Clarks, LA Fishing: River and Lake Fishing Around a Wildlife Area

Clarks is a rural village located in southwest Caldwell Parish in central Louisiana. It is the largest community by population in the parish, which is the fifth least populated parish in the state. In 1838, Caldwell Parish was formed from part of the Ouachita and Catahoula Parishes. The area was originally resided by Native Americans, estimated around 3500 BC to 1500 AD, as proved by the Indian mounds built along the Ouachita and Boeuf Rivers. The parish’s prominent geographical feature is the Ouachita River which divides it into alluvial farmland on the east bank and pineland hill country on the west, where Clarks is situated. Many of Caldwell Parish and Clarks’ residents are descendants of French, Scandinavian, Scotch-Irish, and English settlers who migrated to the area in the 1700s when the Spanish government issued land grants on the east bank farmland. 

Clarks is a village anyone can explore within a day. It has the advantage of being close to other communities and environmental areas providing residents and visitors with anything they’ll need for a fantastic getaway. The area has a diverse geographical and plant environment that attracts botanical and archeological enthusiasts from a wide area. Caldwell Parish is also home to many prominent events and historical sites that showcase the community’s rich heritage and culture. Clarks and the greater parish area are huge attractions for hunters and anglers because of the rivers, lakes, and bayous surrounding the local wildlife management area. 

Clarks Fishing

Anglers should consider adding Clarks as a must-visit destination to their Louisiana fishing vacations or countrywide fishing tours. The village is an excellent spot for anglers who want to stay somewhere that isn’t too crowded yet not too far from some of the greatest fishing spots in the area.

Most fishing anglers should expect Clarks is done in and around the Boeuf Wildlife Management Area. The Ouachita River, east of Clarks, is the first and closest location. The river stretches from the Ouachita Mountains north of Arkansas to where it merges with the Tensas River to form the Black River in Jonesville, Louisiana. Most of the river system’s length is lined with deep woods and substantial wetlands. It possesses a scenic quality that showcases the vibe of southwestern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. The river is fed by numerous small creeks containing endemic native fish species such as killifish. The most popular fish that anglers target in the river are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, striped bass, shadow bass, hybrid bass, bluegill, green sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, freshwater drum, alligator gar, longnose gar, shortnose gar, and spotted gar. Other fish found in its waters include blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, black bullhead, brown bullhead, yellow bullhead, black crappie, white crappie, common carp, grass carp, buffalo, Texas shiner, golden shiner, blacktail shiner, red shiner, fathead minnow, chain pickerel, rainbow trout, walleye, threadfin shad, and gizzard shad. Some of the fish are stocked in the river and its adjacent lakes.

Eight public access points to the main river and several boat launch areas exist. The nearest boat ramp is the Columbia Landing Recreation Area. Non-boat anglers can also go bank fishing or wade in safe shallow water areas. Some of the river’s fishing hotspots are river lakes and backwater lakes. Bass fishing is a favorite among anglers who navigate a boat out of the main river into small lakes with subtle currents and shallow sandbars. Standing timber acts as hiding places for largemouth bass. Its tailwaters are where one can find rainbow trout. Banks with treetops, grass growing in small runouts, and huge old cypress stumps are also where big fish tend to be found. Anglers typically use baits and lures such as a bait tube, buzz bait, topwater bait, soft plastic bait, crankbait, and spinnerbait in black, blue, watermelon red, chartreuse, and shad colors to target most of the resident fish. Anglers also pop using a variety of frogs, worms, and weedless lures that can be cast in thick structures or vegetation. Grassy shoals and bedrocks are prime spots for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, catfish, and bream and sunfish species. Making long casts is recommended because the river’s waters are usually clear. Casting directly on top of fish might scare them off.

Another fantastic place for anglers to check out is Long Lake. The lake envelopes a section of the Ouachita River near Copenhagen. One can target bream, sunfish, largemouth bass, blue catfish, spotted gar, and bowfin from its waters. There is a boat ramp located on its upper-east side.

Boeuf River is home to common freshwater species such as largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, and catfish. The river is located on the north side of the wildlife management area. There are also opportunities offered for crawfishing and frogging. Boat launches are found in its connected lakes and bayous.

Turkey Creek Lake can be found on the eastern side of the wildlife management area. Its fertile waters and plenty of covers provide an ideal nursery and habitat for bass and crappie. There are also healthy populations of bluegill and catfish in the 4000-acre lake. The lake has hundreds of honey holes where anglers land plenty of fish. A boat launch ramp and bank fishing access are located in Turkey Creek Park.

Top 10 Fish Species in Clarks, LA

The top 10 fish species found in Clarks, LA, are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, alligator gar, blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish.

Seasonal Fishing

Spring and summer are the best seasons to target bass species. Bluegill are best caught from May to August, sometimes in September. Sunfish fishing is best done in late spring through summer. Gar species are targeted when they spawn, from spring to early summer. April to August is the prime period for catfish fishing. Freshwater drum can be found in large schools in open water in April and May. Bullhead species can be caught while they spawn from late spring into August. The height of the spawning season for crappie occurs in March, but November through February is the best time to target them in deep water. Spring is the best time to fish for carp. Rainbow trout can be caught all year because they are normally stocked in local waters.

Perusing Around Clarks’ Parish

Clarks is centrally located among other Caldwell Parish communities and nature preserves, making it the perfect starting point for those who wish to explore that unique area of Louisiana.

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Book offshore fishing charters in Louisiana or Louisiana inshore fishing charters to experience some of the best angling destinations the state has to offer. Most guide services are based around New Orleans, near the state’s southern coast. Check out guides like Fowl Language Guide Service, Tapped-Out Charters, Get'n Hooked Inshore Adventures, and Ron Ron Fishing Charters. Boat rental services and bait and tackle shops can be found in and around the local rivers and lakes’ designated fishing and boating spots.

2. Attend the Longest Running Art Festival in Louisiana

The Louisiana Art and Folk Festival has been hosted in Caldwell Parish since 1956. It is held during the second weekend of October on Columbia’s Main Street. The event celebrates the parish’s history and culture. It showcases hundreds of arts and crafts, entertainment, and good food. 

3. Enjoy Nature

Go wildlife and plantlife viewing at the Boeuf Wildlife Management Area, where there is a diverse array of habitats within a 51,000-acre land. One can explore its bottomland hardwoods, cypress-tupelo swamp, and other wetland habitats unique to the state. Hiking, biking, and camping in the area provide the chance to immerse in important species of trees, plants, and animals native to Louisiana.