 launch.
Which species can I catch at Ivan Lake?
LDWF points to largemouth bass, black crappie, redear sunfish and bluegill.
What creel does LDWF allow on Ivan 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 Ivan Lake?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
How deep does Ivan Lake run on average?
About 6.5 feet on average, per LDWF; no maximum is printed.
Is there a bait stand on the way to Ivan Lake?
The Bait Shack, about 8 miles away, is the first bait counter on our Louisiana list.
Where does LDWF-placed cover hold fish in Ivan Lake?
LDWF built 1 reef there; see the reef band.
Is Ivan Lake on the LDWF stocking list?
LDWF reports Florida Bass, 10,000 fingerlings, 2025.
Put Ivan Lake on the Sportsman's Paradise list
License prices and the statewide creel limits sit on one page.