Spotted Bass in Louisiana
Limits, record and places to fish for spotted bass.
- 10 a daylimit
- 4.88 lbrecord
Pick for spotted bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of the species, not a Louisiana water: Dick Biggins, USFWS, Public domain
Where spotted bass stand under LDWF rules
In the Sportsman’s Paradise rulebook, spotted bass fall under the freshwater entry “Black bass (largemouth and spotted)”. The numbers there: 10 daily, season open year-round.
Top of the LOWA rod and reel list: 4.88 lb by Vernon Johnson, Jr., Tickfaw River, 1976. It shows up on 13 lake, bayou or coast pages, such as Atchafalaya Basin, Henderson Lake and Calcasieu River. The pamphlet changes its limit on 11 waters: Bussey Brake, Caddo Lake and Eagle Lake (Madison Parish).
For the spotted bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 LDWF creel and size rules for spotted bass
| 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.
Lakes and basins that treat spotted bass differently
| 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.
Louisiana state record spotted bass
| Division | Method | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| freshwater | Rod & Reel | 4.88 lb | Vernon Johnson, Jr. | Tickfaw River | August 1976 |
| freshwater | Fly Fishing | 2.34 lb | Blake Leblanc | Comite River | August. 2009 |
Close behind the record spotted bass
- 4.50 lb, Jeff L. Pierre, Sept 1988
- 4.38 lb, Jim Farr, Feb 1976
- 4.38 lb, Dalton January., April 1976
- 4.25 lb, Ben Strange, Jr., July 1976
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.
Finding spotted bass across Louisiana
Lake pages naming spotted bass
- Atchafalaya Basin833,000 acres
- Henderson Lake5,000 acres
Streams that hold spotted bass
- Calcasieu RiverVernon Parish
- Tchefuncte RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Calcasieu Ship ChannelCameron Parish
- Tickfaw RiverSt. Helena Parish
- Pearl RiverSt. Tammany Parish
- Bogue ChittoWashington Parish
- Lacombe BayouSt. Tammany Parish
- Tangipahoa RiverTangipahoa Parish
- Comite RiverEast Feliciana Parish
- East Bogue ChittoSt. Tammany Parish
- West Bogue ChittoSt. Tammany Parish
LDWF popular-species text on management-plan lakes, LOWA record waters, LDWF stocking releases and Get Out & Fish! sites; biggest waters first.
More Louisiana fish beside spotted bass
- Largemouth Bassfreshwater
- Striped Bassfreshwater
- Hybrid Striped Bassfreshwater
- White Bassfreshwater
- Yellow Bassfreshwater
- Black Sea Basssaltwater
Cypress, marsh and open water by Spotted Bass, in photos
Photo: Jared, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Elisa.rolle, CC BY-SA 4.0
spotted bass across Louisiana, question by question
How many spotted bass go in the Louisiana ice chest?
Under the pamphlet, 10 daily, open open year-round.
Who holds the Louisiana spotted bass record?
4.88 lb out of Tickfaw River; Vernon Johnson, Jr., 1976 (rod and reel).
Which lakes or bays list spotted bass?
Try Atchafalaya Basin, Henderson Lake and Calcasieu River; 13 pages carry it.
Are spotted bass stocked in Louisiana?
It is not among the LDWF stockings on file.
Do any Louisiana waters set their own spotted bass rule?
11 waters carry their own rule, such as Bussey Brake, Caddo Lake and Eagle Lake (Madison Parish).
What is the season for spotted bass in Louisiana?
Read the season as Open year-round.
Do nonresidents need a license for Louisiana spotted bass?
Louisiana anglers 18 and older carry a Basic Fishing License: $17 a year for residents and $68 for nonresidents.
What does a spotted bass record claim need in Louisiana?
LOWA runs the record list; species are verified by LDWF biologists.