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Louisiana lakes and reservoirs

Lake St. John Fishing

A 2,100-acre Louisiana lake in Concordia and Tensas parishes.

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Photo of Lake Concordia: Concordia Parish Development Board, Public domain

Concordia Parish

Sizing up Lake St. John from the LDWF file

The LDWF management layer gives 2,100 acres for Lake St. John, a lake of Concordia and Tensas parishes. LDWF gives an average depth near 10 feet. Ferriday, about 8 miles away, is the nearest Census place.

Boaters can pick from 3 launches in the LDWF inventory (0 public). There are 3 artificial reefs on the LDWF map. LDWF lists District 3 for it.

2,100acres (LDWF)
10 ftaverage depth
3launches
3LDWF 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 3; 1995 Shreveport Hwy, Pineville, LA 71360; 318-487-5881.

Directions to Lake St. John
Species

Species LDWF ties to Lake St. John

At Lake St. John, LDWF calls out Bass, catfish, hybrid bass.

Largemouth bass Channel catfish Hybrid striped bass

Baits and timing on Lake St. John, per LDWF

Bass: around cypress trees in spring, flipping around boat houses and piers

The cover LDWF describes in Lake St. John

Cut grass, cypress trees along shoreline

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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Reefs

Mapped reef sites on Lake St. John

LDWF lists 3 freshwater reef sites in or beside Lake St. John; target species and materials are as LDWF prints them.

ReefDeployedDepthMaterialTarget fish
Lake St. John #17/16/20168-13 ft35 trees and tirescrappie, sunfish
Lake St. John #27/16/20168-13 ft35 treescrappie, sunfish
Bayou Buckner Artificial ReefSummer 200312 ftplastic palletscrappie, sunfish

LDWF Freshwater Artificial Reefs layer (deployment, depth, material and target species as published), retrieved October 28, 2026.

Access

Public and private launches around Lake St. John

  • Duck's Nest launch on Lake St. Johnboat launch private
  • Lake St. John Grocery2-lane boat launch, private, fee, Private; pay to launch
  • Lee's Landing on Lake St. John1-lane boat launch, private, fee, Private; pay to launch

Second-choice LDWF launches around Lake St. John

  • Old LDWF District 4 Office Ramp on Lake ConcordiaLake Concordia, 4 miles southwest
  • Sportsman's Lodge launch on Lake ConcordiaLake Concordia, 8 miles southwest
  • Concordia Lake Lakeview LodgeLake Concordia, 8 miles southwest
  • Old River Vidalia Landing on MorengoMorengo, 8 miles southwest
  • Oak Harbor RV Park on Lake ConcordiaLake Concordia, 8 miles southwest
  • Vidalia River Front Landing on Mississippi RiverMississippi River, 11 miles south

LDWF boat launch inventory (BoatRamps05152025) and LDWF Banks and Piers layer, retrieved October 28, 2026.

Stocking

Hatchery fish LDWF released in Lake St. John

What went into Lake St. John, per LDWF hatchery reports:

  • Florida BassFlorida Bass, 50,600 fingerlings, 2025 (Stocked January-June 2025.)
  • Hybrid Striped BassHybrid Striped Bass, 5,000 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.

Limits

Legal keepers at Lake St. John

SpeciesDaily limit and sizeSeason
Black bass (largemouth and spotted)10 dailyOpen year-round
Striped or hybrid striped bass (or any combination thereof)5 daily; no more than two over 30" total lengthOpen year-round
White bass50 dailyOpen year-round
Yellow bass50 dailyOpen year-round
Sunfish (bream)No daily limitOpen year-round
Crappie (black and white)50 daily; 100 fish possession limitOpen year-round
Bowfin (choupique)No daily limit; 16" MLLOpen year-round
Buffalo fish (or their hybrids)25 daily; 16" MLLOpen 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" MLLOpen year-round
Freshwater drum (gaspergou)25 daily; 12" MLLOpen year-round
Paddlefish2 daily (fish cannot be retained alive & cannot be harvested by snagging methods); 30" max lower jaw fork lengthOpen year-round
Shad50 pounds dailyOpen year-round
SturgeonNo legal harvest or possessionClosed (no legal harvest or possession)
Other freshwater fish (all species of bream and garfish)No daily limitOpen year-round
Crawfish150 pounds dailyOpen 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

For Lake St. John, statewide freshwater limits hold except where LDWF prints a change.

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.

Louisiana licenses and limits
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Lake St. John beside the closest LDWF lakes

By the LDWF size figures, Black River and Cocodrie Lake Complex heads the list at 1,500 acres.

LakeDistanceAcresAverage depthLaunchesLDWF reefs
Lake St. John2,10010 ft33
Lake Concordia6 miles southwest1,10020 ft40
Lake Louis14 miles northwest1,00025 ft20
Black River and Cocodrie Lake Complex21 miles southwest1,50040 ft40
Tew Lake22 miles west1928 ft00
Wallace Lake (Catahoula Parish)22 miles west26212 ft00

LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans, launch inventory and reef layers; retrieved October 28, 2026.

Nearby

Next Louisiana stops near Lake St. John

More lakes and brakes by Lake St. John

Home bases for Lake St. John

  • Ferriday8 miles
  • Vidalia10 miles
  • Jonesville23 miles

The parish pages for Lake St. John

  • Concordia Parishseat: Vidalia
  • Tensas Parishseat: St. Joseph
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Piscifun tackle a Sportsman's Paradise angler might load for Lake St. John

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Fish photos

Telling apart the fish of Lake St. John by photo

Yellow Bass, Louisiana
Yellow Bass
Photo: Dominic, CC BY 4.0
Bowfin, Louisiana
Bowfin
Photo: United States Fish and Wildlife Services, Public domain
Smallmouth Buffalo, Louisiana
Smallmouth Buffalo
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Freshwater Drum, Louisiana
Freshwater Drum
Photo: qfc79, CC BY 4.0
Answers

Settling the details of a day on Lake St. John

Which corner of the Pelican State holds Lake St. John?

It is in Concordia and Tensas parishes, about 8 miles from Ferriday.

What size does LDWF give Lake St. John?

Near 2,100 acres.

Where does a Louisiana bass boat go in at Lake St. John?

3 launches, including Duck's Nest launch on Lake St. John (0 public in all).

What fish does LDWF list for Lake St. John?

On the list: largemouth bass, channel catfish and hybrid striped bass.

Does Lake St. John have its own fishing rules?

Black bass (largemouth and spotted): 10 daily; Open year-round.

Is a saltwater license needed on Lake St. John?

Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.

How much water is under the boat at Lake St. John?

Near 10 feet on average, LDWF says.

Who sells shiners and crickets near Lake St. John?

Pack bait; nothing on our list is near.

Does Lake St. John have brush piles?

LDWF lists 3 reef sites.

When did LDWF hatcheries last stock Lake St. John?

Yes, for example Florida Bass, 50,600 fingerlings, 2025.

Circle a Louisiana weekend for Lake St. John

Check the creel limit before a fish goes in the ice chest.

Louisiana licenses and limitsAll Louisiana lakes