The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Inland Fisheries Section, in cooperation with the USFWS’ Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery and the City of Shreveport’s Cross Lake Fish Hatchery, produced and stocked approximately 5.3 million freshwater sportfish into 56 waterbodies statewide during the spring 2025 stocking season.
The stocked fishes primarily consisted of Florida Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) (5.2 million).
Florida Bass stocking is not typically performed to increase the abundance of bass in Louisiana waterbodies, but, rather to increase the size potential of bass in Louisiana waterbodies.
The Florida Bass species is capable of growing larger than Louisiana’s native Largemouth Bass (Micropterus nigricans) species.
The two species readily hybridize, and individuals reaching or exceeding 10 pounds in Louisiana usually have some degree of Florida Bass genetic influence as a result of LDWF’s stocking efforts.
Stocking Florida Bass into existing native populations of Largemouth Bass, where successful, increases the potential for anglers to catch quality and/or trophy bass.
Florida Bass stockings completed from January to June of 2025 are listed in the table below.
BASS FINGERLINGS – Florida Bass fingerlings being stocked by an LDWF hatchery technician. (LDWF)
