The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Inland Fisheries Section, in cooperation with the USFWS’ Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery and the City of Shreveport’s Cross Lake Fish Hatchery, produced and stocked approximately 5.3 million freshwater sportfish into 56 waterbodies statewide during the spring 2025 stocking season. The stocked fishes primarily consisted of Florida Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) (5.2 million).

Florida Bass stocking is not typically performed to increase the abundance of bass in Louisiana waterbodies, but, rather to increase the size potential of bass in Louisiana waterbodies. The Florida Bass species is capable of growing larger than Louisiana’s native Largemouth Bass (Micropterus nigricans) species. The two species readily hybridize, and individuals reaching or exceeding 10 pounds in Louisiana usually have some degree of Florida Bass genetic influence as a result of LDWF’s stocking efforts.

Stocking Florida Bass into existing native populations of Largemouth Bass, where successful, increases the potential for anglers to catch quality and/or trophy bass.

Florida Bass stockings completed from January to June of 2025 are listed in the table below.

Waterbody Species Size Quantity Stocked
Bayou Bartholomew Florida Bass Fingerlings 16,200
Bayou D’Arbonne Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 300,400
Bayou St. John Florida Bass Fingerlings 3,200
Bayou Teche NWR Florida Bass Fingerlings2,000
Black Bayou & Black Bayou Reservoir Florida Bass Fingerlings 11,500
Black Bayou Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 84,200
Black Lake & Clear Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 105,400
Black River Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 33,000
Bussey Brake Florida Bass Fingerlings 40,100
Caddo Lake & James Bayou Florida Bass Fingerlings 176,900
Cameron Prairie Florida Bass Phase II Fingerlings 100
Caney Creek Florida Bass Fingerlings 53,000
Caney Lake (combined) Florida Bass Fingerlings 61,200
Chatham Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 3,100
Cheniere Brake Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 63,400
Chicot Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 32,900
Clear Lake & Smithport Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 15,100
Corney Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 14,600
Cotile Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 26,200
Cross Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 114,100
Drainage Canals (Jefferson & Orleans) Florida Bass Fingerlings 600
Eunice City Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 1,200
False River Florida Bass Fingerlings 6,000
Fullerton Lake Florida Bass Fingerlings 570
Grand Bayou Reservoir Florida Bass Fingerlings 36

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

For more information about stocking, contact Hatchery Biologist Manager Talon Jeppson at (318) 484-6914 or tjeppson@wlf.la.gov.