Lake Use Rules

The Lake Sherwood Restrictions and Protective Covenants (Part I. Administration and Lake Sherwood Council- Section 2.21) allow for the Sherwood Lake Association Board to regulate lake usage with reasonable rules and regulations. This is to protect the residents and the lake’s health.

 

Since it is a private lake, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Dept. representatives have stated the subdivision can impose and enforce its own rules. In order to halt non-resident use of the lake, to promote a safer neighborhood in regards to a crime and privacy issues and to improve the quality of the lake; the following has been adopted:

 

General Rules:

• Use of the lake is restricted to residents who are lot owners or to renters who live in Lake Sherwood Acres. This is allowed as long as all subdivision dues are paid up to date for the lot. 

• Residents and renters are defined as family members to include: parents, children, grandchildren, and sons or daughters in law whether or not they live in Lake Sherwood Acres. Family guests are allowed as long as a resident accompanies the guest. Only boats belonging to residents and that have proper Lake Sherwood Acres boat stickers with lot numbers are permitted. The lot owner or renter assumes full responsibility for all family members and guests.

• Property owners whose trees or limbs have fallen into the lake are required to remove them as soon as possible.

• No bulkhead, dock, boat launch ramp or other structure may protrude into the lake.

• Nothing may be dumped into the lake including but not limited to grass clippings, food scraps, crawfish/shrimp shells, fish guts, dirt, concrete etc. Besides being against our Lake Rules, dumping in our waterways is a violation of City Ordinances.

• The lake may not be used as a source of water for irrigation or other purposes.

• Lot owners, who wish to place objects (such as wildlife houses, plants, or other objects, etc.) within the lake, must submit plans for approval to the Chairman of the Lake Committee. The resident will, if plans are approved, be required to accept all clean-up costs, maintenance costs and liabilities associated with the approved project.

 

Boating Rules:

• No boats powered by internal combustion engines can be used on the lake.

• All boats used on the lake must have 2 Lake Sherwood Acres boat stickers with the lot number, one on each side. Boats or boat stickers should not be loaned to others such as workers on your property or an unaccompanied guest. If that action is taken, the lake stickers will be removed for 1 year. Contact info@lakesherwoodacres.com for boat stickers.

• Boating is allowed at any time. If boating is desired in darkness, proper boat lights are required.

• All boats must have a life vest for all boat occupants. Children under 13 must be wearing a life vest.

 

Swimming Rules:

• The Lake Sherwood Acres Board discourages swimming in the lake and it does not provide for any type of lifeguard protections. Swimmers do so at their own risk.

• Jumping off lake bridges or from objects (such as trees, bulkheads, boats, etc.) into the lake is prohibited.

 

Fishing Rules:

• All non-resident guests must have a valid Louisiana Recreational Fishing License on their possession, in accordance with Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries laws. The Resident hosting the guest(s) must be with the guest at all times. Residents are not required to have a Louisiana Fishing License.

• Daily bass limit set at 3 between 12 to 19 inches and 1 of the 3 may be over 19 inches. All others must be safely returned to the lake.

• Daily crappie (or sac-a-lait) limit set at 5 over 8 inches. All others must be safely returned to the lake.

• Daily catfish limit set at 10 over 12 inches in length. All others must be safely returned to the lake.

• Pan fish (or bream) will have no limit or size restriction. Do not return any bream of any size to the lake. If they are too small to eat dispose of them in the garbage.

• Rio Grande Cichlids should not be returned to the lake regardless of size. 

• Catches can be checked by any subdivision resident or security patrol member. Violations will result in a 1 year suspension of lake use by anyone connected with that lot’s described allowed lake user.

• Use of seine nets or any other type of net fishing is banned.

• The use of hand lines, trot lines, bottle floats, balloon style floats, Yo Yo’s or other type of line style fishing with single or multiple hooks is banned and deemed unsafe due to hazards posed to residents and boats. These fishing methods are prohibited whether attended or not. 

• Each year, the Lake Sherwood Board will review, make any changes to, and vote on the renewal of these regulations at the start of that board’s business. The Lake Maintenance Committee Chairman will handle this duty. If your boat is sold or given away, remove the Lake Sherwood stickers and destroy them.

• ADOPTED BY THE 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHERWOOD LAKE ASSOCIATION Adopted February 6, 2023