Fishing Cross Lake

AKA: Shreveport Lake

Popular Fish Species
Cross Lake Fishing Video
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Cross Lake, LA

Popular Fish Species Cross Lake, LA

Crappie Fishing

If you like to load the boat with big slabs, you'll be delighted to know that both black and white crappie reside in Cross Lake. Crappie generally school by species, but once you locate them around cover, you may catch both species due to the fact they often share the same cover. Crappie fishing is on the rise and they can be found in sizeable schools. Crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. The best time to catch crappie tends to be at dawn and dusk. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Cross Lake Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Cross Lake continues to deliver great catches of largemouth bass. Results by locals, and many bass fishing tournament participants, attest to the fact that fishing for largemouth bass has been as good as advertised. A significant number of large bass also roam these waters for the added bonus of a potential lunker. Thorough fisheries management by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has maintained a quality bass fishery for some time now. Generally speaking, when the bite is good bass often move shallow and become fairly aggressive. Any time you find them shallow and they seem disinterested in your presentations, try slowing down and use smaller, lighter baits. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, big worms, jigs and spoons are three good weapons. In winter, spend your time fishing Cross Lake on deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time. Fishing for largemouth bass is good here, year round. Spotted bass also reside here in decent numbers.

Cross Lake Popular Fish - Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish Fishing

Cross Lake supports a healthy population of channel catfish. In Spring, channel catfish tend to migrate toward incoming water, so stay up river away from the main lake. Night fishing for channel catfish often delivers better results than fishing during the day. In early summer look for rocky banks, the bigger the rocks the better. In summer and winter deeper structure is where to look. The river end of the lake is often the area where the bigger catfish are caught. Fishing for channel catfish is often productive around any kind of structure in the area. Road beds, creek channels and rocky points are all good places to begin. Use a slip sinker or Carolina rig with popular catfish baits. Flathead catfish and blue catfish also reside in the lake and fishing for them is often good as well.

Cross Lake Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, longear sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth and hybrid striped bass at Cross Lake in Louisiana.

Located on the western outskirts of Shreveport, LA, Cross Lake is an easy getaway for fishing, boating and water recreation activities. This 8,800-acre lake has over 50 miles of shoreline and has four boat ramps available to the public.

Fishing on Cross Lake is abundant, attracting anglers with its diverse fish population. Largemouth bass and spotted bass are the stars of the show, drawing fishing enthusiasts from all around. Another popular species found in Cross Lake is the channel catfish. Flathead catfish and blue catfish are also present, providing anglers with a chance to target some of the larger catfish species. Crappie fishing is also excellent on Cross Lake, with both black crappie and white crappie found in good numbers. Bluegill and sunfish are plentiful in the lakeas well. One of the unique features of Cross Lake is the presence of hybrid striped bass. These hard-fighting fish are a cross between white bass and striped bass.

Rent a boat or bring your family, pontoon or fishing boat and spend a day enjoying the views plus some excellent fishing opportunities. The lake provides fishing options for a variety of fish species including hybrid stripers, crappies, bass, and multiple species of sunfish. Gar and bowfin also reside in the lake. A great way to learn the secrets to fishing Cross Lake is to hire an experienced, local fishing guide. A fishing pier is free for public use and several areas around the lake are accessible for fishing from the bank. Kayaks and canoes are ideal for accessing much of the shallow-water fishing areas. Moss-covered cypress trees and aquatic vegetation provide the primary cover for bass, crappie, sunfish and baitfish. Two marinas on the lake serve the public boating needs.

Primary fish species residing in Cross Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Lake Cross Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: NEARBY
RV Hookups: NEARBY
Lodging: NEARBY
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Barron's Landing Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the south side of the lake, off S Lakeshore Drive, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and gravel parking.

Cross Lake Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, on the south side of the lake, off S Lakeshore Drive, this is a four-lane, concrete ramp with a dock and paved parking.

Melvin's Landing Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the southeast section of the lake, south side, off Cross Lake Blvd, this is a one-lane, concrete ramp with paved parking.