Caddo Lake Fishing
Access points, records, regulations and the current lake level on 26,800 acres in Harrison County and Marion County.
- 26,800acres
- 20 ftmax depth
- 8boat ramps
- 16.17 lbrecord bass
Photo: Jay Carriker (User:JCarriker), CC BY-SA 2.5
Caddo Lake, Texas at a glance
Impounded in 1914, Caddo Lake spreads across 26,800 surface acres and reaches 20 feet at its deepest point. It sits in Harrison County and Marion County in the Pineywoods part of Texas. You will find it on Big Cypress Bayou on the Texas-Louisiana state line, northeast of Marshall in Harrison and Marion counties.
TPWD biologists rate largemouth bass, crappie, white bass and sunfish as excellent here; catfish and chain pickerel rate good.
Its biggest recorded largemouth bass came in at 16.17 pounds (2010).
Expect moderately clear to stained consumption advisory in effect water on a typical day; you will see approximately 60% coverage dominated by native submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation along the banks and flats; water level fluctuation is described as 4-8 feet.
Controlling authority: US Army Corps of Engineers. Caddo Lake facts from the TPWD lake page, checked October 2026.
Water level at Caddo Lake today
Current Caddo Lake reading from TWDB. A minus sign means below full pool.
Texas Water Development Board, Water Data for Texas, reading dated 2026-10-08. Retrieved Oct 9, 2026 5:07 am ET. 30 day chart on TWDB.
What bites at Caddo Lake
Survey based ratings for Caddo Lake from TPWD biologists.
Excellent is 4 and poor is 1 on this chart.
The main game fish TPWD lists for this lake: Largemouth bass, Crappie, Catfish, Chain pickerel, White & yellow bass, Sunfish..
Caddo Lake lake records
The heaviest certified fish of each species from Caddo Lake.
| Species | Weight (lb) | Length (in) | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead catfish | 55.75 | 48 | 1992-03-28 |
| Smallmouth buffalo | 25.58 | 31.5 | 2004-04-19 |
| Largemouth bass | 16.17 | 26.5 | 2010-03-20 |
| Bowfin | 12.09 | 33 | 1997-09-13 |
| Freshwater drum | 11.3 | 22.5 | 2018-06-15 |
| Chain pickerel | 4.63 | 25 | 1986-06-12 |
| Hybrid striped bass | 4.5 | 26.25 | 2010-11-06 |
| Longnose gar | 3.65 | 33 | 2014-07-28 |
| White crappie | 3.04 | 17 | 2013-02-17 |
| White bass | 3.02 | 17.13 | 2015-01-29 |
| Channel catfish | 2.65 | 18 | 2014-07-29 |
| Spotted bass | 2.63 | 15.75 | 2022-11-02 |
Caddo Lake records: TPWD water body records, list updated October 8, 2026. Retrieved October 2026.
Boat ramps and access on Caddo Lake
TPWD lists 8 access points on this lake, 8 with a boat ramp and 1 with a marina.
Highway 43 Ramp
Two lane ramp; no fee; parking. (903) 935-4808
Caddo Lake State Park
Two lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, ADA accessible, parking, courtesy docks, picnic areas.
Shady Glade Marina
Single lane ramp; marina; fee charged; restrooms, cleaning stations, parking, courtesy docks, camping. (903) 789-3295
Johnson's Ranch
Single lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, cleaning stations, live bait, parking, courtesy docks. (903) 789-3213
Cripp's Camp
Single lane ramp; fee charged; parking. (903) 789-3233
Tucker's Hunting and Fishing Camp
Single lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, cleaning stations, parking, courtesy docks, camping. (318) 422-6057
Buzzard Bay Landing
Single lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, live bait, parking, courtesy docks, camping. (903) 720-7629
Potter's Point
Single lane ramp; fee charged; restrooms, live bait, parking, courtesy docks, picnic areas. (903) 930-1940
14 mapped points from the TPWD access layer; ramp notes from the Caddo Lake page at TPWD, checked October 2026.
