Monday Lake Fishing near Batchelor, Louisiana

• Overview

  Monday Lake falls in Pointe Coupee Parish, part of Louisiana. The water sits 30 feet up. About 3.4 sq miles, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. With about 30 miles of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. It is the biggest water on our Pointe Coupee Parish list. Batchelor lies 5.3 miles from the water. The big place round here is Baton Rouge, 35 miles distant. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Monday Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include longnose gar, threadfin shad, spotted gar and grass carp. The records cover the area rather than this water alone. Monday Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 49°F in January to roughly 82°F in July. Summer is the season to work around, not winter. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Plan around that when you fish Monday Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Sort the permit out before you load the car. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Cobb Lake, 8.3 miles away. Where Monday Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.