The Perfect Destination
by Jason Sealock | Publisher – COO | Wired2Fish
While most casual anglers probably don’t have it on their list, it’s been one of the most popular stops among the tournament anglers because it’s a beautiful fishery that anglers can get lost in and away from the crowds and catch crappie in a ton of different ways. So you can find crappie fishing the way you like to fish.
“One of the most popular stops on the crappie tournament circuits and for good reason,” said Jerry Hancock. “It consistently pumps out huge stringers of crappie.”
“This is a stable fishery that offers anglers great size and really great numbers,” Ronnie Capps said. “While a giant crappie over 3 pounds is not all that common, it usually kicks out really heavy limits.”
“Lake D’Arbonne is full of crappie, and they are all over the lake,” said Kevin Rogers. “It’s also a really cool place to visit as the people are extremely friendly and the food is amazing! I’ve seen crappie tournaments won on every crappie bait and technique around the sun on this lake. You can do it all here.”
“What a scenic and diverse destination Lake D’Arbonne is,” said Matt Rogers. “This is a lake that a fishermen can go to and use any technique he likes. There are open flats to troll, brush piles as well as stumps to jig, cypress trees to catch spawning fish on, and open water suspended fish to cast at using forward facing sonars.
“The lake is not a massive body of water like others that can overwhelm a traveling angler. Papermouths, white perch, sac-a-lait or crappie, whatever you’d like to call them, there are a thousand for every color of jig K & M Tackle Shop has in stock at Lake D’Arbonne. The accommodations and easy accessibility to the water make it a top three lake for me.”
This cover-filled lake is a great pick when looking for numbers of 1.5 to 2-pound fish. A few 3-pounders are available, too. Size and numbers are down a little, but
A fisherman can use any technique, experts still rank it high because of the action, weights and the variety of tactics that can be used. Live imaging is popular but slow trollers catch their share of fish by working river or creek ledges and shallow wood-filled flats. There are places to pull jigs, too.
Also, it’s river-fed, so rains can cause quick fluctuations. Check conditions before heading to the lake. Cabins at the state park are a great place to stay.