Big Lake, Louisiana: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Union Parish entry here is Big Lake, in Louisiana. The surface lies 75 feet up. With some 142 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. For supplies, West Crossett is 16 miles out. For a city, Shreveport is 99 miles off. Alternatives close at hand: Mallard Lake just 2.9 miles, Little Mallard Lake after 3.5 miles, Fish Lake just 4 miles, Finch Lake after 5.7 miles and Company Pond just 5.9 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Big Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover mud darter, river darter and black crappie. Reported species tell you what lives around here, nothing more. Read Big Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 81°F on average, January about 43°F. Temperatures stay workable through the cold season. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Big Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Mallard Lake, 2.9 miles away. Where Big Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.