Belcher, LA Fishing: Village Fishing in Louisiana

Belcher is a village in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, part of the Shreveport- Bossier City metropolitan area. It was previously named Horseshoe, a bayou that runs across Belcher. It was later renamed Belcher to honor James Clinton Belcher, a former Confederate soldier and the Wild Lucia plantation manager. James Clinton Belcher was also the former owner of the land where the village of Belcher is located. Belcher was founded in 1899 when steamboat landings on the Red River were abandoned.

Belcher is home to several plantations and farms, which have provided jobs for the community. The Heritage and Harvest Tour is a popular attraction in Belcher; this tour offers a visit to Caddo Parish's historical trails and stops at small towns and attractions. Belcher is known for the Horseshoe Bayou Bridge, a one-lane bridge built in 1915.

With its location and being surrounded by different bayous, lakes, and reservoirs, Belcher is visited by beginner and professional anglers seeking to catch trophy fish.

Belcher Fishing

Various bayous and lakes surround Belcher, making it the best site for freshwater fishing. The fishing season in Belcher is open year-round.

Horseshoe Bayou and Cowhide Bayou run through the entire town of Belcher. Bass and catfish are the commonly caught species in these areas. Belcher is also near the Red River. The Red River is known to be Louisiana’s second-largest river. The Red River flows from the borders of Texas and Oklahoma, through the southwestern part of Arkansas, and across North Louisiana into the Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers. The most common catches in the Red River are largemouth bass, flathead catfish, channel catfish, grass carp, and paddlefish.

Anglers can also travel and explore other bodies of water near Belcher. A 14-minute drive to Bossier City will lead you to Dutch Johns Lake. Another must-visit spot is the Alligator Slough. The most popular species caught here are largemouth bass and black and white crappie. Meanwhile, Glycerine Bayou’s stream is perfect for largemouth bass and channel catfish fishing. Cypress Lake is another fishing spot famous for trophy largemouth bass, crappie, blue catfish, and bowfin; it has boat ramps, pier, and docks for boating and kayaking activities. It also has parking and a picnic area for anglers traveling with their families and kids. 

Eagle Chute and the Old Channel Black Bayou, located near Belcher, are known for their bass and catfish species. Clear Lake is near Shreveport, and anglers’ common catchers here are spotted bass, white bass and largemouth bass, channel catfish, pumpkinseed, and crappie.

Another top fishing site in the Belcher-Bossier area is the Black Bayou Reservoir. Largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, spotted bass, walleye, and bowfin are commonly caught in the area. The reservoir also consists of piers, docks, and boat ramps. Bank fishing is also a technique widely used by anglers here. It is a family-friendly fishing spot that is perfect for anglers of all ages. A bayou also named Black Bayou is located in Shreveport, a 23-minute drive from the center of Belcher, and is home to various bass and catfish species.

Halfway Slough, situated near the border of Louisiana and Texas, is where anglers can score trophy largemouth bass, spotted bass, and catfish. At the same time, Hosston Lake in Bossier City houses bluegill, channel catfish, and largemouth bass. Anglers wanted to target trophy freshwater drum can visit Willow Pass.

On the border between Louisiana and Texas, Caddo Lake is a site flocked by anglers because of large-sized largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, freshwater drum, crappie, spotted bass, and flathead catfish. Caddo Lake is a family-friendly fishing location with picnic areas for families. It has piers and docks and boat ramps for water activities.

Bank fishing, fly fishing, and baitcasting are the common techniques anglers use while fishing in these spots in the Belcher area.

Fishing ordinances in Louisiana can vary throughout the year. Anglers are advised to purchase and bring the appropriate licenses when fishing in the state.

Top 10 Fish Species in Belcher, LA

The top 10 fish species found in Belcher, LA, are largemouth bass, flathead catfish, channel catfish, grass carp, bowfin, bluegill, freshwater drum, crappie, spotted bass, and blue catfish.

Seasonal Fishing

Anglers can go fishing in Belcher year-round. Knowing the seasonality of the fish you want to target is important to remember when angling. Largemouth bass are a common target for anglers. They can be caught year-round and grows in massive sizes. Catfish species are available any season, but fishing for flathead and channel catfish during summer is the prime time. Spring fishing is suitable if you are targeting blue catfish. Blue catfish spawn every April until June, while flathead’s breeding activities occur during May and last until August. Channel catfish spawn continuously in late spring to early summer. Early summer and spring are the most suitable times to catch bluegill. It is common knowledge that it is also their spawning season. Spring fishing is also the time for crappie fishing. Freshwater drum spawn in late April or May. During spawning activities, these species make the drumming noise, mainly because it is called a drum. Fall is a suitable time to catch spotted bass. They spawn from mid-March to late May. The spawning season for grass carp usually occurs between May and June. They can be caught year-round. The ideal time to fish for paddlefish is during their spring spawning run, which begins from March through late April.

Come, Explore Belcher

1. Book a Fishing Guide

Fishing across Belcher will be more exciting with the help of fishing charters and guides. Hiring a local captain with enough experience and knowledge about Belcher’s fishing spots will give anglers, especially beginners, an exciting fishing experience. Charters and guides also offer fishing equipment.

2. Skydiving Experience

Just 10 minutes from the central Belcher, tourists can find Skydive Louisiana offering extraordinary skydiving experiences. Tick off your bucket list and experience safe and exciting skydiving with Skydiving Louisiana’s experienced instructors. They also offer professionally edited videos and photos of your skydiving experience.

3. Historical Markers

Belcher is rich with history, and it can be seen up until today. Tourists can visit various markers across Belcher and the entire Caddo Parish, which shows some historic sites where historical valuables are found. One feature is located near Belcher, a marker where a Caddo Indian dugout canoe was found along the banks of the Red River. The canoe is on exhibit in the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum. Another marker in Belcher is called Belcher Mound Marker. It is a marker for a mound and village dating between the years 1450 & 1650 AD, located northeast of Belcher.