Rules & Regulations
Cast net laws in Louisiana
Legal with restrictionsInformational only — this is not legal advice
Fishing regulations change, sometimes with little notice, and can vary further by county, water body, or season within a state. This page is a starting point for research, not a substitute for the law. Always verify current rules directly with your state's fish & wildlife agency or TakeMeFishing.org before you fish. BasicGear is not responsible for citations, fines, or gear seizures resulting from reliance on this page.
Last verified: 2026-07-08 — regulations are re-checked periodically; see the date above before assuming this is current.
Summary
Cast nets are an approved gear for freshwater finfish/crawfish and saltwater shrimp/bait — not a blanket ban on game fish.
Size, mesh & licensing
- Max size
- 8.5 ft radius (8 ft 6 in)
- Mesh
- Not specified for cast nets
- Water type
- Both — the same radius cap applies in fresh and salt water
- License
- Yes — Basic Fishing License (freshwater) or saltwater license (marine/shrimp use)
Recommended BasicGear net
Cast Net — Basic Series — Choose the 8 ft Basic Series size to stay just under Louisiana's 8.5 ft radius cap.
Official source
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife & Fisheries↗
High confidenceThe 8.5 ft radius figure is corroborated on two independent official LDWF pages.
Last verified: 2026-07-08
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