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A total of 17 winners reported catching a tagged channel catfish during the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ (LDWF) Get Out and Fish! catfish derby. The event ran from June 5th to June 11th. Tagged catfish were caught and reported from 11 of the 15 stocked ponds.

A total of ten catfish were tagged at each of the 15 sites participating in the Get Out and Fish! event. LDWF encouraged families to enjoy the freshly stocked ponds by offering prize packs for catching and reporting a tagged fish during this seven-day period.

This derby marked the end of spring catfish stockings at our Get Out and Fish! ponds. We will continue to stock again in the fall as summer temperatures present challenges for stocking these fish.

LDWF stocks Get Out and Fish! ponds with adult-size channel catfish in the spring and fall, and rainbow trout in the winter, to increase your chances of bringing home a few keepers for a fish fry! For more information about the GOF ponds including directions and tips on how to catch catfish, click here.

Anglers 16 and older must possess a Louisiana fishing license when fishing in any Louisiana public waters. Licenses are available for purchase online at https://la-web.s3licensing.com/. By purchasing a fishing license, Louisiana receives matching funds from the Sport Fish Restoration Program for public fishing and boating access, fishing programs and education, and fisheries management.

A list of Get Out and Fish! Community Fishing sites include:

Turner’s Pond – Minden
Grambling City Park Pond – Grambling
Elmore D. Mayfield Park – Ruston
Kiroli Park – West Monroe
William T. Polk City Park Pond – Vidalia
Purple Heart Memorial Park Pond – Ragley
1-10 Park – Jennings
Girard Park – Lafayette
Southside Regional Park – Fabacher Field – Youngsville
Bayou Country Sports Park – Houma
Zemurray Park – Hammond
Bogue Chitto State Park – Franklinton
Joe W. Brown Park – New Orleans
Parc Natchitoches – Natchitoches
Pearson Lake, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site – Pineville
Sidney Hutchinson Park – Walker
BREC’s Burbank Park – Baton Rouge
Follow LDWF Get Out and Fish (@ldwfgetoutandfish) on Facebook and Instagram for park updates.

This event was hosted in conjunction with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LWFF). The LWFF was formed to provide a means for individuals and corporations to become partners with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission in the challenge of conserving Louisiana’s wildlife and fish resources.