U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge Complex Fishing and Boating Regulations Cameron Prairie, Lacassine, and Sabine The Southwest Louisiana General Fishing Regulations for the fishes should try fishing at Cameron Southwest Louisiana National Wildlife Prairie’s East Cove Unit and Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Refuge Complex NWR’s roadside recreation area wharfs Fishing regulations are designed to and tidal marshes throughout the refuge. Complex consists of Cameron protect the fisherman and wildlife Freshwater species include largemouth populations. Fishing seasons and bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish, and bowfin. Prairie, Lacassine, Sabine activities on the Complex are listed Saltwater species include flounder, within this brochure. The regulations redfish, speckled trout, and black drum. and Shell Keys National within this brochure supplement the Wildlife Refuges (NWR). general regulations that govern fishing Crabbing on National Wildlife Refuges as set forth No license is required to recreationally The headquarters office is in the Title 50 Volume 6 Chapter 1 Parts crab with a crab net and/or hand line. See 18-199 Code of Federal Regulations refuge specific regulations for crabbing located at Cameron Prairie http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ecfr. opportunities. National Wildlife Refuge. All fishing, crabbing, and cast netting Cast netting on refuges are in accordance with Each person is required to have valid The Complex provides a wide applicable State licensing. basic and saltwater licenses to cast net for shrimp. Cast nets must be less than variety of wildlife dependent Individuals utilizing the refuges are 8.5 feet in radius. Recreational cast subject to inspections of licenses, fishing netting for shrimp is only permitted public uses such as hunting, equipment, daily limits, boats, vehicles during the Louisiana inshore water and their contents by federal and state shrimp season. See refuge specific fishing, wildlife photography, officers. regulations for additional information. environmental education, Requirements Possession Limits Fishing Daily fish limits are the same as wildlife interpretation and All recreational anglers must possess Louisiana’s Sport Fishing Limits. The a valid basic Louisiana fishing license; daily crab limit is five dozen (60) per day observation. additionally all recreational anglers per vehicle or boat. The daily shrimp fishing south of the state designated limit during the Louisiana inshore shrimp For more information about “saltwater line” for saltwater species season is five gallons of heads-on shrimp must have in their possession a Louisiana per day, per vehicle or boat. The daily these refuges visit our web saltwater angler’s license in addition bait shrimp limit is one gallon per day to their basic Louisiana fishing license. per boat. site at https://www.fws.gov/ To review additional information, Universal Access cameron_prairie/ the Louisiana Recreational Fishing Regulations may be found at www.wlf. Several universally accessible fishing louisiana.gov. docks are available at Lacassine and Sabine NWRs. For further assistance Southwest Louisiana Fishing is permitted with rod and reel contact our Refuge Complex office at National Wildlife Refuge or pole and line only on Cameron Prairie 337/598 2216. Complex Headquarters and Lacassine NWR’s. Sabine NWR permits jug fishing in designated areas in Boat, Motor and Operation Limits 1428 Highway 27 Outboard motors and go-devil type or Bell City, LA 70630 addition to rod and reel and pole and line fishing. See refuge specific regulations. air cooled motors may be operated in Phone: 337/598 2216 designated refuge lakes, canals, bayous, Fax: 337/598 2492 Anglers seeking freshwater fishing and boat trails. Operation of any outboard opportunities should try Lacassine, or air cooled motor in refuge marshes Website: Cameron Prairie’s Gibbstown Unit and is prohibited. The operation of trolling https://www.fws.gov/cameron_prairie/ the fresher interior waters of Sabine motors is permitted, unless specifically NWR. Those anglers seeking saltwater prohibited. September 2019 1 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Activities Prohibited throughout Signs Protect Visitors and Resources conditions and stop marsh erosion by the SW Louisiana Refuge Complex controlling salt water intrusion. n Taking or possession of any wildlife NATIONAL National Wildlife Refuge WILDLIFE This sign marks the Closed Areas: Areas designated by No including crawfish, alligators, turtles, REFUGE frogs, snakes. boundary of the refuge. Fishing or Area Closed signs are closed Consult the refuge manager for safety or management purposes. UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY PROHIBITED n U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR for authorized activities. Leaving boats on refuge property FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE Season: Public access into East Cove overnight. Area Closed Unit is open year round, except during n Dragging, jumping or rolling boats over Certain areas of the refuge the