Things Looking Up For Fishery at Parish Park Lake
Lincoln Parish Park was born from the dream of a special man, the late Fredrick Hoogland. One day, in the late 1970s, he was inspired by something he saw. I interviewed him 20 years or so ago and wrote an article on his discovery.
“When I stepped up on a bluff that spring day and saw what lay before me, I’m sure if somebody had heard me, they’d have thought I was an evangelist praising the Lord. I’ve never had an experience quite like that and I was overcome with emotion, realizing that my prayers had been answered. After walking thousands of acres around Ruston for the better part of three years, I realized that God had led me to the right spot and it was just about more than I could handle. There was no doubt in my mind that here was the site that would ultimately become the park I’d dreamed about since high school,” Hoogland told me when I interviewed him.
Hoogland’s efforts resulted in the park being officially dedicated in March 1990, consisting of miles of bike trails, walking paths, camping and picnic areas and a lake.
Located just off Highway 33 north of Ruston, this was an area I not only enjoyed but came to love and realize that this “Oasis in the Pines” was a welcomed and blessed addition to Lincoln Parish and surrounding areas.
One of the things about the park that I enjoyed was taking my grandchildren to the pond to let them swim and fish. The only thing about the fishing was they could catch three inch bream until they tired but there were very few large enough to eat.
That, however, is on the verge of changing as the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries got involved in trying to improve the fishery on the pond. Jeff Sibley, Fisheries Biologist, is overseeing a program to do just that.
“Lincoln Parish doesn’t have a state sponsored public lake so we decided to get involved. The pond at the park at 24 acres is either a big pond or a small lake and we felt we could take some actions that would improve fishing there,” said Sibley.
“From the sampling we did, we found the lake has a big population of small 10-12 inch bass and lots of small bream with the exception of scattered schools of big bream. We added lime and fertilizer to the lake to increase the population of plankton to result in a better forage base. We also used electro-fishing to reduce the number of small bass because things were badly out of balance,” he added.
With no predators in the lake, such as big flathead catfish and gar, this puts anglers as the top end predator, according to Sibley.
“Things are already starting to look up,” Sibley said, “and by this fall, things should really start to look different on the lake. Bream are beginning to reproduce like we wanted and hopefully we’ll see the numbers of small bass reduced.”
He suggested that anglers should go out now with a small spinner and easily catch a limit of 10-12 inch bass, fish they should take home and not return to the lake. Of course, daily limits must also be followed.
Next year when my grandchildren come for a visit, here’s hoping they’ll be able to catch enough keeper bream for a fish fry. A big thank you is in order for Jeff Sibley and his team for doing something special for the park that Fredrick Hoogland would be so proud of.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass have moved to deeper water. Soft plastics and cranks baits are working best. Crappie have moved from the shallows to deeper tops and are hitting jigs and shiners. Some big bream are being caught as they have moved to shallow beds to spawn. Crickets and worms are working on them. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie have moved out and are around the brush hitting shiner or jigs. Bass are best flipping the trees with soft plastics. The bream bite is going on in the shallows. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Water level down because of lock and dam problems down stream. Fishing overall is slow. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass have moved out to secondary points and hitting square bills, spinners and soft plastics. Crappie have moved out to 10-12 foot water and hitting jigs and shiners. The bream are on the beds and biting crickets and small spinners. Lots of catfish are being caught on red wigglers and night crawlers just off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie have moved away from shallow spawning areas and are in deeper water with jigs and shiners picking up some. Bass have moved out to deeper water now that the spawn is over. Soft plastics and crank baits are picking up some. Bream are on the shallow beds and hitting worms and crickets. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water is like a yo-yo, falling last week, rising this week followed by a slow fall next week. Except for catfish caught on trotlines and buffalo caught in nets nothing else is biting. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.