Fishing near New Orleans, Louisiana
Orleans Parish, population 383,997.
- 3 milesto nearest paged water
- 8launches nearby
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Fishing out of New Orleans
With 383,997 people in 2020, New Orleans is a city in Orleans Parish. Joe W. Brown Park sits roughly 3 miles southwest, nearer than any other lake or bay page. Of the nearby lakes, Lake Cataouatche is biggest at 8,000 acres as LDWF publishes it. Boats go in at Eddie Pinto's Marina on Chef Menteur Pass, about 4 miles away.
About 10 miles away, Chef Menteur Pass opens the coastal options. Shore anglers head about 3 miles to Joe Brown Memorial Park on Joe W. Brown Park. Families can reach Sidney D. Torres Memorial Park, a stocked community pond, in about 7 miles.
Census 2020 population and Gazetteer point for New Orleans; miles are straight lines.
Oxbows and reservoirs a short haul from New Orleans
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Depth | Fish LDWF names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe W. Brown Park | 3 miles southwest | 4 | 0 | 2 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
| New Orleans City Park | 10 miles west | 114 | 0 | 3 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill |
| Brechtel Pond | 11 miles southwest | 4 | 0 | 4 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
| Lake Cataouatche | 23 miles southwest | 8,000 | 0 | 5 ft average | largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish |
LDWF Inland Waterbodies with Management Plans (published size, average depth, popular species); retrieved October 2026.
For the bluegill herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Coastal fishing a drive from New Orleans
| Water | Kind | Distance | Launches | Piers and bank | Reefs within 25 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chef Menteur Pass | pass | 10 miles east | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| Lake Saint Catherine | lake and estuary | 13 miles northeast | 6 | 1 | 10 |
| Lake Pontchartrain | lake and estuary | 15 miles northwest | 6 | 3 | 13 |
| Lake Borgne | lake and estuary | 19 miles east | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| The Rigolets | pass and strait | 20 miles east | 4 | 0 | 9 |
Residents pay $17 and visitors $68 for the Basic Fishing License that every angler 18 or older needs. South of the LDWF saltwater line the Saltwater License is also needed ($15 resident, $60 nonresident).
USGS GNIS coastal names, LDWF coastal launches and saltwater piers, LDWF Artificial Reef Program; retrieved October 2026.
River and bayou pages near New Orleans
- Bayou Bienvenue6 miles, Natural and Scenic River segment, 6 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- Bayou Mandeville13 miles, 1 LDWF-listed launch, 6 mi of main channel in Louisiana
- The Rigolets14 miles, 2 LDWF-listed launches, 8 mi of main channel in Louisiana
Current stage around New Orleans
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Giww East Storm Surge Barrier At New Orleans, La | 1.66 ft gage height | Oct 31 6:15 pm |
| Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Nr Seabrook Bridge | 1.92 ft gage height | Oct 31 6:15 pm |
| Bayou Dupre Sector Gate Near Violet, La | 1.24 ft gage height | Oct 31 5:45 pm |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Oct 31, 2026 6:33 pm ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
USGS NHD flowlines, Louisiana Natural and Scenic Rivers list, LDWF launches and USGS gauges; retrieved October 2026.
Launch pins scattered around New Orleans
- Eddie Pinto's Marina on Chef Menteur PassChef Menteur Pass, 4 miles
- Bayou Bienvenue Marina on Chef Menteur PassChef Menteur Pass, 5 miles
- The Parish Marina on Chef Menteur PassChef Menteur Pass, 5 miles
- Gulf Outlet Marina on Chef Menteur PassChef Menteur Pass, 6 miles
- Lombard's launch on Lake PontchartrainLake Pontchartrain, 6 miles
- Seabrook Launch & Pier on Lake PontchartrainLake Pontchartrain, 6 miles
- South Shore Bait Marina on Chef Menteur PassChef Menteur Pass, 8 miles
- Chef Harbor on Chef Menteur PassChef Menteur Pass, 8 miles
LDWF bank and pier spots by New Orleans
- Joe Brown Memorial Park on Joe W. Brown Parkbank fishing, 3 miles
- Lakefront Sea Wall on Lake Pontchartrainbank fishing, salt or brackish, 7 miles
- Sidney D. Torres Memorial Parkcommunity fishing site, Get Out & Fish site, 7 miles
- Brechtel Parkbank fishing, 11 miles
- Bonnabel Pier on Lake Pontchartrainfishing pier, salt or brackish, 13 miles
- St. Tammany Fishing Pier on Lake Saint Catherinefishing pier, salt or brackish, 14 miles
LDWF boat launch inventory, coastal launches and Banks and Piers layer; retrieved October 2026.
