For largemouth bass, length limit is a 14-18” slot. No minimum length on spotted bass. Daily bag for all black bass species = 8 fish in any combination, of which no more than 4 may be largemouth bass 18 inches or longer. Possession limit = 10. New Lake Record Bass (16.17 lb.) caught by Keith Burns in March, 2010. Actress Jennifer Garner with Caddo Lake fishing guide Paul Keith (5-23-10) Looking for a new Boat Lift? New Toll Free Phone: 866-564-9777. Caddo Lake provides the setting and was strikingly beautiful on our recent visit (December). We felt as if we had traveled back in time, especially as Capt. Ron recounted the history of Caddo Lake during its heyday of the late 1800's. If you get a chance, sit on the top deck of the steamboat (there is a limit of about 20 people). Misc Info: - Game fishes on the Texas side of the lake are managed under statewide regulations with the exception of largemouth bass, which is subject to a 14-18 inch slot length limit, 5 fish daily bag limit. The Texas Department of Health recommends limited consumption of largemouth bass and freshwater drum from this lake due to mercury levels.

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Caddo Lake is located on the Texas-Louisiana state line, northeast of Marshall in Harrison and Marion counties. The lake sprawls across 26, 800 acres and averages a maximum depth of 20 feet. Approximately 60 percent of the lake is dominated by native submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation.

Game fish on the Texas side of the lake are managed under statewide regulations with the exception of largemouth bass, which is subject to a 14 to 18 inch slot length limit, five fish daily bag limit. Louisiana harvest regulations differ for many species and apply when fishing the Louisiana side of Caddo Lake. For more information, log on to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website or call (318) 676-7594.

Largemouth bass is the most popular sportfish in Caddo Lake, with good numbers of trophy-size bass (over 8lbs) available. The lake also supports quality crappie, white bass, and sunfish fisheries. Channel, blue, and flathead catfish are present and provide good seasonal fishing opportunities. Chain pickerel, a smaller cousin of the northern pike, is also present and frequently sought by anglers because of its sporting qualities.

Although largemouth bass fishing is good throughout the year, the time to fish for trophy fish is spring, with March being the most productive month. Crappie fishing is most productive in winter and early spring with good numbers of legal-size fish available for harvest. Peak fishing time for white bass occurs during winter and early spring in areas where water current is present. Chain pickerel are also good at this time of the year; the best habitat to fish is around submerged aquatic vegetation. Late spring and early summer is a most productive time to fish for sunfishes and catfishes at Caddo Lake.

Caddo began as a natural lake, but was dammed for flood control in the early 1900s. Native and non-native aquatic vegetation covers approximately 95 percent of the lake’s surface area in Texas. Inundated baldcypress trees are scattered throughout this comparatively shallow water body and provide excellent fish habitat. Man-made structures such as fishing piers and duck blinds also provide habitat for cover-seeking species.

Public Ramps & Marinas

Highway 43 Ramp

• Located on the south river bank upstream of the lake. From Marshall, take Texas 43 east to Cypress Bayou.
• Two-lane concrete ramp
• No fee required
• Open all year
• Maintained by Harrison County (903) 935-4808

Caddo Lake State Park

• Located on the south river bank upstream of the main lake. From US 59 north of Marshall, take Texas 43 east to FM Road 2198 and go east approximately 1 mile to park entrance.
• Two-lane boat ramp
• Day use fee required
• Open all year
• Operated by Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. (903) 679-3351

Pine Needle Lodge

• Located on the west end of the lake. From Marshall take Texas Highway 43 east to FM 805.
• Two-lane unimproved boat ramp
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (903) 665-2911

Shady Glade Marina

• Located on the west bank at mid-lake. Take Texas 43 east from Marshall to FM 2198 and go east to Uncertain.
• Single lane concrete ramp with a maximum parking capacity of 20
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (903) 789-3295

Johnson’s Ranch

• Located on the west bank at mid-lake. Take Texas 43 east from Marshall to FM 2198 and go east to Uncertain.
• Single-lane concrete ramp with a maximum parking capacity of 15
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (903) 789-3213

Cripp’s Camp

• Located on the west bank at mid-lake. Take Texas 43 east from Marshall to FM 2198 and go east to Uncertain.
• Single lane concrete ramp with a maximum parking capacity of 30
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (903) 789-3233

