Marsh Madness 2025

Spring Preparation for the 2025 Hunting & Fishing Season

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Spring in Louisiana means heater in the morning, AC by afternoon, and the 2025 fishing season is just around the corner. Trees are budding, and aquatic vegetation is sprouting in your favorite fishing hole. With outdoor expos and sportsmen’s shows nearly every weekend, it’s the perfect time to gear up. The Louisiana Outdoor Expo was held from March 14-16, and the Louisiana Sportsmen Show is set for March 28-30 in LaPlace. The New Orleans Big Bass Rodeo is March 29. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has also started adopting amendments to finalize the 2025-26 hunting regulations—spring is here, get ready!

My name is Connor Gilbert, and I serve as the Sportsmen Outreach and Policy Specialist within the Restore the Mississippi River Delta Coalition. Through the Vanishing Paradise
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See you in the marsh,

Connor Gilbert
Sportsmen Outreach & Policy Specialist
Vanishing Paradise

PS - In case you missed it, public comments on CPRA's draft Annual Plan for Fiscal Year 2026 are due this Saturday (March 22)! Check out CPRA's interactive plan viewer at ap26.coastal.la.gov
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[email protected]?subject=FY26%20Annual%20Plan%20Comment or by mail to CPRA, 150 Terrace Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

You can read MRD's statement on the Annual Plan here
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Louisiana Outdoor Expo and Louisiana Sportsmen Show

As spring rolls in, the Louisiana Outdoor Expo
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Above: new land in Neptune Pass, 2024

The World Needs More Louisiana - Not Less

The overwhelming public support for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion hasn’t changed. Only the politics has changed – and that is deeply concerning for Louisiana’s future.

Pledge your support now for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion (MBSD) so that Louisianans can continue to live, work, play, and thrive on our coast. Read more and sign the form here.
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And, to learn more about how MBSD helps restore Louisiana's Sportsman's Paradise, check out this article
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New Orleans Big Bass Rodeo 2025

The New Orleans Big Bass Rodeo, taking place on March 29th, 2025, is a fun-filled, family-friendly event that puts anglers' skills to the test. The Big Bass Rodeo consists of adult, youth, and team divisions for bass and bream anglers to compete in and offers student anglers a chance to compete in the Battle for the Bass student fishing competition. Additionally, participants can take part in the Boats on the Bayou competition, fishing Bayou St. John from kayaks or other non-motorized vessels to catch the largest bass and other fish species.

Register HERE
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The Restore the Mississippi River Delta team will be participating in the Big Bass Rodeo, targeting invasive species like the Rio Grande Cichlid and Tilapia in the cichlid and bream division. Vanishing Paradise will also have a booth at the event, sharing information on coastal restoration projects in Louisiana. According to LSU Sea Grant, Rio Grande Cichlids have been present in the City Park waterways since 1995. These invasive fish pose a threat to native bream and perch populations by outcompeting species such as Shellcrackers, Bluegills, and other sunfish.

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Red Snapper season confirmed for the 2025 fishing season

The official Red Snapper season for 2025 is set to open on May 1st, running seven days a week. Anglers will be allowed to keep up to four red snapper per day, with a minimum length requirement of 16 inches. Louisiana has allocated 894,955 pounds for the annual private recreational harvest, which will be monitored through LA Creel.

Last year, the season saw a mid-summer adjustment, shifting from a full-week schedule to weekends-only after the Fourth of July. Thanks to sustainable harvest practices and precise tracking, red snapper stocks have continued to thrive, allowing for increased daily bag limits over the years. In 2020, anglers were limited to just two fish per day, but in 2025, that number has doubled—a testament to effective fisheries management.

Now’s the time to prep—get those boat engines serviced and gear up with heavy tackle to take on the giant red snapper waiting off Louisiana’s coast!

Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission Notice of Intent and Hunting Regulations for 2025-2026

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) has adopted several amendments to the 2025-26 hunting regulations during its February and March meetings. Key changes include allowing airboats on designated trails in Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and permitting turkey hunting in East Carroll Parish, east of the main line levee to the Mississippi River. The newly proposed hunting dates can be found HERE
[link removed]. A modification to the ban on remote cameras on WMAs allows them year-round, except during open turkey season. Notice of Intent (NOI), the Black Bear hunting season, originally starting with Bear Area 4, will now expand to include Bear Areas 1 and 2. The NOI shows an increase in permits for Bear Area 4 from 10 to 15, with Area 1 receiving eight permits and Area 2 receiving three. LDWF will conduct a public hearing on amendments to the NOI April 22 at 10 a.m. at LDWF HQ in Baton Rouge in the Joe Herring Louisiana Room. Final approval for the NOI and amendments will be at the May LWFC meeting.
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