New Fishing Regulations in the Atchafalaya Basin and Nearby Waterbodies Beginning August 1

Baton Rouge, Jul 09, 2026 - Beginning August 1, 2026, new recreational fishing regulations for black bass and crappie will take effect in portions of the Atchafalaya Basin and nearby waterbodies in south-central Louisiana.

The regulation changes were established through Senate Bill 111 of the 2026 Regular Session, authored by Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter and signed into law as Act. No. 460.

The following regulations will apply to all waters within the designated area indicated below:

Black bass (Micropterus spp.)

• Minimum length limit: 12 inches
• Daily Creel Limit: 5 fish

This regulation applies to Largemouth Bass, Florida Bass, Spotted Bass, and their hybrids.

Crappie (Pomoxis spp.)

• Minimum length limit: 8 inches
• Daily Creel Limit: 25 fish

This regulation applies to Black Crappie, White Crappie, and their hybrids.

Major waterbodies within the area of regulation change include, but are not limited to, Henderson Lake, Grassy Lake, Lake Verret, Lake Palourde, and the majority of the Atchafalaya Basin.  The area covered by the new regulations is within the area south of US 190 from the West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee to the intersection of LA 1 and US 190 due north of Port Allen, east of the West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee from US 190 to US 90, north of US 90 from the West Atchafalaya Basin Protection Levee to LA 20, north and west of LA 20 from US 90 to LA 1 in Thibodaux, south and west of LA 1 from LA 20 to US 190.

Areas outside of the designated area will maintain the statewide regulations for black bass and crappie with no minimum length limits. The statewide regulations include a daily creel limit of 10 black bass and a daily creel limit of 50 crappie per licensed angler. Full recreational fishing regulations can be viewed on the LDWF website.

Anglers utilizing any boat launch within the regulated area must be in compliance with the new regulations regardless of where their fish were caught.

For more information on this Act, including the official legal description of the regulation change boundaries, see Act No. 460.  

For information regarding the Atchafalaya Basin, contact Brac Salyers at bsalyers@wlf.la.gov or 337-262-2080.  For information about Lakes Verret, Grassy, or Palourde, contact Brian Heimann at bheimann@wlf.la.gov or 225-765-2337.