The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) released about 35,000 bass
fingerlings into Grand Bayou Reservoir on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Fisheries technician
Jason Corbitt is shown releasing some of the fingerlings. Not large enough to make a good fish
supper yet, they should make some great eating later or a great catch in a fishing tournament.

According to Villis Dowden, Inland Fisheries Biologist with LDWF District 10 in Natchitoches,
“This stocking was approximately 35,000 “Toho strain” Florida Largemouth Bass fingerlings that
were hatched and raised at the Booker Fowler State Hatchery in Woodworth, Louisiana.  This
hatchery has lined ponds and while the fingerlings tend to grow not as fast as in natural earthen
ponds, the numbers produced and survival rate from fry to fingerling sized bass in lined ponds is
far greater. 

The average length of these bass fingerlings was close to 40 mm.  Occasionally the Department
will stock at the Grand Bayou Reservoir ramp if adequate cover is available, but these were
boated and stocked above the bridge where lotus and submerged cover are present to increase
survival rates for the next few weeks.  Growth rates from this size fingerling to 10-12 inches are
generally within a year with forage availability. 

Recent forage assessments last fall showed good forage species up to 6 inches in pounds per
hour.  Relative weights of Largemouth bass last fall were also close to or above the average
weights expected within each size class which reflected adequate forage for bass growth. 
Florida genetics have ranged from 6% to as high as 60% within the lake’s population.  The
conditions to retain these genetic traits with the current stocking rates increase the possibility of
larger sized bass with the 14-17 inch slot regulation.  Current stocking rate is 30,000 per year. 
The slot regulation is set to increase and foster the size of the bass within the lake when anglers
harvest bass below 14 inches.”