Fishing at Morel Lake, Concordia Parish, Louisiana

• Overview

  Set in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, this is Morel Lake. The ground round it is pine and hardwood. It runs to roughly 88 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Roughly 1.2 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Simmesport sits 10 miles from the bank. The big place round here is Baton Rouge, 55 miles distant. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Morel Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include flathead catfish, black carp, silver carp and bighead carp. Use it to know what is possible here, not what is certain. Fish Morel Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 82°F at the top of summer and 48°F at the bottom of winter. It fishes twelve months of the year. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. On Morel Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Moreau Lake is 1.3 miles off. Check the position at Morel Lake before loading the car.