The Red River System with its many pools, bayous, sloughs, and oxbows offers great fishing for bass, crappie, bream & catfish. It is one of the most important river systems in the state. With its newly implemented system of locks and dams, the Red River is quickly becoming one of the best fisheries in the south. The Red River Waterway Project consists of five lock and dam complexes located between the Old River Lock on the Mississippi River, 5 miles NE of Simmesport, LA, to South of Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana. The controllable pools between each lock and dam serve as passage ways for river traffic. Pleasure craft can be locked through free of charge. Competition waters are Pools 3, 4 and 5. The main channel of the pools runs 118 river miles and averages in depth from about 16 to 19 feet, according to the Red River Waterway Commission.

Anglers will launch their boats at Red River South Marina, which is in a large oxbow of Pool 5, about 14 miles north of the Joe D. Waggonner Jr. Lock & Dam No. 5. From the launch site, Classic anglers can run north toward Shreveport-Bossier City. They can elect to go south. They can lock through to Pool 4, and again through a second lock into Pool 3.

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