Tangipahoa River Fishing Map & Spots (LA/MS)

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

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Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are interpolated from real agency depth surveys (state DNR / USACE). Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Tangipahoa River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Tangipahoa River on the board.

Fishing Tangipahoa River: what the data says

11 km of the Tangipahoa River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 23 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.

Drawn out, this is 2,075 acres of water rimmed by 10.9 miles of bank. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.7) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 60% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 3.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.6 mi at the beam. The nearest mapped water is Lake Maurepas, 15 mi to the southwest.

Largemouth Bass fishing at Tangipahoa River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 7 to 23 ft for winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2), a creek channel in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Tangipahoa River

Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 23 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2), a creek channel in the 19 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	7 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Blue Catfish fishing at Tangipahoa River

Early season blue catfish use the shallows, holding in 5 to 23 ft. Even in summer they hold at 6 to 23 ft; winter keeps them in 7 to 23 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 19 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 23 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Summer	6 to 23 ft	dawn & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Fall	7 to 23 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)

Flathead Catfish fishing at Tangipahoa River

Spring puts flathead catfish in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 23 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for summer flathead catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 20 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Summer	6 to 23 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Fall	7 to 23 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)

Channel Catfish fishing at Tangipahoa River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 23 ft before dropping to 7 to 23 ft for winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2), a creek channel in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	open water
Summer	7 to 23 ft	night & dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Fall	7 to 23 ft	dusk	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)

Longnose Gar fishing at Tangipahoa River

Spring puts longnose gar in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 1 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 23 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for winter longnose gar. Plan around midday and the evening in the warm months. A rope lure or a small white spinner covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday	open water	Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow)
Summer	1 to 12 ft	midday & dusk	open water	Rope lure, Small white spinner
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)	Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy)
Winter	7 to 23 ft	midday	Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) (19 ft)

Tangipahoa River also holds freshwater drum (6 to 23 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Tangipahoa River carries 2 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Outside-bend hole (mile 2.2), about 20 ft down.

Outside-bend hole (mile 2.2): creek channel, around 20 ft
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2): creek channel, around 19 ft

Tangipahoa River 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 Tangipahoa River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Louisiana fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Tangipahoa River?

Tangipahoa River is about 23 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.

What fish are in Tangipahoa River?

Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish, longnose gar, freshwater drum on Tangipahoa River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.

Where is the best fishing spot on Tangipahoa River?

Outside-bend hole (mile 0.2) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Tangipahoa River?

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 Tangipahoa River?

Fishing on Tangipahoa River 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

Lake Maurepas 15 mi, LA · Lake Pontchartrain 16 mi, LA · Amite River 25 mi, LA · Lac Des Allemands 34 mi, LA · Lake Verret 61 mi, LA · Belle River 64 mi, LA · Lake Columbia 65 mi, MS · Lake Bill Waller 67 mi, MS · False River 73 mi, LA · Lower Atchafalaya River 74 mi, LA · Lake Okhissa 80 mi, MS · Geiger Lake 82 mi, MS

See how Tangipahoa River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Louisiana · best crappie lakes in Louisiana · best channel catfish lakes in Louisiana · best flathead catfish lakes in Louisiana

Browse all Louisiana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.