Beaver Lake Recreation Area is a popular fishing spot in Louisiana, USA, known for its abundance of crappie, bluegill, bass, and catfish. The area is surrounded by lush forests and offers plenty of opportunities for camping, hiking, and boating.

Fishing Tips: Anglers can use jigs, live bait, or artificial lures to catch crappie and bluegill in the shallow waters around the lake. For bass and catfish, try using crankbaits, spinnerbaits, or worms near drop-offs and structures. Night fishing is also popular for catfish.

Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Beaver Lake Recreation Area for fishing is in the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the fish are active. The average temperature during these seasons ranges from 60-80°F.

Nearby Activities: In addition to fishing, visitors can enjoy hiking the trails, camping at the nearby campgrounds, and boating on the lake. The area also offers picnic areas and playgrounds for families.

Overall, Beaver Lake Recreation Area is a great spot for fishing enthusiasts looking to catch a variety of fish species and enjoy the outdoors with their friends and family.

Featured Fish - Black Crappie

It is an abundant species and is important both commercially and as a sport fish. Black crappies are easily caught, often as fast as the hook can be rebaited. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish: Though they show a definite family resemblance, they are distinctive enough that they shouldn’t be confused with any other species. The black crappie and the white crappie are most often confused with each other. Despite their common names, both species are the same color (dark olive or black dorsally with silvery sides) and both have spots on the sides. However, the pattern of the spotting is distinctly different. In the black crappie the spots are more or less irregular and scattered while in the white crappie the spots may be more vague and are clearly arranged into 7-9 vertical bars on the sides. Another distinction; the black crappie has 7-8 dorsal spines while the white crappie has only 6, the same number as in its anal fin. In body shape the black crappie’s is somewhat deeper than the white crappie.