Fishing in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
Parish seat: Edgard. Population 42,477.
- 1lake pages
- 7launches
- 6river and bayou pages
Pick for bluegillPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Des Allemands: Lane Lefort, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
What a rod buys you in St. John the Baptist Parish
Edgard is where St. John the Baptist Parish government sits, for a parish of 42,477 people as of 2020. This site files it with Southeast Louisiana by where it sits on the map, not by any LDWF boundary. Mississippi River is shared with a neighbouring state. Tchefuncte River and Blind River carry Natural and Scenic River status here.
1 lake pages fall inside the parish, 12,000 acres in all, led by Lake Des Allemands. Brackish and salt water here covers Pass Manchac. 7 boat launches appear in the LDWF inventory and 7 carry the public label. Reef fishers can work 1 artificial reef tied to the parish.
Census 2020 population; LDWF Inland Waterbodies, boat launch inventory, Banks and Piers and artificial reef layers; GNIS coastal names; retrieved October 2026.
Ramps, piers and lake points around St. John the Baptist Parish
LDWF boat launch inventory and Banks and Piers layer, LDWF lake points, NHD river midpoints and GNIS coastal points. Checked October 2026.
Lake guides covering St. John the Baptist Parish water
| Lake | Acres | Launches | Depth | Fish LDWF names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Des Allemands | 12,000 | 0 | 7 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
Measured from Edgard, these lake pages beyond the St. John the Baptist Parish line are the shortest drives.
| Lake | From Edgard | Acres | Launches | Depth | Fish LDWF names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonnet Carre Spillway | 8 miles east | 7,623 | 2 | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish | |
| Dufrene Ponds | 16 miles south | 1,516 | 1 | ||
| Lake Boeuf | 17 miles south | 2,000 | 0 | 4 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
| Lake Cataouatche | 24 miles southeast | 8,000 | 0 | 5 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
| Lake Fields and Lake Long Complex | 27 miles south | 0 | 3 ft average | largemouth bass, white crappie, bluegill | |
| New Orleans City Park | 27 miles east | 114 | 0 | 3 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill |
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans (published size, average depth, popular species), LOWA records and LDWF stocking releases; retrieved October 2026.
For the bluegill herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Bays, sounds and passes of St. John the Baptist Parish
Count 1 GNIS-named coastal waters inside St. John the Baptist Parish.
| Water | Kind | Launches | Piers and bank | Reefs within 25 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pass Manchac | pass | 9 | 0 | 10 |
USGS GNIS coastal names, LDWF coastal launches, saltwater piers and the LDWF Artificial Reef Program layer; retrieved October 2026.
Which fish LDWF and LOWA tie to water near St. John the Baptist Parish
Around Edgard, out to 50 miles, bluegill appears on the most lake and bay pages.
Species named in LDWF popular-species text, the LOWA state record list and LDWF stocking releases, counted per water page within 50 miles; not a survey.
Bayous, creeks and rivers of St. John the Baptist Parish
- Tchefuncte RiverNatural and Scenic River segment, LDWF management plan water, 8 LDWF-listed launches, 111 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- Blind RiverNatural and Scenic River segment, LDWF management plan water, 4 LDWF-listed launches, 25 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- Mississippi River9 LDWF-listed launches, 481 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- Bayou Chevreuil1 LDWF-listed launch, 13 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- Reserve Relief Canal2 LDWF-listed launches, 6 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- Moll Canal1 LDWF-listed launch, 3 mi of main channel in Louisiana
Current USGS numbers for St. John the Baptist Parish
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Pass Manchac Nr. Lake Maurepas, La | 0.56 ft gage height | Nov 12 9:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 12, 2026 10:32 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS NHD flowlines and lengths, Louisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers list, LDWF launches and USGS gauges; retrieved October 2026.
Docks, piers and launches inside St. John the Baptist Parish
- Hope Canal Launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA)Hope Canal, boat launch public
- Moll Canal LaunchMoll Canal, 1-lane concrete ramp, public
- Pleasure Bend Launch on Lac Des AllemandsLac Des Allemands, 1-lane concrete ramp, public, fee
- Reserve Canal launch on Reserve Relief CanalReserve Relief Canal, boat launch public
- Ruddock Boat Launch on Lake MaurepasLake Maurepas, 1-lane concrete ramp, public
- Maurepas WMA Hope Canal launchHope Canal, boat launch public
- Reserve Canal Launch on Reserve Relief CanalReserve Relief Canal, boat launch public
LDWF boat launch inventory (BoatRamps05152025), coastal launches and Banks and Piers layer; retrieved October 2026.
The closest tackle stores for St. John the Baptist Parish
- Black Lake Club Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Maurepas, 17 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Metairiesporting goods store, Metairie, 19 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Thibodauxsporting goods store, Thibodaux, 22 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors Harahansporting goods store, Harahan, 22 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Metairiesporting goods store, Metairie, 23 miles
Yellow Pages and chain store listings; straight-line miles from Edgard.
