Black Crappie in Louisiana
Louisiana rules and water for black crappie.
- 50 a daylimit
- 3.84 lbrecord
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black crappie in the Pelican State
Look for black crappie on the freshwater page of the pamphlet, under “Crappie (black and white)”. Statewide the line sets 50 daily; 100 fish possession limit and a season of open year-round.
Randy K. Causey holds the rod and reel mark at 3.84 lb, landed on Poverty Point Res. in 2010. 10 Louisiana water pages here name it, Saline Lake, Caney Creek Reservoir and Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish) among them. Different limits hold on 8 waters, such as Bussey Brake, Caddo Lake, Poverty Point, and Sabine River and D’Arbonne Lake. The LDWF release tables carry 1 stocking row.
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| Pamphlet row | Waters | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crappie (black and white) | All state waters EXCEPT as listed in exceptions | 50 daily; 100 fish possession limit | Open year-round |
Possession: 100 fish possession limit
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026 Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations (LDWF pamphlet, updated September 21, 2026), page 20 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF freshwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Water-body rules for black crappie
| Water | Where | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Atchafalaya Basin, Grassy Lake, Lake Palourde, Lake Verrett and associated waterbodies | Whole water | 8" MLL; 25 daily |
| Eagle Lake (Madison Parish) | Whole water | 11" MLL; 30 daily; 30 fish possession limit |
| Poverty Point Reservoir | Whole water | 25 daily; 50 fish possession limit |
| Saline-Larto Complex | Whole water | 10" MLL; 25 daily |
| Bussey Brake | Whole water | 10" MLL; 25 daily |
| D'Arbonne Lake | Whole water | 50 daily, of which no more than 7 may exceed 12" in length |
| Caddo Lake, Poverty Point, and Sabine River | Whole water | None; 25 daily; 50 fish possession limit |
| Toledo Bend Reservoir | Whole water | None; 25 daily; 100 fish possession limit |
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.
Record black crappie weights from Louisiana
| Division | Method | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | Rod & Reel | 3.84 lb | Randy K. Causey | Poverty Point Res. | April 2010 |
| private pond | Rod & Reel | 3.12 lb | Louis Brupbacher | Greenwood Lake/W.Fel. | June 2015 |
| freshwater | Fly Fishing | 2.23 lb | Tony Boatwright | Kincaid Lake | February 2000 |
The rest of the leading black crappie
- 3.55 lb, Chet L. TidwellCaney Lake, February 2003
- 3.55 lb, Jodie E. Crouch, Jr.Toledo Bend, March 2003
- 3.47 lb, Floyd MecheLake Henderson, September 2004
- 3.33 lb, Bobby NolaCaney Lake, January 2003
Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA), LOWA "Louisiana State Fish Records Official Copy", records current through the record awarded September 25, 2026 (PDF created 2026-09-25); read October 28, 2026.
Where LDWF stocked black crappie
| Water | Release as printed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bussey Brake | Black Crappie, 4,200 fingerlings, 2024 | LDWF news release July 23, 2024 |
LDWF hatchery stocking releases (spring 2024 and 2025 per-water tables, single stockings to 2026); LDWF publishes no per-row dates; read October 28, 2026.
Louisiana water that holds black crappie
Reservoirs holding black crappie
- Saline Lake8,400 acres
- Caney Creek Reservoir5,000 acres
- Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish)3,960 acres
- Poverty Point Reservoir2,785 acres
- Bussey Brake Lake2,200 acres
- Kepler Creek Lake1,925 acres
- Kincaid Lake1,915 acres
- Mill Creek Reservoir560 acres
- Ivan Lake520 acres
- Chatham Lake158 acres
LDWF popular-species text on management-plan lakes, LOWA record waters, LDWF stocking releases and Get Out & Fish! sites; biggest waters first.
Species LDWF groups with black crappie
- White Crappiefreshwater
Bayou and lake country around Black Crappie, photographed
Photo: George Bannister, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Stockstill, Tiffany, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Clotee Pridgen Alloc…, CC BY-SA 3.0
What Pelican State anglers ask about black crappie
What creel limit covers black crappie in Louisiana?
Statewide: 50 daily; 100 fish possession limit; season open year-round.
Where did the record black crappie in Louisiana come from?
It weighed 3.84 lb, from Poverty Point Res. in 2010; angler Randy K. Causey (rod and reel).
Where do black crappie live in Louisiana?
Saline Lake, Caney Creek Reservoir and Black Bayou Lake (Caddo Parish) head the 10 pages that name it.
Does LDWF stock black crappie?
Yes; 1 stocking row on file, including Bussey Brake.
Is the black crappie limit the same everywhere in Louisiana?
Yes, 8 waters; Bussey Brake, Caddo Lake, Poverty Point, and Sabine River and D'Arbonne Lake are examples.
Is the black crappie season open now in Louisiana?
Its 2026 season reads Open year-round.
What should a visitor buy to fish for black crappie?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
Who keeps the Louisiana record for black crappie?
Claims go to LOWA, with a biologist checking the identification.
Chase black crappie across the Pelican State
Every water listed has its own Louisiana page.