Tarkill Lake Fishing Guide, Rapides Parish, Louisiana

• Overview

  Tarkill Lake lies in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. It sits in dry hill country. It runs to roughly 29 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. For a base, Lecompte sits 9.3 miles out. Alexandria is 11 miles and Pineville 11 miles. Nearest other option: Big Lake at about 0.8 miles, Hog Lake sits 2.5 miles out, Tanyard Lake at about 4.4 miles, Rock Island Lake sits 4.8 miles out and Reynolds Lake at about 6 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Tarkill Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public wildlife records from this area list threadfin shad, gizzard shad, blue catfish, striped bass and skipjack herring. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. On Tarkill Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 48°F in January to roughly 82°F in July. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Expect Tarkill Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Big Lake at 0.8 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Tarkill Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.