Limits that differ from statewide rules at Caddo Lake
These exceptions replace the statewide limit for the listed species on this lake only.
| Species | Rule at Caddo Lake |
|---|---|
| Black bass | For largemouth bass, length limit is a 14-18” slot. Bass 14 inches and less or 18 inches or greater in length may be retained. No minimum length limit on spotted bass. Daily bag for all black bass species is 8 in any combination, of which no more than 4 may be largemouth bass 18 inches or longer. Possession limit = 10. |
| Catfish | For blue and channel catfish, no minimum length limit; daily bag and possession limit = 50 in any combination, of which no more than 5 may be 30 inches or greater in length. |
| Crappie | For black and white crappie there is no MLL and daily bag = 25 crappie in combination. |
| White bass | For white bass, no MLL and daily bag = 25. |
Limits for Caddo Lake from the TPWD Outdoor Annual, 2026-27 (valid Sep. 1, 2026 through Aug. 31, 2027), checked October 2026.
Fish stocked in Caddo Lake
| Year | Species | Number | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lone star bass | 337,864 | Fingerling |
Caddo Lake stocking: TPWD stocking by water body, retrieved October 2026.
Tournaments on Caddo Lake
| Date | Event | Organizer | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-29 | 2025 TBN Kayak Division Event 3 – Caddo Lake | Texas B.A.S.S. Nation | completed |
| 2026-04-11 | 2026 TBN Kayak Division Event 4 – Caddo Lake | Texas B.A.S.S. Nation | completed |
Tournament dates for Caddo Lake from each organizer, retrieved October 2026.
Shops and guides near Caddo Lake
- Spatterdock Guest HousesKarnack, 5 miles northwest of the lake, (903) 789-3268
- 3F Bait CoKarnack, 8 miles west of the lake, (903) 679-4447
- Academy Sports + Outdoors MarshallMarshall, 20 miles southwest of the lake, (903) 757-1300
- Herigon's Three-Way GroceryJefferson, 22 miles west of the lake, (903) 665-7282
- Big Cypress MarinaJefferson, 27 miles west of the lake, (903) 665-8582
Listings near Caddo Lake come from OpenStreetMap and company store pages, October 2026. Names open Google Maps.
Lakes and towns near Caddo Lake
Lake O' the Pines
27 miles west, 0 acres
Brandy Branch Reservoir
31 miles southwest, 1,242 acres
Martin Creek Lake
41 miles southwest, 4,981 acres
Lone Star Lake
43 miles west, 1,516 acres
- UncertainHarrison County, 5 miles west
- KarnackHarrison County, 8 miles west
- JeffersonMarion County, 19 miles west
- MarshallHarrison County, 21 miles southwest
- Harrison CountyFishing access across the county
- Marion CountyFishing access across the county
Questions about fishing Caddo Lake
How big is Caddo Lake?
Caddo Lake covers 26,800 surface acres and is 20 feet deep at its deepest point, according to TPWD.
When was Caddo Lake built?
The reservoir was impounded in 1914 on Big Cypress Bayou.
What is the Caddo Lake record largemouth bass?
The lake record largemouth bass weighed 16.17 pounds and measured 26.5 inches, caught 2010-03-20, per TPWD water body records.
What other lake records does Caddo Lake hold?
Flathead catfish 55.75 lb; Smallmouth buffalo 25.58 lb; Bowfin 12.09 lb.
What fish are best at Caddo Lake?
TPWD rates largemouth bass excellent; spotted bass fair; catfish good; crappie excellent; white bass excellent; sunfish excellent; chain pickerel good.
How many boat ramps are on Caddo Lake?
TPWD lists 8 boat ramps on Caddo Lake, and 1 of them charge no fee.
Is there a marina on Caddo Lake?
Yes. TPWD lists 1 marina at Caddo Lake: Shady Glade Marina.
How do I check the water level at Caddo Lake?
The Caddo Lake level box on this page refreshes hourly from TWDB and shows the gap to full pool.
Does Caddo Lake have special fishing regulations?
Yes. TPWD sets lake specific limits here for Black bass, Catfish and Crappie. See the limits table on this page for the 2026-27 rules.
Is Caddo Lake stocked?
Yes. TPWD stocked 337,864 fingerling lone star bass in 2025.
Are there fishing tournaments on Caddo Lake?
Most recent: 2026 TBN Kayak Division Event 4 – Caddo Lake on 2026-04-11, run by Texas B.A.S.S. Nation.
What town is closest to Caddo Lake?
Uncertain is 5 miles west of the lake center, in Harrison County.
More water near Caddo Lake
Every Texas lake on this site has the same ramp, record and limit details.