Misc rules & regulations

[jsmoke222000]

Daily Bag Limits

Black Drum:
16 inches minimum total length. Five fish per person daily bag limit and possession limit with not more than one exceeding 27 inches.

Red Drum (Redfish):
16 inches minimum total length. Five fish per person daily bag limit with not more than one exceeding 27 inches. Take or possession of red drum in federal waters is prohibited.

Flounder:
10 fish per person for each consecutive day on the water.

Recreational Shrimping Information
Recreational cast netting for shrimp is permitted during the Louisiana inshore waters shrimp season only. Cast nets must be less than 8.5 feet in radius. The daily shrimp limit is five gallons of heads-on shrimp per day, per vehicle or boat. Cast netting for bait is permitted year round. The shrimp limit, when cast netting for bait outside the Louisiana inshore waters shrimp season, is one gallon.

Crabbing:
Crabs may be taken with hand lines or drop nets. Only cotton line and drop nets up to 24” outside diameter may be used. Floats on crab lines are prohibited. On Calcasieu Lake the daily crab limit is 12 dozen (144) crabs per day, per vehicle or boat.

There are also a few rules & regulations that are different from the rest of the state that everyone fishing in Calcasieu Lake should be aware of.

Spotted Seatrout (Speckled Trout):
12 inches minimum total length. 15 fish daily take and possession limit, with no more than two spotted seatrout exceeding 25 inches total length, regardless of where taken (which are considered part of the daily bag and possession limit) in a defined area of Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes in southwestern Louisiana.

These regulations apply to the area of the state, including coastal territorial waters, south of Interstate 10 from its junction at the Texas-Louisiana boundary eastward to its junction with Louisiana Highway 171, south to Highway 14, and then south to Holmwood, and then south on Highway 27 through Gibbstown south to Louisiana Highway 82 at Creole and south on Highway 82 to Oak Grove and then due south to the western shore of the Mermentau River, following this shoreline south to the junction with the Gulf of Mexico, and then due south to the limit of the state territorial sea.

Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge East Cove Unit
(This area can be accessed by passing through the Grand Bayou boat bay also known as the Grand Bayou Weirs)

Access
Public access into East Cove Unit is open year round, except during the Louisiana west zone waterfowl hunting season or when Grand Bayou boat bay is closed. When Grand Bayou boat bay is closed, the East Cove Unit is closed to ALL public use. All State boating regulations must be followed. Outboard motors and go-devil type or air cooled motors may be operated in refuge canals, bayous and lakes. Trolling motors may be operated in refuge marshes. There are no horsepower restrictions on boat motors; however, the Grand Bayou boat bay passage into the Unit is only 10 feet wide. Boat passage through Grand Bayou water control structure is permitted only when the boat bay is completely open. Public use within this unit is restricted to boat use only. Walking, wading, and/or climbing in or on the marsh, levees, or structures is prohibited.

Hours
Boat admittance into the refuge is permitted from one hour before legal sunrise until one hour after legal sunset; however, recreational fishing, crabbing, and cast netting activities are prohibited until legal sunrise and after legal sunset.

Closed Area
There are signs posted @ Grand Bayou Weirs & Lamberts Bayou Weirs that clearly state that the area within 250 ft. of the weirs is closed to all activity. The only activity allowed in this area is through boat traffic in the Grand Bayou Boat Bay going to & from the marsh. If you are fishing or your boat is anchored off inside the 250 ft barrier & you are caught, get your check book ready! The fine is $200 for fishing in a closed area & there is a $25 processing fee for the fine as well. This is a Federal violation! You have been warned.

Crabbing (East Cove Unit):
Crabs may be taken with hand lines or drop nets. Only cotton line and drop nets up to 24” outside diameter may be used. Floats on crab lines are prohibited. The daily crab limit inside the Cameron Prairie Wildlife Refuge East Cove Unit (behind the weirs) is 5 dozen (60) crabs per day, per vehicle or boat.

Additional information on the East Cove Unit can be found

[nap]

i think anyone that fishes a body of water outta know the regulations. thanks

[jsmoke222000]

Me 2, that's why i posted them!

[jcw0942]

hey i'm new to big lake we just came down last weekend and stayed for three days down by herberts landing. we had a blast and caught alot of fish. just wondering the first weir didn't have any signs on it can you fish from that one just good to know if it was all of them or just the couple that you mentioned? we had a real good weekend on big lake can't wait to come back. i'm from shreveport,la area and i mainly bass fish but looking forward to hitting the reds and specs again soon

[jsmoke222000]

The only 2 weirs that you cannot fish close to are the 3rd (grand bayou) & 4th (lamberts bayou) sets. They border the refuge. The other 3 sets are ok to get close to but you can't fish off of them. If you get out of your boat & onto the weir you can get a trespassing ticket.

[jcw0942]

thanks alot man

[LCangler]

I thought the crabbing limit was 12 doz in Big Lake, but only 5 doz. behind the wiers in the refuge? Do you know which? I will check the state pamphlet when I have time.

[gerald]

[jsmoke222000]

Apparently I overlooked that. I have revised the first post accordingly. Good catch!

[gerald]