Freshwater Drum in Louisiana
Louisiana rules and water for freshwater drum.
- 25 a daylimit
- 28.44 lbrecord
Angler pickPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of the species, not a Louisiana water: Prof. emerit. Dr. Hans Schneider ( Geyersberg ), CC BY-SA 3.0
freshwater drum in the Pelican State
Look for freshwater drum on the freshwater page of the pamphlet, under “Freshwater drum (gaspergou)”. Statewide the line sets 25 daily; 12″ mll and a season of open year-round.
Paul R. Heideman holds the rod and reel mark at 28.44 lb, landed on Bayou Macon Lk. in 2011. 3 Louisiana water pages here name it, Grand Lake, Calcasieu River and Calcasieu Ship Channel among them.
How many freshwater drum a Louisiana angler may keep
| Pamphlet row | Waters | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater drum (gaspergou) | All state waters | 25 daily; 12" MLL | Open year-round |
Possession: Twice the daily creel limit (pamphlet p.16: possession limit is twice the daily bag limit unless otherwise stated)
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.
Record freshwater drum weights from Louisiana
| Division | Method | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | Rod & Reel | 28.44 lb | Paul R. Heideman | Bayou Macon Lk. | March 2011 |
| freshwater | Fly Fishing | 6.67 lb | Robert G. Cormier | not printed | April 1994 |
The rest of the leading freshwater drum
- 25.08 lb, Stephen MorganFalse River, April 2005
- 23.18 lb, Dallas ColeToledo Bend, Feb. 2002
- 22.13 lb, Thai Brandon HoangFalse River, Mach 2017
- 21.94 lb, Jimmy DoironFalse River, April 2007
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.
Louisiana water that holds freshwater drum
Reservoirs holding freshwater drum
- Grand Lake44,000 acres
River pages naming freshwater drum
- Calcasieu RiverVernon Parish
- Calcasieu Ship ChannelCameron Parish
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 freshwater drum
- Black Drumsaltwater
- Red Drumsaltwater
Bayou and lake country around Freshwater Drum, photographed
Photo: George Bannister, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bart Everson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tobin, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Elisa.rolle, CC BY-SA 4.0
What Pelican State anglers ask about freshwater drum
What creel limit covers freshwater drum in Louisiana?
Statewide: 25 daily; 12" MLL; season open year-round.
Where did the record freshwater drum in Louisiana come from?
It weighed 28.44 lb, from Bayou Macon Lk. in 2011; angler Paul R. Heideman (rod and reel).
Where do freshwater drum live in Louisiana?
Grand Lake, Calcasieu River and Calcasieu Ship Channel head the 3 pages that name it.
Does LDWF stock freshwater drum?
LDWF hatchery records do not include it.
Is the freshwater drum limit the same everywhere in Louisiana?
No water-body exception lists it.
Is the freshwater drum season open now in Louisiana?
Its 2026 season reads Open year-round.
What should a visitor buy to fish for freshwater drum?
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 freshwater drum?
Claims go to LOWA, with a biologist checking the identification.
Chase freshwater drum across the Pelican State
Every water listed has its own Louisiana page.