LDWF’s fish hatcheries stocked 4.2 million freshwater sportfish statewide this spring

(Photo courtesy LDWF)

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) hatcheries produced and stocked approximately 4.2 million freshwater sportfish into 50 waterbodies statewide during the spring 2024 stocking season. The stocked fish primarily consisted of Florida Bass (4.2 million) and Hybrid Striped Bass (67,100).

LDWF owns and operates Booker Fowler, Beechwood, Huey P. Long, and Monroe Fish Hatcheries. Hatcheries also partner with the USFWS’ Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery and the City of Shreveport’s Cross Lake Fish Hatchery to meet statewide fish production needs. Fish are requested annually by LDWF’s nine fisheries management districts primarily to enhance or improve sportfishing opportunities.

“We are proud to be able to stock such a large quantity of freshwater sportfish throughout the state for the benefit of our fisheries habitat and recreational anglers,” said LDWF Secretary Madison Sheahan. “Our goal for fish stockings is to have a healthy population of sportfish statewide and to provide ample opportunity for recreational anglers to try their hand at catching large trophy bass in our Sportsman’s Paradise.”

While Louisiana hatcheries support various fish stocking needs throughout the state, most of today’s hatchery resources are directed to the production of Florida Bass. The Florida Bass can grow larger than Louisiana’s native Largemouth Bass species. The two species readily hybridize, and individuals reaching or exceeding 10 pounds in Louisiana usually have some degree of Florida Bass genetic influence due to LDWF’s stocking efforts. Stocking this species into existing native populations of Largemouth Bass, where successful, increases the potential for anglers to catch quality and/or trophy bass. Below are a few examples of the Florida Bass genetic influence in some of our most notable bass lakes.

Lacassine Pool 96.4% Indian Creek 36.7%
NOLA City Park 80.2% Chicot Lake 32.5%
Poverty Point 71.0% False River 29.6%
Cypress Lake 43.2% Bundick Lake 26.5%
Toledo Bend 42.1% Lake Claiborne 26.1%

Stocking of Florida Bass focuses hatchery resources on areas with the best likelihood for success. Stocking is no longer done in areas where introgression of the Florida gene into the native bass population has been unsuccessful or in habitats where bass do not generally live to an age where they can reach trophy size.

Below are the results of stocking activities completed by LDWF Hatcheries from January to June of this calendar year.

Body of Water Species Size Quantity Stocked
Bayou Bartholomew Florida Bass Fingerlings 20,000
Bayou dArbonne Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 271,700
Black Bayou Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 15,000
Black Bayou and Black Bayou Reservoir Florida Bass Fingerlings 38,000
    Fingerlings* 12,200
Bussey Brake Black Crappie Fingerlings 4,200
  Florida Bass Fingerlings 49,100
  White Crappie Fingerlings 132
Caddo Lake and James Bayou Florida Bass Fingerlings 151,000
Calcasieu River Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings 29,500
Caney Lake (combined) Florida Bass Fingerlings* 4,200
Chatham Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 3,100
Cheniere Brake Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 62,500
    Fingerlings* 214,900
    Fry* 405,000
Chicot Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 32,000
Corney Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 14,000
Cotile Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 24,800
Crooked Creek Lake Bluegill Fingerlings 1,000
  Florida Bass Fingerlings 8,000
Cross Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 99,000
    Fingerlings* 7,100
Dubuisson Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 4,000
False River Florida Bass Fingerlings 6,000
Fullerton Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 500
Grand Bayou Reservoir Florida Bass Fingerlings 30,000
Gretna City Pond Florida Bass Fingerlings 200
Hardwater Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 10,000
Iatt Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 71,000
Ivan Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 6,000
Kepler Creek Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 25,300
Kincaid Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 38,000
Lake Bistineau Florida Bass Fingerlings 139,900
Lake Bruin Florida Bass Fingerlings 20,200
  Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings 6,700
Lake Buhlow Florida Bass Fry* 206,400
Lake Claiborne Florida Bass Fingerlings 80,000
  Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings 16,100
Lake Concordia Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings 2,700
Lake Fausse Point and Dauterive Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 100,000
Lake Providence Florida Bass Fingerlings 39,700
    Fry* 515,400
Lake St. John Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings 5,000
Larto Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 80,200
Mermentau River Paddlefish Fingerlings 1,039
Mill Creek Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 7,900
Nantachie Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 31,000
Parc Des Families Florida Bass Phase II Fingerlings 400
Parc Natchitoches Florida Bass Phase II Fingerlings 44
Pearl River Navigation Canal Florida Bass Phase II Fingerlings 2,300
Perez Park Pond Florida Bass Fingerlings 200
Poverty Point Reservoir Florida Bass Fingerlings 20,000
  Hybrid Striped Bass Fingerlings 7,100
Rockefeller Refuge Florida Bass Fingerlings 150,100
Ruston Sports Complex Bluegill Fingerlings 1,000
Sibley Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 22,000
Spring Bayou Florida Bass Fingerlings 54,000
    Fingerlings* 163,600
    Fry* 197,400
Toledo Bend Reservoir Florida Bass Fingerlings 620,000
    Fingerlings* 41,900
Valentine Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 1,000
Vernon Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 84,000
Woolen Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 5,000

(Surplus Stocking*)

More information about the LDWF Freshwater Fish Hatcheries can be viewed at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/freshwater-fish  -hatcheries.