Fishing Report For Caney Creek Reservoir, LA

Current Report: Good

Caney Creek Reservoir has a healthy population of quality bass. Winners of many recent bass tournaments have had an average of over 4 pounds per fish, with an occasional winner averaging around 5 pounds per fish. The six major creek arms on the east side of the lake is where a lot of the bass action has been good.

FALL. Now that late Fall taking over, bass are moving out of shallow coves and shallow bays, following schools of baitfish back into 12 to 20 feet of water. Points dropping into the main river channel, in the Jimmie Davis State Park peninsula area, and around boat ramps, are popular choices. Currently artificial worms, spoons and jigs are catching most of the bass. Later in Fall, as deeper water cools, bait and bass move out to ledges, channel edges, points and humps where flutter spoons, jigs and drop shots are often good choices in 15 to 20 feet of water.

WINTER. Winter will isolate largemouth around slightly deeper structure, flats, points and creek channels. They can be found from 10 to 30 feet deep, around main-lake channel edges, rock piles, stump fields, submerged timber, brush piles. Here they hold, feeding less frequently, awaiting warmer water to return in Spring. Slow presentations are key to getting bites. On warmer days, especially during late afternoons, bass may move shallower to feed.

SPRING. Once water temperatures rise into the low 60's, largemouth will move from deep wintering holes, to shallower water nearby spawning areas. Anglers report good topwater action from mid Spring through Summer, especially early in the morning, and on cloudy days. Vibrating jigs, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits typically get bites just away from the shoreline. At this time they are feeding aggressively in about 1 to 8 feet of water, and preparing for the spawn. Once water warms into the mid to high 60's, they will move into 2 to 5 feet of water, and create nests, then lay their eggs. Immediately afterwards, females move to deeper water and males remain to guard the eggs, and then the fry. After a couple weeks, the males also move to slightly deeper water, around 6 to 15 feet deep. Deep-diving crankbaits, vibrating jigs, plastic worms, jigs, worms, and swimbaits catch bass during this period.

SUMMER. Water temperatures will warm considerably in Summer. Bass will feed shallow, early and late in the day, where they will be caught in 2 to 12 feet of water, on topwater lures, square-bill crankbaits, spinnerbaits and a variety of other lures. Wacky-rigged stick worms always catch finicky bass when the bite is slow. Largemouth bass here feed on shad, herring, small sunfish and crawfish. During the hotter parts of the day, they are being caught on points, channel edges, and ledges 15 to 35 feet deep. Some of the best reports seem to be from anglers fishing around weed lines, lily pads, shorelines with vegetation, brush near the main lake, and around docks.

Current Report: Good To Very Good

Crappie are the main attraction here and the fishing is very good for fat slabs. Crappie, often referred to as "sac-a-lait", or white perch, are abundant and run above average in size. The lake is loaded with docks, brush, wood and vegetation.

FALL. Baitfish, which are moving out of shallow flats, coves and bays, are drawing crappie into deeper water. They are feeding heavily in preparation for the cold Winter, in 8 to 18 feet of water. Ideal target areas include brush piles, submerged timber adjacent to channel edges, and secondary points. Minnows, hair jigs, and crappie jigs, are good options during this feeding marathon. Late fall starts the migration deeper, toward winter holding areas, for both crappie and baitfish. Small flutter spoons, fished in 15 to 25 feet of water, are a good option during this transition. Good results are coming around points, creek channels, and brush piles.

WINTER. Once the shallows start cooling rapidly, crappie will migrate to deeper holding areas, mostly off shore. At this time they are typically caught using a very slow presentation, in 15 to 30 feet of water. Most are caught around deep brush piles, creek channel bends, submerged timber, and main-lake structure. If they are suspending in open water, they often relate to some cover, or structure change, directly below them. During warming trends, especially warm afternoons, they are drawn into 8 to 15 feet of water to feed.

SPRING. In early Spring, crappie begin staging in 1 to 10 feet of water, just outside spawning bays and shallow flats. Spring is prime time to be on the water, as both black crappie and white crappie have moved shallow to spawn. At that time, they are typically caught in 3 to 8 feet of water. Vegetation, docks, brush and wood are where most anglers catch crappie using small crappie jigs or live minnows. After the spawn, crappie typically move outside the spawning area and hold on cover close by, in 6 to 15 feet of water. Early and late in the day they are being caught in 3 to 8 feet of water. Once they move deep, anglers are using fish finders and forward facing sonar to locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Light tackle, with 4 lb to 8 lb line, is a popular choice.

SUMMER. Water temperatures get quite warm, and crappie fishing is usually pretty good. They feed in 3 to 6 feet of water early and late in the day, until the hot Summer sun causes them to retreat to depths around 15 feet. Also, a few have embedded in the shade of slightly shallower vegetation. This is a good time to focus around brush piles, weed line edges, standing timber, deep brush piles, and deeper docks. Anglers are also locating schools of crappie hanging over deep structure and around creek channel edges, using fish-finder electronics.

Current Report: Fair To Good

Bluegill are a primary food source for predator fish here, as well as a sport fish for fun and table fare. Local anglers report good size bluegill being caught with some frequency.

FALL. Cooling, Fall weather dropped the water temperature in the shallows and has driven bluegill into deeper water, around 6 to 12 feet deep. Steeper banks and shallow, weedy areas with drop-offs are holding bluegill. Later in Fall, as the shallows get colder, bluegill will move into 8 to 15 feet of water, in the same areas.

WINTER. Cooling shallows have driven the bluegill back to deeper cover, in water ranging from 8 to 20 feet deep. In areas with no cover, anglers typically find them around sharp drops, into even deeper water. Small baits, on light tackle, worked slowly tends to get the best results.

SPRING. In early Spring, bluegill migrate from winter holding areas toward the shoreline areas, and are typically caught around 1 to 6 feet deep. As the water warms to the mid 70's they will begin the spawning ritual, building nests in 1 to 3 feet of water. Many of the bigger bluegill prefer to spawn a bit deeper, depending on water clarity. After the spawn, bluegill drop to 5 or 6 feet deep. Small spinners and swimbaits, or jigs tipped with small pieces of nightcrawlers are good choices for catching a lot of bluegill in Spring. A hook, line, weight and bobber, with small pieces of worms, also catches lots of bluegill.

SUMMER. Following the spawn, most of the bigger bluegill migrate to deeper water, around 2 to 10 feet deep. They prefer rocky or weedy areas, often hanging out on steep, rocky banks where they can move up and down to feed without having to travel a great distance. Small spoons, underspins, and mini-crankbaits are catching some of the bigger bluegill. Earthworms are also catching good numbers. Early and late in the day, anglers catch them in 1 to 6 feet of water.