Black Lake in Beauregard Parish: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana, sits Black Lake. The surface lies 89 feet up. The water measures roughly 10 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Nearest place of any size is Merryville, 1.6 miles away. Newton is 13 miles away, with DeRidder at 18 miles. Within a short run: Sand Lake sits 1.6 miles out, Horseshoe Lake (2.8 miles), Kimmey Lake sits 2.9 miles out, Horseshoe Lake (3.2 miles) and Moon Lake sits 3.3 miles out. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Black Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include spotted bass, bluegill, Rio Grande longear sunfish, blue sucker and blacktail shiner. Presence in the area does not guarantee a fish on the day. Work Black Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 82°F; the cold one sits at 49°F. Summer is the season to work around, not winter. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Plan any trip to Black Lake around it. The first frost of the year slows things for a few days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Sand Lake at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat Black Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.