Gulf Intracoastal Waterway
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Fishing regulations at Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, LA
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Louisiana can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Regulations for top species
Largemouth bass
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
The following waterbodies have modified size and bag limits for black bass (i.e., largemouth and spotted bass):
Eagle Lake: 16-inch minimum total length; bag limit = 10 black bass;
Poverty Point Reservoir Lake: 15-inch to 19-inch protected slot limit; bag limit = 8 black bass with no more than one over 19-inches total length;
False River (Point Coupee Parish): 14-inch minimum total length; bag limit = 5 black bass;
John K. Kelly - Grand Bayou Reservoir (Red River Parish): 14-inch to 17-inch protected slot limit; bag limit = 8 black bass with no more than four over 17-inches total length;
Caddo Lake: 14-inch to 18-inch protected slot limit for largemouth bass (no size limit for spotted bass); bag limit = 8 black bass with no more than four over 18-inches total length;
Toledo Bend Reservoir and the Sabine River above Toledo Bend to the point at which the entire river enters Texas: 14-inch minimum total length for largemouth bass (no size limit for spotted bass); bag limit = 8 black bass;
Sabine River from Toledo Bend Dam to I-10: 12-inch minimum total length for largemouth bass (no size limit for spotted bass); bag limit = 8 black bass;
Fish falling within a protected slot limit must be immediately released.
A spotted bass is defined as a black bass with a tooth patch on the tongue.
Blue catfish
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
Total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.
The maximum number of individual fish across an aggregate group of species legally harvested per harvester per day.
The following waterbodies have modified size and bag limits for regulated catfish:
Caddo Lake: no size limit; bag limit = 50 in aggregate (blue catfish + channel catfish) with no more than 5 over 30-inches;
Sabine River: no size limit; bag limit = 50 in aggregate (blue catfish + channel catfish) with no more than 5 over 30-inches;
Toledo Bend: no size limit; bag limit = 50 in aggregate (blue catfish + channel catfish) with no more than 5 over 30-inches;
Red drum
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
Total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.
No person shall harvest any individual fish greater than the maximum size except as permitted.
Total length means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.
Zero Bag for Captain
Bag and possession limit for captains and crew on for-hire vessels is zero.
Beginning June 20, 2024 keeping Red Drum over 27 inches total length is prohibited.
Charter captains and crew will still be allowed to engage in fishing on charter trips to demonstrate how to catch red drum, but will not be allowed to retain red drum towards any limit on the vessel. For more information on the status of the Red Drum stock in Louisiana, visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/hot-topic-red-drum.
Harvest in federal waters prohibited. Recreational saltwater anglers may possess a two days' bag limit on land; however, no person shall be in possession of fish over the daily bag limit in any one day or while fishing or while on the water, unless that recreational saltwater angler is aboard a trawler engaged in commercial fishing for a consecutive period of longer than 25 hours. Take or possession of red drum if federal waters is prohibited. The possession limit for red drum and spotted seatrout taken south of U.S. Hwy 90 shall be three times the daily take limit when the fisherman holds and is in possession of a valid recreational fishing license and can show a landing receipt from a public boat launch located south of U.S. Hwy 90 that demonstrates to the satisfaction of the department that the fisherman has been actively on the water or at a remote camp that can be accessed only by water for two days or more. The fish shall be kept whole or whole gutted in separate bags for each species of fish. The bags shall be marked with the date the fish were taken, the species, the number of fish contained in the bag, and the name and license number of the person taking the fish. The fish shall only be in the possession of the person who took the fish. However, no fisherman shall be actively fishing or engaged in fishing while in possession of more than the daily take limit.
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