The 2026 LDWF limits covering St. John the Baptist Parish
Statewide limits govern St. John the Baptist Parish water; the named exceptions after them override. A year of Basic fishing privileges costs $17 resident and $68 nonresident at LDWF prices. For the coastal side, LDWF stacks a Saltwater License on top: $15 resident, $60 nonresident.
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Cobia (ling or lemonfish) | 1 daily per person; no more than 2 per vessel; 36" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Black drum | 5 daily per person – bag and possession; no more than one over 27" max total length; 16" min total length; 27" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Red drum (redfish) | 4 daily per person – bag; none over 27" max total length; 18" min total length; 27" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Southern flounder | 10 daily per person | Open year-round except no possession allowed from Oct. 15 – Nov. 30 |
| Spanish mackerel | 15 daily per person; 12" min fork length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Striped mullet | 100 lbs. daily | Open year-round in state waters |
| Spotted seatrout (speckled trout) | 15 daily per person with no more than 2 over 20" max total length; 13" min total length; 20" max total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| Sheepshead | No daily limit | Open year-round in state waters |
| Tripletail | 5 daily per person; 18" min total length | Open year-round in state waters |
| 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 |
Where St. John the Baptist Parish water breaks from statewide limits (1)
| Water | Where | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Tchefuncte River | Whole water | No seines, nets or webbing in this river or its tributaries, from its origin in Washington Parish to where it empties into Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish. No traps in this river or its tributaries. |
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 saltwater finfish page October 28, 2026. 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 record fish tied to St. John the Baptist Parish
| Species | Weight (lb) | Division | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catfish, Blue | 114.00 | Rod & Reel | Mississippi River | March 2014 |
| Catfish, Bullhead-Black | 0.09 | Rod & Reel | Tchefuncte River | June 2024 |
Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) state fish records list, records current through the record awarded September 25, 2026; LDWF keeps no record list.
Weigh-ins on St. John the Baptist Parish water
3 published events launch in or fish St. John the Baptist Parish; 1 remain upcoming.
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 26, 2027 | DES ALLEMANDS | Lake Des Allemands | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| April 11, 2026 | DES ALLEMANDS | Lake Des Allemands | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
| May 24, 2025 | DES ALLEMANDS | Lake Des Allemands | Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail |
Organizer schedule and results pages (LDWF publishes no tournament calendar), checked October 2026.
A short way from St. John the Baptist Parish
Overnight bases in St. John the Baptist Parish
- Laplacepop. 28,841
- Reservepop. 8,541
Short drives from St. John the Baptist Parish by parish
- St. Charles Parish18 miles southeast
- St. James Parish20 miles southwest
- Livingston Parish25 miles northwest
- Ascension Parish26 miles west
A Piscifun outfit to take down to St. John the Baptist Parish
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Fish to recognise before a trip to St. John the Baptist Parish
Photo: Stefanie Tellex. (talk) (Uploads), Public domain
Photo: SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory; Collection of Brandi Noble, NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC, Public domain
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
Photo: Totti, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hunting in St John The Baptist Parish
Public hunting land, seasons and processors for St John The Baptist Parish are on State Hunting Spots, our sister site.
Planning a day on the water in St. John the Baptist Parish
Which launches in St. John the Baptist Parish show up on the LDWF inventory?
7 launches; LDWF marks 7 public.
Which St. John the Baptist Parish lake spreads widest on LDWF figures?
Lake Des Allemands, at 12,000 acres as LDWF publishes it.
Which fish are named for water near St. John the Baptist Parish?
Bluegill lead the count of water pages within 50 miles, followed by largemouth bass, redear sunfish and white crappie.
Where in St. John the Baptist Parish can an angler restock tackle?
None inside the parish; see the nearby shops.
Do any bayou guides call St. John the Baptist Parish home?
No captain lists this parish; the Louisiana guides page has the rest.
In which town does St. John the Baptist Parish keep its offices?
Edgard is the seat.
Do St. John the Baptist Parish waters need a saltwater license?
A year of Basic fishing privileges costs $17 resident and $68 nonresident at LDWF prices. For the coastal side, LDWF stacks a Saltwater License on top: $15 resident, $60 nonresident.
Which parish pages sit beside St. John the Baptist Parish on the map?
Neighbours by distance: St. Charles Parish, St. James Parish and Livingston Parish.
Do clubs hold events on St. John the Baptist Parish water?
3 events on file; next is DES ALLEMANDS on Lake Des Allemands, June 26, 2027.
Which St. John the Baptist Parish waters break from statewide limits?
The 2026 pamphlet prints 1 water-body exception touching this parish, starting with Tchefuncte River; the table above shows each.
Can I fish salt water from St. John the Baptist Parish?
Pass Manchac; the coastal table above links the pages.
Does St. John the Baptist Parish water hold a LOWA record?
Catfish, Blue, 114.00 lb, from Mississippi River (March 2014).
Work the bayous and lakes of St. John the Baptist Parish
Check the exception list before keeping fish.