Largemouth Bass in Louisiana
Louisiana rules and water for largemouth bass.
- 10 a daylimit
- 15.97 lbrecord
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largemouth bass in the Pelican State
Look for largemouth bass on the freshwater page of the pamphlet, under “Black bass (largemouth and spotted)”. Statewide the line sets 10 daily and a season of open year-round.
Greg Wiggins holds the rod and reel mark at 15.97 lb, landed on Caney Lake in 1994. 106 Louisiana water pages here name it, Atchafalaya Basin, Toledo Bend Reservoir and Grand Lake among them. Different limits hold on 11 waters, such as Bussey Brake, Caddo Lake and Eagle Lake (Madison Parish). The LDWF release tables carry 112 stocking rows.
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| Pamphlet row | Waters | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black bass (largemouth and spotted) | All state waters EXCEPT as listed in exceptions | 10 daily | 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 19 (pamphlet PDF); confirmed on the LDWF freshwater finfish page October 28, 2026.
Water-body rules for largemouth bass
| Water | Where | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Atchafalaya Basin, Grassy Lake, Lake Palourde, Lake Verrett and associated waterbodies | Whole water | 12" MLL; 5 daily |
| Eagle Lake (Madison Parish) | Whole water | 16" MLL; 10 daily |
| Poverty Point Reservoir | Whole water | 15-19" protected SL; 8 daily; no more than one over 19" total length. Fish falling within a protected slot limit must be immediately released. |
| False River (Pointe Coupee Parish) | Whole water | 14" MLL; 5 daily |
| John K. Kelly-Grand Bayou Reservoir (Red River Parish) | Whole water | 14-17" protected SL; 8 daily; no more than four over 17" total length |
| Caddo Lake | Whole water | 14-18" protected SL for Largemouth Bass; no length restriction for Spotted Bass; 8 daily; no more than four Largemouth Bass over 18" total length |
| Toledo Bend Reservoir and the Sabine River above Toledo Bend | Whole water | 14" MLL for Largemouth Bass; no MLL for Spotted Bass; 8 daily in combination or aggregate |
| Sabine River from Toledo Bend dam to I-10 | Whole water | 12" MLL for Largemouth Bass; no MLL for Spotted Bass; 8 daily in combination or aggregate |
| Sabine River south of I-10 (Louisiana waters only) | Whole water | Statewide regulations apply; 10 daily |
| Saline-Larto Complex | Whole water | 14" MLL; 8 daily |
| Bussey Brake | Whole water | 18" maximum total length limit, EXCEPT one fish over 22" may temporarily retained in an aerated livewell prior to weighing. The bass must be immediately released into Bussey Brake Reservoir following weighing, and all anglers in the boat (i |
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 largemouth bass weights from Louisiana
| Division | Method | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | Rod & Reel | 15.97 lb | Greg Wiggins | Caney Lake | Feb 1994 |
| private pond | Rod & Reel | 13.50 lb | Mark Leicher | Waldheim, LA pond | March 1999 |
| freshwater | Fly Fishing | 8.75 lb | Vernon H. Sonnier | not printed | March 1979 |
The rest of the leading largemouth bass
- 15.87 lb, Regina WomackValentine Lake, May 2010
- 15.82 lb, Adam OliverBlk. Bayou Hoosten, March 2009
- 15.78 lb, John S WildeBussey Brake, March 2024
- 15.54 lb, Tommy FosterCaney Lake, Feb 1993
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 largemouth bass
| Water | Release as printed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bayou Bartholomew | Florida Bass, 16,200 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Bayou D'Arbonne Lake | Florida Bass, 300,400 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Bayou St. John | Florida Bass, 3,200 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge | Florida Bass, 2,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Black Bayou and Black Bayou Reservoir | Florida Bass, 11,500 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Black Bayou Lake | Florida Bass, 84,200 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Black Lake and Clear Lake | Florida Bass, 105,400 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Black River Lake | Florida Bass, 33,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Bussey Brake | Florida Bass, 40,100 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Caddo Lake and James Bayou | Florida Bass, 176,900 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Cameron Prairie | Florida Bass, 100 phase ii fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Caney Creek | Florida Bass, 53,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Caney Lake | Florida Bass, 61,200 