Louisiana coastal zone waterfowl are closed to visitors for hunting season or when Grand Bayou levees. AREA U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE BEYOND SERVICE safety and management boat bay is closed. When Grand Bayou D E R P O A I THIS R R T E M T EN IN n Use of air thrust boats, all terrain SIGN T OF THE purposes. Unauthorized boat bay is closed, the East Cove Unit CLOSED is closed to ALL public use. For boat vehicles (ATV’s), or jet skis. All public entry prohibited entry beyond this sign is prohibited. bay openings/closures, please call n The sale, offer for sale, of any fish, crab, 855/532 9955. shrimp or other wildlife resource taken No Vehicles from the refuge. Unauthorized motor vehicles Hours: Boat admittance into the refuge are not allowed beyond this is permitted from one hour before legal n Feeding or approaching wildlife. sign. This applies to all cars, sunrise until one hour after legal sunset; however, recreational fishing, crabbing, NO VEHICLES trucks, jeeps, ATV’s, and n Possession of glass containers. motorcycles. Walking and and cast netting activities are prohibited non-motorized bicycles are until legal sunrise and after legal sunset. n Littering. allowed. Please do not block Access: All State boating regulations n Cleaning fish and game within 50 yards No access through refuge gates. must be followed. Outboard motors and of maintained roads, docks, parking lots Wake No Wake Zone go-devil type or air cooled motors may or public use areas. Boat speeds are managed to be operated in refuge canals, bayous and Zone lakes. Trolling motors may be operated in n Swimming or wading. improve public safety and to reduce bank erosion. refuge marshes. There are no horsepower restrictions on boat motors; however, the n Blocking gates or roadways with No Parking Grand Bayou boat bay passage into the vehicles. Parking of all motor Unit is only 10 feet wide. Boat passage No vehicles is prohibited through Grand Bayou water control n Driving nails or other objects Parking into boardwalks and other refuge where designated by signs. structure is permitted only when the structures. This applies to all cars, boat bay is completely open. Public use trucks, jeeps, ATV’s and within this unit is restricted to boat use n Marking trails with tape, ribbons, motorcycles. Please adhere only. Walking, wading, and/or climbing in paper, paint, flagging, reflective tacks, to all no parking signs. or on the marsh, levees, or structures is etc. Do not block or impede prohibited. access to boat ramps, boat n Removal of any object or equipment launching areas, road Permitted Activities, Gear, owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife entrances/exits and gates. and Possession Limits Service Fishing: Fishing is permitted with rod Cameron Prairie and reel or pole and line only. The use or n Cutting or removing any live National Wildlife Refuge possession of any other type of fishing gear including: limb, trot, or jug lines and vegetation, limbs, etc. Cameron Prairie National Wildlife gill, trammel, or hoop nets is prohibited Refuge, established in 1988, is located n Camping and/or overnight parking in all refuge waters. The daily fish limits in Cameron Parish in southwestern are the same as Louisiana’s Sport Fishing Louisiana. Cameron Prairie NWR n Disturbing, collecting, injuring, or limits. attempting to disturb, collect, or injure consists of two separate and distinct any plant, artifact, rock, or animal on units, East Cove Unit and Gibbstown Crabbing: Crabs may be taken with hand any refuge. Unit. lines or drop nets. Only cotton line and East Cove Unit of Cameron Prairie NWR drop nets up to 24” outside diameter n Pets roaming at large. All pets must be may be used. Floats on crab lines are The East Cove Unit consists of 14,927 leashed at all times. prohibited. All hand lines, drop nets, and acres of intermediate and brackish bait must be removed from the refuge marshes. It is bordered on the west by upon leaving. The daily crab limit is five5 Calcasieu Lake and on the north, south dozen (60) crabs per day, per vehicle or and east by privately owned marshes. It boat. is part of a 64,000 acre marsh restoration program known as the Cameron Creole Cast netting: Recreational cast netting Watershed Project. for shrimp is permitted during the Louisiana inshore waters shrimp season Five water control structures and only. Cast nets must be less than 8.5 feet a protection levee improve marsh 2 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in radius. The daily shrimp limit is five Closed Areas: Areas designated by No Outfall Canal runs east-west and is gallons of heads-on shrimp per day, per Fishing or Area Closed signs are closed located 1.5 miles north of the Gulf vehicle or boat. Cast netting for bait is for safety or management purposes. Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) off of permitted year round. The shrimp limit, North Canal, which runs north-south. when cast netting for bait outside the Season/Hours: Bank fishing and cast Outfall Canal can only be accessed by Louisiana inshore waters shrimp season, netting for bait are permitted year round, boat.