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Fishing Lake Pontchartrain: what the data says
407,102-acre estuary near New Orleans. The water tops out around 69 ft. The depth chart is built from real NOAA hydrographic survey soundings (depths referenced to low tide), so the channels, holes and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Red Drum (Redfish) fishing at Lake Pontchartrain
Start shallow in spring: red drum (redfish) sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 2 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: a inflow / creek mouth around 3 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spotted Seatrout fishing at Lake Pontchartrain
Spring spotted seatrout on Lake Pontchartrain hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Back-bay flat: a weed flat around 5 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Southern Flounder fishing at Lake Pontchartrain
In spring, southern flounder run shallow here, mostly 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 3 to 18 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 15 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a jighead + gulp swimming mullet or a bucktail tipped with shrimp gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (white/chartreuse), Bucktail + Gulp shrimp |
| Summer | 3 to 18 ft | dawn | Jighead + Gulp swimming mullet, Bucktail tipped with shrimp |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | midday | 3/8 oz bucktail + Gulp (passes), Big paddletail on the jetty edge |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Slow jig + scented grub in the holes |
Sheepshead fishing at Lake Pontchartrain
Start shallow in spring: sheepshead sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 10 to 30 ft. Marina / dock area is the standout, a dock line at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for summer sheepshead. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a small jig + crab piece gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | 1/4 oz jighead + fiddler, Sheepshead jig + shrimp piece |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Small jig + crab piece |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | midday | Jighead + shrimp, Small crab jig |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Heavier jig + crab (deep pilings) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 28 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 23 ft
- Deep hole: deep basin, around 20 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 18 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 16 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 15 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 15 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 13 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 13 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 13 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 13 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 12 ft
- Feeding flat: feeding flat, around 9 ft
- Gravel shoal: gravel shoal, around 8 ft
Common questions
How deep is Lake Pontchartrain?
Lake Pontchartrain is about 69 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real NOAA hydrographic surveys (charted soundings referenced to low tide), so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Lake Pontchartrain?
Anglers target red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, southern flounder, sheepshead on Lake Pontchartrain.
Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Pontchartrain?
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: a inflow / creek mouth in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for red drum (redfish) in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Lake Pontchartrain?
For red drum (redfish), 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.