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Chatham Lake | Florida Bass, 3,100 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Cheniere Brake Lake | Florida Bass, 63,400 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Chicot Lake | Florida Bass, 32,900 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Clear Lake and Smithport Lake | Florida Bass, 15,100 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Corney Lake | Florida Bass, 14,600 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Cotile Lake | Florida Bass, 26,200 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Cross Lake | Florida Bass, 114,100 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Drainage Canals, Jefferson and Orleans Parishes | Florida Bass, 600 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Eunice City Lake | Florida Bass, 1,200 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| False River | Florida Bass, 6,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Fullerton Lake | Florida Bass, 570 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Grand Bayou Reservoir | Florida Bass, 36,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Gretna City Pond | Florida Bass, 300 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Henderson Lake | Florida Bass, 50,300 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Holbrook Park Pond | Florida Bass, 250 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Iatt Lake | Florida Bass, 71,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
| Ivan Lake | Florida Bass, 10,000 fingerlings, 2025 | LDWF news release July 18, 2025 |
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 largemouth bass
Reservoirs holding largemouth bass
- Atchafalaya Basin833,000 acres
- Toledo Bend Reservoir181,600 acres
- Grand Lake44,000 acres
- Caddo Lake26,800 acres
- Lake Bistineau17,200 acres
- Fausse Point, Dauterive and Catahoula Complex17,000 acres
- D'Arbonne Lake15,000 acres
- Lake Salvador15,000 acres
- Black Lake and Clear Lake13,800 acres
- Lake Des Allemands12,000 acres
- Red River Pool 510,800 acres
- Cross Lake8,576 acres
- Saline Lake8,400 acres
- Lake Cataouatche8,000 acres
- Larto-Saline Complex8,000 acres
- Bonnet Carre Spillway7,623 acres
- Iatt Lake7,100 acres
- Lake Claiborne6,400 acres
- Cocodrie Lake6,000 acres
- Caney Creek Reservoir5,000 acres
- Henderson Lake5,000 acres
- Old River at Raccourci4,900 acres
- Vernon Lake4,200 acres
- Lake Arthur4,131 acres
River pages naming largemouth bass
- Calcasieu RiverVernon Parish
- Tchefuncte RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Bayou PlaquemineIberville Parish
- Amite RiverLivingston Parish
- Blind RiverSt. James Parish
- Calcasieu Ship ChannelCameron Parish
- Tickfaw RiverSt. Helena Parish
- Pearl RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Bayou BartholomewMorehouse Parish
- Black Lake Bayou (Bienville Parish)Bienville Parish
- Bogue ChittoWashington Parish
- Sabine RiverBeauregard Parish
- Bayou SegnetteJefferson Parish
- Black Lake Bayou (Cameron Parish)Cameron Parish
- Cane BayouSt. Tammany Parish
- Caney CreekWebster Parish
- Lacombe BayouSt. Tammany Parish
- Tangipahoa RiverTangipahoa 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 largemouth bass
- Spotted Bassfreshwater
- Striped Bassfreshwater
- Hybrid Striped Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Yellow Bassfreshwater
- Black Sea Basssaltwater
Bayou and lake country around Largemouth Bass, photographed
Photo: Jared, CC BY 2.0
Photo: MusikAnimal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Shiva Shenoy, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Timothy Holdiness, CC BY-SA 4.0
What Pelican State anglers ask about largemouth bass
What creel limit covers largemouth bass in Louisiana?
Statewide: 10 daily; season open year-round.
Where did the record largemouth bass in Louisiana come from?
It weighed 15.97 lb, from Caney Lake in 1994; angler Greg Wiggins (rod and reel).
Where do largemouth bass live in Louisiana?
Atchafalaya Basin, Toledo Bend Reservoir and Grand Lake head the 106 pages that name it.
Does LDWF stock largemouth bass?
Yes; 112 stocking rows on file, including Bayou Bartholomew.
Is the largemouth bass limit the same everywhere in Louisiana?
Yes, 11 waters; Bussey Brake, Caddo Lake and Eagle Lake (Madison Parish) are examples.
Is the largemouth bass season open now in Louisiana?
Its 2026 season reads Open year-round.
What should a visitor buy to fish for largemouth bass?
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 largemouth bass?
Claims go to LOWA, with a biologist checking the identification.
Chase largemouth bass across the Pelican State
Every water listed has its own Louisiana page.