Fishing Wood Lake in Vernon Parish, Louisiana

• Overview

  Wood Lake lies within the bounds of Vernon Parish, Louisiana. What surrounds it is pine and hardwood. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The town to know is Newton, 16 miles out. Rosepine is 17 miles away, with Merryville at 18 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Wood Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public wildlife records from this area list bluegill, spotted bass and dusky darter. Records come from public data, not from a stocking programme. On Wood Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 82°F; the cold one sits at 47°F. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Expect Wood Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Round Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Wood Lake as something to verify.