2026 regulation year
Louisiana Crappie (white + black) 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Pomoxis annularis / Pomoxis nigromaculatus
Last updated
Louisiana crappie fishing — locally called 'sac-a-lait' — runs across the entire freshwater state but the headline waters are Lake D'Arbonne in Union Parish (premier trophy crappie reservoir), the Atchafalaya Basin (river-swamp crappie throughout the 1.4 million-acre cypress-tupelo system), Lake Bistineau, and the Red River backwater chain (Black Lake / Clear Lake / Saline Lake in Natchitoches Parish). The statewide bag is a generous 50 / day combined white + black crappie with NO minimum length and a 100-fish possession limit. A few waters carry their own rules: Poverty Point, Caddo Lake, and the Sabine River are 25 / day (50 possession); Toledo Bend is 25 / day (100 possession); Eagle Lake holds an 11-inch minimum (30 / day); Bussey Brake a 10-inch minimum (25 / day); and Lake D'Arbonne keeps the 50-fish bag but caps it at no more than 7 fish over 12 inches.
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Season
Open year-round Open year-round.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 50 / day combined white + black crappie; 25 / day Toledo Bend, Caddo, Poverty Point, Sabine River, Bussey Brake; 30 / day Eagle Lake
- Possession
- 100 in possession (50 on the 25-fish-daily waters; 30 on Eagle Lake)
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide minimum; 11 in min Eagle Lake; 10 in min Bussey Brake; Lake D'Arbonne no more than 7 over 12 in
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line + jigging poles permitted; multi-pole rigs allowed
- Trotline + jugline crappie harvest restricted on most public reservoirs
- No statewide size limit — confirm per-water minimums on Eagle Lake + Bussey Brake
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Louisiana waters:
Lake D'Arbonne
50 / day, no more than 7 over 12 in; premier LA crappie reservoir
Atchafalaya Basin
50 / day, no minimum; river-swamp crappie throughout cypress-tupelo system
Toledo Bend Reservoir
25 / day, 100 possession; LA/TX reciprocal
Poverty Point Reservoir
25 / day, 50 possession
Eagle Lake (Madison Parish)
11 in min, 30 / day
Bussey Brake (Morehouse Parish)
10 in min, 25 / day aggregate; renovated 2020 trophy-crappie WMA — has produced Louisiana top-10 crappie
Official source
Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries publishes the authoritative 2026 Louisianafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The crappie (white + black) rules on this page are sourced from Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries's official crappie (white + black) regulation page.
Visit official Louisiana fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Crappie (white + black) closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries's emergency-order feed — check it before any Louisiana trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is crappie (white + black) season in Louisiana?
- Louisiana keeps crappie (white + black) open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
- What is the Louisiana bag limit for crappie (white + black)?
- The Louisiana daily bag limit for crappie (white + black) is 50 / day combined white + black crappie; 25 / day Toledo Bend, Caddo, Poverty Point, Sabine River, Bussey Brake; 30 / day Eagle Lake. The possession limit is 100 in possession (50 on the 25-fish-daily waters; 30 on Eagle Lake). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size crappie (white + black) can you keep in Louisiana?
- The Louisiana size rule for crappie (white + black) is No statewide minimum; 11 in min Eagle Lake; 10 in min Bussey Brake; Lake D'Arbonne no more than 7 over 12 in.
- Do you need a license to fish for crappie (white + black) in Louisiana?
- Yes. Louisiana requires a valid fishing license to fish for crappie (white + black), with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Louisiana license — compare resident and non-resident Louisiana fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for crappie (white + black) in Louisiana?
- Yes. In Louisiana, crappie (white + black) fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line + jigging poles permitted; multi-pole rigs allowed; Trotline + jugline crappie harvest restricted on most public reservoirs; No statewide size limit — confirm per-water minimums on Eagle Lake + Bussey Brake.
- Do specific Louisiana waters have different crappie (white + black) rules?
- Yes. 6 named Louisiana waters carry rules that override the statewide crappie (white + black) regulation, including Lake D'Arbonne, Atchafalaya Basin, Toledo Bend Reservoir, and 3 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.