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Get Out & Fish! Community Fishing Program

Kids 17 and Under Fish Free!

A recreational fishing license is required for anglers 18 and over. You can purchase a license online.

Easy Access to Easy Fishing! 

Get Out & Fish! ponds are stocked with adult-size fish for fun, easy fishing. Stocked ponds are located at community parks throughout Louisiana.


Check In! 

Be sure to check-in when you're fishing at a Get Out & Fish! pond and provide information to help us with our stocking efforts. 

Rainbow Trout Stocking Schedule

Tuesday, January 9 Thursday, January 11 Wednesday, January 17
(This was pushed back from Tuesday due to the weather)
Forts Buhlow & Randolph, Pineville Bayou Country Sports Park, Houma  Joe Brown Park, New Orleans
William T. Polk, Vidalia Southside Regional Park-Fabacher Field, Youngsville   Brec Burbank Park, Baton Rouge
Kiroli Park, West Monroe Girard Park, Lafayette  Sidney Hutchinson, Walker
 Elmore D. Mayfield, Ruston  I-10 Park, Jennings Zemurray Park, Hammond
Grambling City Park Purple Heart Memorial, Ragley  Bogue Chitto, Franklinton
 Turner's Pond, Minden   Parc Natchitoches  

Fishing Tips for Stocked Fish

 

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Channel catfish
  • Stocked in the spring and fall each year,.
  • You’ll have luck fishing for channel catfish along the bottom of the pond with many different types of bait. Channel catfish particularly like baits with a strong smell.

Fishing Gear Checklist

What to Bring Why You Need It
Louisiana Basic Fishing License (freshwater only) Required for anglers 18 and over to fish legally
Any rod/reel combo labeled as medium or medium-heavy Medium-heavy action is best for bigger species like catfish
Tackle box To store your equipment
Monofilament fishing line, 8-12# test, any brand Strength of line recommended for channel catfish
Corks/bobbers For use with cork/bobber rig
Split shot sinkers For use with cork/bobber rig, if you need extra casting distance; size varies based on need
Egg sinkers (1/8-1/4-ounce should be ideal for most conditions) For use with Carolina rig; helps the rig to roll along the bottom without getting snagged
Fluorocarbon leader line, 8-12# test, any brand For use with Carolina rig; hard for fish to see, can improve catch rates
Swivels, small-medium size For use with Carolina rig
Circle hooks (2/0-3/0 size will work for most brands) Best hook type for catfish, helps avoid hook swallowing
Bait (recommend most forms of protein or catfish bait—dough bait, worms, insects, chicken meat, etc.) Live/cut bait is ideal for catfish
Long-nose pliers To assist with hook removal
Landing net To assist with getting the fish out of the water

Fishing Tips Video

Catfish Recipes

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Rainbow trout
  • Will be stocked mid-January to early February, pending a decrease in water temperatures.
  • We suggest fishing for rainbow trout with a light line and small hook. You might try a small spinner lure or rooster tail. Many people have luck with power bait as well. You can catch rainbow trout with both live and dead bait. Click here for a printable PDF of gear suggestions.

Fishing Gear Checklist

What to Bring Why You Need It
Louisiana Basic Fishing License (freshwater only) Required for anglers 18 and over to fish legally
Any rod/reel combo labeled as light or medium-light Lighter action is best for trout species due to their more sensitive bite
Tackle box To store your equipment
Monofilament fishing line, 6-10# test, clear color Strength of line recommended for rainbow trout
Spinning lures, small (1/8-1/4-ounce), rooster tail spinner baits recommended Easy to operate, great for trout  
Corks/bobbers For use with cork/bobber rig
Split shot sinkers For use with cork/bobber rig, if you need extra casting distance; size varies based on need
Egg sinkers (1/8-1/4-ounce) For use with Carolina rig; helps the rig to roll along the bottom without getting snagged
Fluorocarbon leader line, 6-10# test, any brand For use with Carolina rig; hard for fish to see, can improve catch rates
Swivels, small-medium size For use with Carolina rig
J hooks (#8-5 size will work for most brands) For use when fishing with bait instead of a lure
Bait (corn, trout PowerBait) Corn or PowerBait made specifically for trout are commonly used in trout fishing
Long-nose pliers To assist with hook removal
Landing net To assist with getting the fish out of the water

Fishing Tips Video

Rainbow Trout Recipes

 

Don’t forget to bring an ice chest because both rainbow trout and catfish make for great eating. Remember there is a daily limit on rainbow trout of five fish per person. 


 

About the Program

LDWF’s Get Out & Fish! provides easy and affordable access to quality fishing at locations close to cities and towns. Through this program, LDWF partners with local governments and community organizations to stock community fishing ponds with adult channel catfish in the spring and fall and rainbow trout in the winter, weather permitting. By stocking community ponds with fish, we hope to introduce new anglers to the sport of fishing and provide opportunities for current anglers to practice their skills and for former anglers to get back into fishing if they haven’t been for some time.

Get Out & Fish! Events

We launch each new community fishing site that joins the program with a Get Out & Fish! event which includes a fishing competition and fishing education activities. Through these events, we hope to provide the skills necessary to make even new anglers feel prepared to come back to the site and fish at any time on their own. We also hope to provide a family-oriented fishing opportunity that gets youth and their families outside to spend the day together.

How do we select fishing sites for the program?

We partner with community organizations and local governments to identify high-quality fishing locations within a short walk or bike ride from a community or town. All ponds must be open to the public. Ideal sites are three- to 10-acre ponds with amenities such as restrooms, parking, and play areas. LDWF biologists assess each potential pond for suitability as a healthy fishery.

Volunteer with Us

Our dedicated volunteers help make Get Out & Fish! events possible. Volunteering with us provides an opportunity to share your passion for fishing and other outdoor activities with anglers of all ages and levels of experience. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Heather David at hdavid@wlf.la.gov.

Sport Fish Restoration Program Funding

Get Out & Fish! Is funded through the federal Sport Fish Restoration Program. Excise taxes on fishing equipment, motorboat and small engine fuels, import duties, and interest are collected and deposited into the Sport Fish Restoration Fund. These funds are apportioned to each state annually based on land to water ratio and number of paid license holders.

contact
For more information, contact Danica Williams at dwilliams@wlf.la.gov or 504.286.4043.