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Fishing Grand Bayou Reservoir: what the data says
2,500-acre reservoir near Coushatta. The John K. Kelly reservoir near Coushatta. A slot-limit bass lake with big black crappie, stocked channel cats and hydrilla edges over an old 30-foot channel. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Grand Bayou Reservoir runs 2,068 acres with 23.7 miles of edge. With a shoreline index of 3.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 81% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives.
Largemouth Bass fishing at Grand Bayou Reservoir
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 4 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Crappie fishing at Grand Bayou Reservoir
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 26 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Grand Bayou Reservoir
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 10 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Grand Bayou Reservoir
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 26 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) |
Flathead Catfish fishing at Grand Bayou Reservoir
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 26-ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (26 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (26 ft) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 26 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 14 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Marina / dock area: dock line, around 6 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 4 ft
Grand Bayou Reservoir fishing regulations
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Louisiana waters are set by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries — and special regulations can apply to Grand Bayou Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Louisiana fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Grand Bayou Reservoir?
Grand Bayou Reservoir is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Grand Bayou Reservoir?
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Grand Bayou Reservoir.
Where is the best fishing spot on Grand Bayou Reservoir?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
When is the best time to fish Grand Bayou Reservoir?
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
What are the fishing regulations for Grand Bayou Reservoir?
Fishing on Grand Bayou Reservoir is regulated by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Check the official Louisiana regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Nearby waters
Black Lake 13 mi · Saline Lake 21 mi · Kepler Creek Lake 24 mi · Lake Bistineau 30 mi · Lake Iatt 45 mi · Toledo Bend Reservoir 45 mi, TX · Caney Lake 45 mi · Cross Lake 50 mi · Lake Claiborne 55 mi · Vernon Lake 55 mi · Anacoco Lake 62 mi · Kincaid Lake 63 mi
See how Grand Bayou Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Louisiana · best crappie lakes in Louisiana · best bluegill lakes in Louisiana · best channel catfish lakes in Louisiana
Browse all Louisiana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.