Hodges Gardens Fishing?
 

Have any of you ever fished at Hodges Gardens? My ol lady booked a cabin for next weekend and I have never been there but have heard the fishing can be good. Anyone have any tips or advice for me. Has anyone stayed in the cabins? How are they?

It is AWESOME. You have to wake up at like 6:00am and go rent a boat. Call me after 4:30pm and i'll tell you all about it. We went last year. I've fished there dozens of times. Big fish there.

Sneak some shiners in.

It's been a long time, but I use to fish it all the time, it is some good fishing, was overstocked when we use to fish it. we fished for bass only.

Can you keep anything there?

I don't know the rules now, I would think you could keep your limit, its a nice lake to fish.

wife and I visited there last year and looked at the cabins. they looked nice. pretty much just like the ones at other state parks.

Cabins are great. There are game wardens patrolling the lake also. Wouldnt wanna sneak shiners in. Bass population is awesome. Was catching solid 2-3 lbers all day

Why can't you use shinners??

Where is this?

bj, i think all live bait is off limits. I believe, dont hold me to it.


Yellowmouth, Its about 10-15 miles north of Leesville,LA. Up closer to Many, LA off Hwy 171.

son in law fishes there does real well , also guy that works with me caught 5 last friday all 2to 3 range but one 10.25 in bunch watermelon red baby brush hog .

What is the site online? Is it boats or canoes you rent?

Boats are not available right now due to drought issues. Canoes and Kayaks only for rent

u called or was that the website ??

I have never been, but the bass fishing is supposed to be awesome.

it is....

Here's the link


http://www.crt.state.la.us/parks/ihodges.aspx

White perch is stupid there.. I'm tellin' ya, bite the bullet and sneak some shiners.
Coke cans man. Coke cans.

Outlawin again fool?? Lol

X2 I can't find any info on this???

you can keep the fish. They have signs posted in Hodges Gardens. I think the limit was 8 and the slot s 14-18" or something like that. Dont remember.

Went there Saturday wind was blowing about 30kts thru a baby brush hog from the bank caught 1 baby... Beautiful lake!!!!!!!

I will go back!!!! Great grass didn't see any structure in the lake but again I was on the bank...

As for as regulations the lady at the gate said they follow the same rules as Toledo Bend.

I was looking at the website and came across this :" Due to a generous donation from the Hodges Foundation, our waterfalls are working again , just in time for spring" :spineyes:

I did a search and found this post, my wife booked a cabin for next weekend. I didn't see anything about no shiners but no trolling motors for rental boats for sure. I am more of a sac a lait fisherman than bass although I ain't scared to catch green trout! seems that the lake is a pretty good fishery reading you guys post.

I fished there two years ago with some friends. the Boats had trolling motors then, but the night before we fished there was a storm and they didn't get fully charged.....was a fun paddle back across the lake....against the wind of course! I caught several nice bass on a slow day. Water was very clear when i was there.

They should be up and spawning both bass and sacs. Either way it'll be a fun get away!

My grandfather was the designer for the gardens, and instead of payment, my family got to stay at the lodge for free, as long as some member was still alive. We went there throughout my youth, for 7-10 days at a time. When the Hodges' donated the park to the state, this ended, but, we still went a few years back.

Best fishing spots are easy to find, but the boats with trolling motors are slow at best. For sac a lait, use a jigging pole and crickets, go to the 2 water towers, one is located on the north end, one on the south, water is about 35-45' deep, tie up to the towers, watch for wasps, drop down deep. HUGE fish there, we caught until we were tired. As for bream, we always had luck fishing near the little light house by the gardens, there are plenty of beds there.

The last time we went, the grass had really taken over the lake, and the gardens had put some carp in the lake to try and clean it all up.

My suggestions, walk the gardens, it really is a cool place, pending it's not all over grown. Trails to hike, good for a bike ride around the lake, think it's like 13-14 miles long, lots of hills. Fish... All the banks that have trees hanging, hold bass. When we used to go back in the 80's-90's, we would be 35-50 people, big family, and it would literally take us a solid 6 hours to clean all the fish we caught over the time we were there.

I loved that place growing up, wish my kids could spend as much time there as we did, sometimes we would go 2-3 times a summer. No phones, no TV, just a lot of togetherness, sometimes it worked, sometimes everyone fought, wouldn't change it for the world.

Went there yesterday. Bite was slower than usual, I caught 2 momma bass in shallows full of eggs, threw them back.. 1 was prolly 4-5# range. Best place to fish for bass in spring is around the cabins. Nice sand pods in about 1-4' of water.

Boat dock is closed due to funding. No trolling motors allowed on lake. Rent a canoe or small bass hunter style boat.

Fee is 5.00 per person. Ice is available at pay station. Lake "closes" at sunset Sun-Thur, open til 9:00PM on Fri & Sat night. If you rent a cabin, I guess the times don't matter. :grinpimp:

What about live bait? wonder if they allow shiners? I hear there are kayaks there also, the canoe's I see in some pics look like those really tipsy ones from Academy, although I was going to bring my pirogue and can't get much tipsier than that!:*****:

No outside boats allowed. They don't want outside algae.. :spineyes:

Not sure on live bait, I've never been searched or asked.. Never seen anyone fishing with live though. Prolly not allowed.