Stocked water a drive from New Orleans
| Water | Program | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Sidney D. Torres Memorial Park | Get Out and Fish community pond | 7 miles |
LDWF releases rainbow trout here in winter and catfish in other seasons.
LDWF hatchery stocking releases (spring 2024 and 2025 per-water tables, single stockings to 2026); LDWF publishes no per-row dates; sites from the LDWF Banks and Piers layer.
Bait and guides around New Orleans
Tackle stores a few miles from New Orleans
- Eddie Pinto's Marinabait and tackle shop, New Orleans, 4 miles
- Seabrook Marine LLCbait and tackle shop, New Orleans, 6 miles
- South Shore Bait & Marinabait and tackle shop, New Orleans, 8 miles
- Meraux Tackle Boxbait and tackle shop, Meraux, 8 miles
- Bait Incbait and tackle shop, Chalmette, 8 miles
- Kingfish Developmentbait and tackle shop, New Orleans, 11 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Gretnasporting goods store, Gretna, 11 miles
- Professional Sport Shop Incbait and tackle shop, New Orleans, 11 miles
Paid trips leaving New Orleans
- Captain Greg Henrycharter, New Orleans, (504) 283-5052
- Louisiana Redfish Masterfishing guide, New Orleans, (504) 975-7902
- MarshOnTheFlyfly fishing guide, New Orleans, (504) 459-9960
- Nawlins Bowfishing chartercharter, New Orleans, (504) 608-1278
- Salty Dog Charterscharter, New Orleans, (504) 481-8216
- Westbank Fishingfishing guide, New Orleans, (504) 620-4404
Yellow Pages and chain store listings (miles only for shops with an exact point), guide and charter listings; retrieved October 2026.
Organized fishing close to New Orleans
| Date | Event | Water | Organizer |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 28, 2026 | 77th Annual Big Bass Fishing Rodeo and Fishtival at New Orleans City Park | New Orleans City Park lagoons | LDWF and New Orleans City Park Conservancy |
| March 29, 2025 | 76TH ANNUAL BIG BASS RODEO FISHING TOURNAMENT WINNERS MARCH 29, 2025 | New Orleans City Park lagoons | New Orleans City Park / LDWF |
Organizer schedule and results pages for events in Orleans Parish or within 20 miles, checked October 2026.
LOWA record water around New Orleans
| Species | Weight (lb) | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bass, Hybrid Striped | 16.25 | Lake Pontchartrain | Feb 2000 |
| Tripletail | 21.48 | Lake Borgne | August. 2011 |
| Catfish, Bullhead-Black | 0.09 | Tchefuncte River | June 2024 |
Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) state fish records list; waters within 40 miles.
Keeping fish near New Orleans legally
LDWF prices the Basic Fishing License at $17 for residents and $68 for visitors 18 and older. Salt and brackish water need one more item, the Saltwater License at $15 resident or $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 |
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. Lake, bayou and coastal pages print any water-body exception.
Close by New Orleans
Other towns near New Orleans
- Chalmette8 miles
- Arabi8 miles
- Meraux9 miles
- Violet11 miles
- Terrytown12 miles
Which parish holds New Orleans
- Orleans Parishseat: New Orleans
Piscifun tackle a Sportsman's Paradise angler might load for New Orleans
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Telling apart the fish of New Orleans by photo
Photo: Jorge Alarcon or Dr. Daniel Benetti, Public domain
Photo: albertoalcala, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Rennair, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rusty Clark ~ 100K Photos, CC BY 2.0
Setting up in New Orleans to fish nearby water
Which managed reservoir sits closest to New Orleans?
Joe W. Brown Park, 3 miles southwest.
Where does a New Orleans boater back the trailer in?
Try Eddie Pinto's Marina on Chef Menteur Pass, 4 miles.
Which fishing pier is handy to New Orleans?
Joe Brown Memorial Park on Joe W. Brown Park, roughly 3 miles out.
Which listed bait stand is nearest New Orleans?
Eddie Pinto's Marina, 4 miles away.
Which parish page covers New Orleans and its water?
Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
Do New Orleans visitors need a fishing license?
Expect $68 for the nonresident Basic Fishing License. Coastal trips add the Saltwater License.
Which nearby lake gives New Orleans anglers the most acres?
Lake Cataouatche, 8,000 acres, 23 miles away.
What communities neighbour New Orleans?
The nearest are Chalmette (8 miles), Arabi (8 miles) and Meraux (9 miles).
Which bay or sound is closest to New Orleans?
Chef Menteur Pass, pass, about 10 miles away.
What weigh-ins happen around New Orleans?
Organizer pages list 2 events here, all already fished.
What LOWA record catches came from around New Orleans?
Bass, Hybrid Striped, 16.25 lb, from Lake Pontchartrain.
Book a few nights in New Orleans and fish
Every launch page opens with a directions link.