Where Fishing Records are Set

Jimmie Davis State Park sits on a peninsula in Caney Lake near the north Louisiana town of Jonesboro. This lake is known for its record catches of largemouth bass.

Water sports on the lake

The splash pad and its alternating geysers of water are the perfect place to cool off in the summer heat. Toddlers, children and adults scamper through the cool spray. The splash pad is located in the day use area of Jimmie Davis State Park. There are picnic tables near a wide sandy beach and swimming in the clear water of Caney Lake. In the distance, jet skis and bass boats race across the lake.

Jimmie Davis offers plenty of opportunities for families to stay overnight in this state park. There are more than 70 campsites and 17 vacation cabins. Due to its location on a peninsula, you can watch the sunrise on the east side of the park in the morning, and then watch is slowly set over the lake on the west side. The sunsets are the perfect ending for a day of fun and relaxation.

a fisherman’s paradise

A dam across Caney Creek in the 1980s created the Caney Lake Reservoir. Since then, the lake has yielded record-sized bass to fishermen. A list of Louisiana’s record bass shows that 16 of the top 20 were caught in Caney Lake. And one of those fish was the state record largemouth bass that tipped the scale at nearly 16 pounds. Fishermen credit the heavy grassy beds that grow along the shoreline with creating the perfect habitat for fish.

This state park was originally called Caney Lake State Park. But it was renamed Jimmie Davis State Park in honor of the former Louisiana governor who lived in the area. The park’s hiking and biking trails provide a perfect escape for nature lovers.

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Getting there

Jimmie Davis State Park is located at 1209 State Park Road, Chatham, Louisiana.