Bushley Bayou Fishing Guides
A Catahoula Parish bayou that drains the Bushley hills into the Ouachita lowlands, mixing a little gradient with classic cypress-lined bayou water.
Guides on the Bushley Bayou
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About the Bushley Bayou
Bushley Bayou is a little different from most of the bayous in this part of Louisiana, because it begins in the low hills of western Catahoula Parish and carries a touch more gradient than the pure lowland bayous around it. By the time it reaches the gauge near Harrisonburg it has flattened out into recognisable bayou water, tea-stained and slow between cypress banks, but the upper reaches run with more definition and gravel than an angler used to delta bayous would expect.
The bayou drains toward the Ouachita River near Harrisonburg, and that connection matters. Fish move between the bayou and the main river with the seasons and with the water level, so the bayou can be either a modest local fishery or a genuinely busy one depending on what the Ouachita is doing. The gauge reads stage, and reading it before making the drive is worth the minute it takes.
Largemouth bass hold on wood and undercut banks throughout. Crappie stack around submerged timber and in the deeper bends, and they are the most reliable fish here in the cooler months. Bluegill, redear and warmouth are thick along the margins and make this good water for anyone fishing light tackle or a fly rod. The catfish population is strong, with flatheads in the log jams, blues in the deeper water and channel cats everywhere.
Bowfin and both spotted and longnose gar round out what an angler is likely to encounter. Harrisonburg is the practical base, a small town on the Ouachita with a boat ramp and basic services, and the surrounding country includes a good deal of public land.
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Access
Harrisonburg - the parish seat on the Ouachita, with a ramp, fuel and basic services.
Ouachita River - the main river the bayou joins, a substantial fishery.
Highway 8 crossing - a bridge access on the bayou west of Harrisonburg.
Catahoula Lake - the large natural lake south of here, a separate and notable water.
Jonesville - the town southeast at the Ouachita and Little River junction.
Sicily Island Hills - a state wildlife area east of the river with public access.
Alexandria - the regional city southwest with lodging, tackle and full services.
Seasons
Spring: bass push shallow onto wood and flooded edges, and crappie spawn in the backwaters.
Summer: fish hold deep in the bends, with catfish the most dependable target after dark.
Fall: cooling water and dropping levels concentrate bass and crappie in the channel.
Winter: crappie fishing is at its best in the deep holes, with bass slow but present.
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Questions
What species can you catch on the Bushley Bayou?
Anglers target Black Crappie, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Bowfin, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Longnose Gar, Redear Sunfish, Spotted Gar, Warmouth, White Crappie on the Bushley Bayou in Louisiana.
Where can you access the Bushley Bayou?
Harrisonburg - the parish seat on the Ouachita, with a ramp, fuel and basic services. Ouachita River - the main river the bayou joins, a substantial fishery. Highway 8 crossing - a bridge access on the bayou west of Harrisonburg. Catahoula Lake - the large natural lake south of here, a separate and notable water. Jonesville - the town southeast at the Ouachita and Little River junction. Sicily Island Hills - a state wildlife area east of the river with public access. Alexandria - the regional city southwest with lodging, tackle and full services.
When is the best time to fish the Bushley Bayou?
Spring: bass push shallow onto wood and flooded edges, and crappie spawn in the backwaters. Summer: fish hold deep in the bends, with catfish the most dependable target after dark. Fall: cooling water and dropping levels concentrate bass and crappie in the channel. Winter: crappie fishing is at its best in the deep holes, with bass slow but present.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Bushley Bayou?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Louisiana agency site: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/recreational-freshwater-finfish-and-crawfish