Cotton Valley, LA Fishing: Small-Town Fishing in a Sportsman’s Paradise

Cotton Valley is a small township in central Webster Parish in north Louisiana. It lies between Dixie Inn and Springhill on Highway 371, and the settlement was established in the mid-19th century. During the presidency of Millard Fillmore, the title of the land of what eventually became Cotton Valley was awarded to Christian Wallerson. Wallerson was a private in the Third Battalion of Louisiana Volunteers in the War with Mexico. He then sold the land to Ferdinand Lee, who named his home Cotton Valley. The Lee family engaged in cotton planting in Louisiana and Alabama, and Cotton Valley was officially incorporated in 1944 when J.B. Roby became its first mayor. A.C. Borland succeeded Roby in 1946. He served 22 years and was credited with establishing the Cotton Valley city hall, recreation center, and municipal park.

Cotton Valley is situated in an area considered a sportsman’s paradise because it offers a lot to those who love hunting and fishing. The community also has a rich heritage in the oil industry, with two major oil refineries in Cotton Valley. Its farming industry focused on cattle and hay production after they replaced large cotton farms that inundated the area. Timber is also important as one can immerse oneself in scenic forested and wildlife areas. Cotton Valley showcases the charm of staying in a tight-knit rural community. Still, there is also access to more urban areas like Springhill, Minden, or Shreveport-Bossier, less than an hour away. Anglers who have the opportunity to visit Cotton Valley while on their Louisiana fishing vacations won’t be disappointed by what is in store for them.

Cotton Valley Fishing

Cotton Valley is in an area that caters to hunters and anglers as it is neighbored by a wildlife area that hosts land and water game. It is surrounded by many lakes filled with an array of species that will excite anglers on freshwater fishing tours around the region.

The Bodcau Wildlife Management Area is home to excellent hunting and trapping grounds and a regularly stocked lake. Ivan Lake can be found in the western part of the WMA. It is surrounded by cypress trees and partly covered with aquatic vegetation like lily pads. It is a fantastic place for bass and bream fishing because it is home to plenty of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie, and white crappie. Other fish anglers can target in the lake are flathead catfish, channel catfish, and blue catfish. 

Catching trophy bass is commonly done using soft plastics, jigs, jerk worms, weedless frogs, spinnerbaits, topwater lures colored black, motor oil, or watermelon when they school in shallow flats with scattered vegetation. Around the bridge area, anglers often use bobbers and worms to haul in bass. The lake is also a terrific stop for those on crappie fishing trips because anglers always have thrilling encounters with the fish while jigging for them. Crappie can also be caught using yo-yos with minnows. They are commonly found near the bridge,  submerged stumps, and deep water. Trotlines are frequently used to catch catfish near the bridge, and a small chartreuse minnow crankbait can catch bream off the bridge. A boat launch area is located on the lake’s northeast portion near the check-in area. 

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries hosts the annual Family Fish Fest every May at Ivan Lake. Tournament participants spend the day bank fishing for stocked channel catfish. They do fishing-related activities such as learning to cast inflatables, tie knots, identify fish species, and do arts and crafts. The WMA also celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day, with activities directed at younger people.

Anglers can access one of the most underrated fishing spots in the state, Caney Lake,  southwest of Cotton Valley. Also known as Caney Creek Reservoir, the lake possesses great populations of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, spotted bass, yellow bass, black crappie, white crappie, blue catfish, channel catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, redbreast sunfish, green sunfish, rainbow trout, and Atlantic mackerel. Like Ivan Lake, Caney Lake offers terrific big bass and crappie fishing. The lake has produced six of the top ten largest largemouth bass ever recorded in the state. It’s because lunker bass thrive in its grassy beds and healthy waters. It also has healthy populations of catfish and bream. The crystal clear lake has 11 fishing piers and plenty of boat ramps for public use. 

Bass anglers use plastic lizards, jigs, and Wacky Worms; watermelon colors work well when sunny, while dark colors work best when cloudy. A slow presentation is recommended to land fish successfully. Fishing on the lake’s points is productive when one uses deep-diving crankbaits or worms with larger weights. Bank fishing produces plenty of fish, but anglers can also get bites along creek channels, humps, and off-points. 

Caney Lake is one of the hosts of the Annual Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour. It is also where the Open Crappie Tournament held by the Crappie Fishermen United of Louisiana takes place. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Cotton Valley, LA

The top 10 fish species found in Cotton Valley, LA, are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie, white crappie, flathead catfish, channel catfish, and blue catfish. 

Seasonal Fishing

April is the best month to target bass species. Bass fishing is usually productive in the spring and early summer because water temperatures are ideal for spawning. Crappie are best targeted from November through February, especially in deep water. Anglers also get more bites during crappie’s spawning season, which occurs in the early spring, peaking in March. March, April, and May are the best months to target catfish, but they can be available all year. May through August, sometimes into September, is when to fish for bluegill. Late spring to summer is when anglers should chase sunfish species. The most productive season for rainbow trout is in the fall and winter, but they can be caught all year because they are stocked in most local waters.

Outdoor Activities in Cotton Valley

Every sportsman should experience what Cotton Valley offers when delivering some of the most fun and thrilling outdoor activities.

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Anglers can find plenty of Louisiana inshore fishing charters and offshore charters to help them improve their fishing experience in the area. Tapped-Out Charters, Serigne's Fishing Charters, Fowl Language Guide Service and Cajun Outcast Inshore Charters are some of the best fishing charters in Louisiana. Boat rentals and bait and tackle can be availed around designated fishing spots. Anglers should have their state fishing license ready before embarking on fishing trips in Louisiana.

2. Go Hunting and Trapping

The Bodcau Wildlife Management Area is an excellent fishing destination and home to some of the region's best hunting and trapping grounds. Available game species one can target include white-tailed deer, squirrel, rabbit, dove, quail, and other small game species. Deer can be hunted through archery and modern firearms. Waterfowl hunting is done in the 1,600-acre Greentree reservoir, sloughs, and backwater flooded areas. Turkey hunting is open during a short spring gobbler season. The WMA has two dove hunting fields where a non-toxic shot no larger than #6 must be used.

3. Try Out the Shooting Range

The Bodcau Wildlife Management Area operates the Bodcau Wildlife Management Area Shooting Range which is public and free to use. It has a shotgun station, a rifle range with targets from 25 to 200 yards, and a pistol range with 25-yard targets. The site provides target frames and paper targets. The shooting range is supervised by an approved range officer and is open Fridays to Sundays, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Visitors who wish to go hunting and shooting in the WMA must have an access permit, a senior hunting and fishing license, a Louisiana sportsman’s paradise license, or a lifetime hunting and fishing license.