Island Marina & Bait Shop | Top Marina in New Orleans, LA Skip to content

Island Marina & Bait Shop

26204 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129
Services
Dockage, Storage & Fuel
Pricing
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About

New Orleans, Louisiana is home to Island Marina & Bait Shop on Lake Catherine, with Lake Pontchartrain across the highway and Lake Borgne and the Biloxi Marsh minutes away. This full-service marina near New Orleans supports anglers with hanging and wet boat slips, dry and uncovered boat storage, trailer storage, and a family-friendly launch. The property also stocks live bait, ice, non-ethanol fuel, tackle, snacks, and marine supplies for days on the water.

Lake Catherine is a fishing base for redfish, trout, sheepshead, flounder, triple tail, bass, catfish, gar, and crabs. Visitors can use the covered fish-cleaning station and stay in furnished cabins or RV sites with utilities and sewer. Dockage options and a launch create practical access for boating and fishing trips, while staff are described as knowledgeable and friendly. Contact Island Marina & Bait Shop to arrange slips, storage, lodging, or launch access.

Features

  • Full-service marina
  • Lake and marsh fishing access
  • Family-friendly boat launching
  • Overnight lodging and RV stays
  • Live bait and tackle

Amenities

  • Slips & Dockage
  • Boat Storage
  • Fuel
  • Parts & Accessories
  • Cooler & Ice
  • Fishing
  • Cabins & Climate
  • Camping & RV

Why book with us

  • Launch easily with an easy in and out
  • Clean your catch at the covered fish station
  • Stay overnight in furnished cabins with included linens
  • Target redfish trout sheepshead flounder and triple tail
  • Access lake and marsh fishing easily

Frequently Asked Questions

How old do you have to be to rent a boat in Louisiana?

For a Louisiana boat rental, all renters must be at least 18. Age 10 is the earliest a person can receive boater education certification and operate a motorboat over 10 horsepower without the accompaniment exception. Under R.S. 34:851.36, anyone born after January 1, 1984, needs an approved course or must be accompanied by someone over 18 who completed the course, if required. That exception does not apply to personal watercraft, whose operators must be at least 16 and course-certified if born after that date. The rental operator may set a higher minimum, so confirm it when booking.

Source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (wlf.louisiana.gov)

Do you need a boating license in Louisiana?

Louisiana requires boater education rather than a boating license: anyone born after January 1, 1984 must carry proof of an LDWF approved course to operate a motorboat over 10 horsepower or a personal watercraft. A motorboat operator may instead be accompanied by someone over 18 who has completed the course if required, but that exception does not apply to personal watercraft. Personal watercraft operators must be at least 16; rental operators must be at least 18, and students cannot be certified before age 10.

U.S. Coast Guard licensed captains are exempt. Eligible renters from a state approved livery may watch the LDWF safety video for a 48 hour exemption. Course graduates receive a temporary certificate while proof is processed.

Source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (wlf.louisiana.gov)

Where can you go boating from New Orleans, Louisiana?

From New Orleans, you can boat on Lake Pontchartrain, continue through The Rigolets or Chef Menteur Pass to Lake Borgne, or explore Bayou Sauvage’s marsh waterways. Lake Pontchartrain is broad open water, with launching available at West End. The Rigolets is a deep connecting passage with irregular currents, while Chef Menteur Pass is used by pleasure craft but has shallow water near its entrances. Fort Pike and Geoghegan canals have additional launching ramps. Bayou Sauvage suits small craft, with shallow lakes, lagoons, canals and natural bayous between Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne.

Source: New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation (nauticalcharts.noaa.gov)

What are the most popular boating destinations near New Orleans, Louisiana?

Boaters can make day trips from New Orleans to Madisonville’s Tchefuncte River waterfront, Mandeville’s Lake Pontchartrain lakefront, the Tchefuncte River Lighthouse, and Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge. Madisonville draws crews to riverfront restaurants and marinas, while Mandeville combines a marina, parks and dining along the lake. The lighthouse at the Tchefuncte’s mouth makes a scenic sightseeing stop. For a quieter outing within New Orleans, Bayou Sauvage offers fishing, crabbing, birding and boating among marshes, canals and shallow interior lakes.

Source: New Orleans & Company (neworleans.com)

Location

26204 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129

Disclaimer

This listing was created using artificial intelligence and publicly available data. The information presented may be inaccurate, outdated, incomplete, or incorrect. Slipstream does not verify, endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of any listing content, including but not limited to contact information, pricing, services offered, hours of operation, or business status.

All content is provided “as is” and without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Slipstream expressly disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, or reliance arising from the use of this information. Users are solely responsible for independently verifying all details directly with the business.

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