The Ouachita River might be Brett Preuett’s go-to home water for the summer, but he has plenty of other North Louisiana lakes on which he likes to hone his skills.
Here are five of them and some tips on how to be successful:
Bayou Bartholomew at Sterlington
• Why: It’s loaded with grass, has deep and shallow water, and holds lots of quality bass.
• How: Punching a jig through the mats of vegetation is an awesome way to catch summer lunkers. Plastic worms work well, also — and never go to Bartholomew without a frog.
• Tip: Look for areas where you find more than one kind of grass. Find the greenest, healthiest vegetation because it has more oxygen.
Caney Lake at Chatham
• Why: “This lake is famous for giant bass,” Preuett said. “I have caught two bass over 10 pounds on this lake. You never know how big that next bite will be.”
• How: Big ____. Just put what ever lure you like behind that word. As in big worms, big crankbaits, big football jigs.
• Tip: Look for bass in 15- to 25-foot depths on drop-offs and brush piles. The lake is full of both. Just spend some time finding them, and be patient.
Lake D’Arbonne at Farmerville
•Why: “D’Arbonne is a very large lake that offers many different ways to catch fish from shallow to deep,” Preuett said. “It has a lot of quality bass and is a smaller version of some of the tour lakes we fish on.”
• How: Topwater lures are good early in the morning around grass, boat docks and seawalls.
“Later in the day, I flip cypress trees with jigs and throw crankbaits, jigs and worms out on the channels,” he said.
• Tip: Don’t overlook shallow-water fish on topwaters or lilly pad fields with a frog.
“Fish here feed on bluegills, and I listen for the bream popping in the pads as a sign of life there,” Preuett said.
Bayou Desiard in Monroe
• Why: “The bayou runs right through the ULM campus and it is overlooked as a fishery, but it has quality fish and it’s lots of fun,” the former ULM student explained. “Back in the day, we would walk out from the dorm and catch fish in the ‘back yard.’
“Access is limited, but it’s worth finding a way to get in. You may even have to go in a smaller boat in some areas.”
• How: “Spinnerbaits, flukes and frogs work well for me,” Preuett said. “Those are lures I fish on the tour a lot, too, so it’s a great place to practice with them. Fish them around grass or the cypress trees.”
• Tip: “I like to throw a spinnerbait around the cypress trees all along Bayou Desiard,” he said. “Some big fish can be caught on a frog on the duckweed, and a crankbait works good on the many bridges.”
