Deep channels like this one are prime fishing spots for catching
February crappie at Caddo Lake. (Photo: Keith Lusher)
Destination: Caddo Lake Crappie
by Keith Lusher
It’s been said by some that there isn’t another body of water that comes close to comparing to Caddo Lake. The previous Mayor of Uncertain, Texas (yes, that’s really its name), said, “There isn’t another lake like it in Texas and there isn’t another lake like it in the world. You can take somebody who doesn’t believe in God, show them this lake, and immediately they’ll know that there is a God upstairs.”
Caddo Lake covers 25,400 acres and is best described as a flooded cypress forest. Forrest Green of Lacombe, LA, has been fishing the lake for nearly 12 years and said he can’t stop coming back to Caddo even though it’s a 740-mile round trip.
“For me, Caddo soothes my soul,” said Green. “There’s just something about the cypress trees and the Spanish moss swaying in the breeze that speaks to me.”
While the scenery is high on Green’s list, he does admit that the #1 reason he makes numerous trips to Caddo is the quality crappie it produces. The lake is an average of seven feet deep with its deepest section being 20 feet – so the lake offers anglers a unique fishing opportunity unlike many others across the south.
Green prefers Caddo for crappie in February and said nothing compares to the fish he catches there.
“I’ve caught sac-a-lait all over Louisiana but there’s nothing like catching them in Caddo Lake,” he said. “It’s an all-cypress lake and it’s a structure fishermen’s dream.”
Like any lake that spans across a state line, it is important to remember that Caddo falls under two states’ jurisdiction. Fortunately, you don’t need both a Texas and Louisiana license to fish the lake; either license will cover you on your trip. And there are no size limits for either state, but the daily bag limit for Texas is 25, while the creel limit in Louisiana is 50 per person.
That means you better not launch in Texas, go catch 50 crappie (per person) in Louisiana, and then carry them all back into Texas.
In February, Green fishes in the deeper channels in the lake in 12-16 feet of water. He targets large lily pads that line the edge of the drop-off in about eight feet of water. Green uses a 7-foot Crappie Maxx rod with 6-pound line. His favorite lure is a 1.5-inch paddle tail plastic minnow that he pours himself. He markets the baits under the name “Mr. Green Crappie Bait.” The name captures his simplistic style and straight-to-the-point attitude.
Green threads his plastic on a 1/16-ounce jighead and fishes it under a clip-on cork that he rigs about four feet deep. While the cork is a standard freshwater cork, the crappie veteran does make a small modification that allows the cork to become more buoyant.
He purchases two weighted corks. One is a 2-inch cork and another is 1.5 inches. “I take that lead weight that’s wrapped around the bottom of the 1.5-inch cork and put the lighter weight on the larger cork,” he said. “This eliminates the cork from being too weighed down when I add the 1/16 oz. jig head to the end of the line.”
Green said his favorite colors to use in February are black and blue.
While Green targets the deeper channels in the lake in February, as the days get longer and warmer, Caddo Lake crappie will start to move to more shallow water to spawn. Green advises monitoring the water temperature to know when to make the switch over to fishing the shallow cypress-laden sections of the lake.
“When that water hits 60 (degrees), these fish will head for the cypress and these deeper sections of the lake will be done until the summer when they are looking for the cooler water that the channels offer,” he said.
Along with its fantastic sac-a-lait fishing, Caddo Lake offers an option for families as well. Just four miles upstream from the lake is Caddo Lake State Park. The park is located next to the sprawling 8,500-acre Caddo Lake National Refuge and offers enough activities to keep the family entertained for days.
Canoes are available for rent at the popular paddling destination Saw Mill Pond, which is a large inlet from the bayou that gives you an open lake aspect. The pond is ideal for watching wildlife, especially birds, and can hold the attention of younger children for hours.
Another excellent paddling destination is Big Cypress Bayou. For experienced paddlers, I would recommend Hell’s Half Acre paddling Trail which is not the most strenuous paddling trail I’ve been on, but is risky in terms of how dangerous it can be if you don’t follow the trail markings. Getting lost in this section of the lake could mean a night spent in the cypress trees, alligators, and mosquitoes.
As far as accommodations, Lake Caddo State Park has four campsites ranging from water-only to full hookup sites for campers. For those who want more amenities, the park has historic cabins for rent that include two-person to six-person dwellings. These cabins provide enough comfort for the family even when you’re out on the water putting crappie in the box.
Keith Lusher is an award-winning outdoor journalist from Covington, Louisiana. He owns and operates NorthshoreFishingReport.com and writes for the Slidell Independent Newspaper and VisitTheNorthshore.com. Lusher contributes to numerous publications both online and in print and prides himself on promoting South Louisiana’s unique fishery.