Tucker’s Camp

• Located on the south shore of the lake. From Interstate 20 at Waskom, take FM 9 north and turn right onto Tucker Road.
• Two single-lane boat ramps
• Fee required
• Open all year
• Privately operated (903) 679-3137

Collier’s Launch

• Located on the south shore near the Louisiana state line. From Interstate 20 at Waskom take FM 9 north and turn right at Swanson’s Road (CR 2613). Follow signs to boat ramp.
• Single-lane boat ramp
• Fee required
• Open all year

Potter’s Point

• Located on the north shore. Take Texas 43 east from Marshall to Smithland, turn east on Texas 49, then go south on FM 727 at Gray and take Marion County Private Road 3644 to the right.
• Single-lane boat ramp
• $3.00 fee
• Open all year
• Privately operated (903) 930-1940

What exactly is Giant Salvinia?

Giant Salvinia is a floating aquatic fern from southern Brazil. It is theorized that it made its way to the United States via the aquarium and water garden industry.

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Why is it a bad thing?

Salvinia is capable of exponential growth. In laboratory conditions it has been found that a single plant can cover 40 square miles or about 25,000 surface acres in a 3 month period.

What impact does this have on the environment?

Because it grows so fast it can quickly cover a body of water. Sunlight cannot penetrate through a mat of salvinia and so the water underneath becomes devoid of dissolved oxygen. Without dissolved oxygen fish cannot survive under the mat.

Also, some of the plants die off during the year whether from old age, cold weather, herbicide applications or biological treatments. When these plants die they fall to the bottom of the lake and make the lake more shallow is some areas.

How did it get in Caddo Lake?

Giant Salvinia was first discovered in the lake in 2006. It most likely was brought to Caddo Lake via boat trailers. This is how the plant travels from lake to lake. One plant on a boat trailer could lead to the infestation of another lake. It is absolutely vital that everyone who boats on a lake take the time to Clean, Drain and Dry their boat after they take it out of the lake and before it is launched at another lake. This is the only way to keep if from continuing to spread across the south.

What steps are being taken to combat it at Caddo?

There are 4 basic ways to lessen the impact once it is in a lake and also to try and prevent its spread to other bodies of water: Outreach and Education. Physical Removal, Herbicide Applications and Biological Control

Texas Parks and Wildlife has undertaken a huge ad campaign (Outreach and Education) to make boaters aware of salvinia and other invasives like Zebra Mussels that are also transported by boat from lake to lake.

Physical removal was attempted at Caddo using a barge with a conveyor system on it. Salvinia is very heavy, it is 98% water. An acre of plants weighs around 20 TONS! At this time it is not considered a viable method to combat the plant at Caddo.

Texas Parks and Wildlife has an ongoing herbicide application program going at Caddo, as well as many other lakes in Texas. These herbicides are labeled as safe to use in aquatic environments. Herbicides offer a fairly quick kill time and are used to lessen the amount of salvinia on a given water body as well as a spot treatment to maintain navigation along boat roads and in front of boat ramps.

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Biological treatments take longer to work. The idea is to take an insect that is a natural enemy of salvinia and place it on the mat of plants to allow the insect to eat the plant and retard its growth. The Giant Salvinia Weevil is the approved biocontrol agent here in Texas. This insect is plant specific, meaning it has been thoroughly tested by the USDA to ensure it will not eat plants other than Giant Salvinia.

Are weevils being used at Caddo?

Do the weevils work?

Weevils are very effective against salvinia in Tropical and Subtropical environments. Caddo Lake is a more temperate climate and is on the northern limit of both salvinia and the weevils. Weevils can survive an average winter at Caddo but if the weather is below normal for extended times they do not do as well. The salvinia is slightly more cold-hearty than the weevil so the plant survives our winters a little better than the weevil. This is the reason they are grown in greenhouses. The weevils are able to overwinter in the greenhouse and can be out on the lake in the spring when the water reaches 68-70 degrees. Also, in this northern range CBA and TPWD use what is called an integrated pest management program combining the use of herbicides and weevils to maximize the suppression efforts again salvinia.

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Can you put weevils out at my dock?

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That depends.

There are a number of factors to consider before weevils are released into an area. The mat of salvinia has to be large enough to support a reproducing population of weevils, (you cannot put them on a few scattered plants). Also, it can take several years for weevil populations to grow enough to begin to control a given area so the area should not be one that is on the herbicide spray schedule for TPWD. CBA coordinates with TPWD on weevil releases to make sure they know where they are so they can avoid spraying the area.