Red River Bass Fishing Reports

[Team KaRu]

Good luck CGS!  Stay focused . . . 

[Mike Cork]

Most definately get  your reservations now!!! It may already be too late. With the Katrina evacuees up here there just isn't much room let. I will try to do some calling around and see what's up

[mitchell]

Well I fished the red today and got second place and big bass( 3.6). Water was clear to muddy and 78 to 86 in the oxbows. We caught 15-18 fish today and had a blast but only wieghed 3 fish.The 2 bigger fish I caught came on a CandyBug Baby Brush hog with 1/8 oz sinker pegged. The most came off of a black Bettle spin my partern was useing. The winning team did about the same with a watermelon red baby brush hog and had 5 fish for 10# +. Baby brush hogs, flukes, and Bettle spins where the ticket today in 2-6 feet of water. Some off of trees and some off of grass beds. Hope this helps RangerMan521.

Mitch

[Railroader]

Congrats mitch  , sounds like alot of fun i have been thinking about going havent been since april, now that i live closer might give it a try and give cypress some rest.. were yall in pool 5?

[BIG PAPA]

Way to go Mitch I know you guys had a good time.
papa

[RangerMan521]

  Hey Mitch, congratulations    sounds like ya'll had a great time.  I really appreciate your taking the time to give me a report.  The fish seem to be shallowing up.  Do you still feel there will be a main river bite in October?

Once again, congrats  and thanks~!

[R Tilson]

The "big tournament" is the ABA Nationals October 2-7. 430 enties which means 215 boats. Host city is Bossier City and the launch ramps will be both Stoner and Teage.

The BFL has also moved thier super tourney to the Red on Oct 1&2 on pool #3.

If anyone would be willing to help me locate the following areas, thanks will go out and I can trade advice for Georgia lakes.

Coushatta, McDades, Bishop Point, Caspiana, Colfax, Bee Hive Cove

I know it's asking alot but I'll only be there a week.

See you there cqs2004, I'll be at the Shoney's Inn and I'm running an Aries Ram 2100 White with Canadian blue deck and hull insert. Look me up if you get a chnace.

[cgs2004]

Sounds good, I'll defiantly look for you.  Are you planning on fishing all 3 days of pre-fishing?  Going as a boater?  I'm in the CAST division so I have to be a non boater.  I believe the 5 of us from Kansas St. Univ. are all driving down there on Sat. the 1st.  We are staying at the Econo Lodge.

[R Tilson]

Just got back in town from Missouri there cgs2004. I'll be fishing all three days as boater. We will be rolling into town around 3:00 AM on Sat Oct 1.

I may not have been clear in my earlier post due to an email I received. We are not allowed to pre-fish with anyone not in the tourney so the areas I'm trying to locate are where on the map can I find these place's.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Mike Cork]

I understand you can't prefish with anyone but can you sit down and go over a map with someone not in the tournament?

Caspiana is straight across the river from Clark's, now with that said it is straight as the crow fly's but there is a levee and some standing timber you will have to navigate.

Be-hive is north of Clark's and on the west side of the river also, but probably about 3-4 miles north. You have levees that run parallel to the river and some that run perpendicular. Be-hive is a small cut a levee that runs parallel to the river. Basically if you head north out of Clark's there is a levee on the west side of the river that runs parallel and then a couple that run perpendicular and finally one that runs parallel and that is the one with the cut to Bee Hive.

McDade is south of Clark's but again on the West side of the river. The easiest way to find it is to head south and it is the last oxbow on the right (west side) before you hit the lock and dam.

Coushatta, is a town about half way down the river between locks 4 and 5 it is very close to the river and has a lauch but that is it.

You got me on Colfax, it maybe between locks and damn #3 and #4, Dave the Dope Man would know better on that one.

Hope that helps, Clear as Mud I am sure and once you get on the river it will be even more confusing I know you all are launching out of the City launches but it would be good for you to go down to Clark's and launch there at least once.

[Chris]

Just to clarify : Mike is saying levees ,some folks also call them jetties . I grew up on the coast and they were mainly called jetties .

[Mike Cork]

Good point Chris thanks

[R Tilson]

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!!

That helps very much. That's all I'm looking for general area. The rules won't allow us to get any help from anyone after the first partner draw. Off-limits started at 5:00 PM Saturday thee 17th and you can only practice with someone in the tourney, sponsor, or family member starting at safe daylight Sunday Oct 2.

Please feel free to contact me if your in Georgia and need some help.

[cgs2004]

Hey Rick,  You wouldn't happen to be looking for a partner to prefish with would ya?  I'd split gas and everything with you, throw whatever you wanted me to, and I'll keep all the good spots "hush hush "!  I'm just fishing against the other college guys anyway so you don't have to worry about me!  It might be a long shot but I thought I'd ask.

Casey Smith

[Mike Cork]

R Tilson Hopefully others with jump in and help out some. I will see what I can dig up for you all. When will be the last time you can look at the site before you head out

[R Tilson]

Hey Mike, My last viewing will be Thursday September 29. After that, it's load up and head your way Friday the 30th. This help is great.

Casey,
Shoot me an email and will work out some tentative plans and then finalize when we get there Saturday the 30th. Your more than welcome to join me. How about your buddies, they got anyone to pre-fish with. I maybe able to try and get them a ride at least once or twice I hope. Let me know.

[cgs2004]

Rick, Email sent!  Hopfully we can work something out.

[Mike Cork]

Just to let the folks headed this way for the ABA tournament, if you have been told any secrets yet, becareful. With Rita barrelling down on us the river is going to change dramatically. I bring this up because the folks that hit the water with no preconcevied ideas and do a true prefish will probably be the best off. After this blows threw I will try to get some water conditions and get them posted

[cgs2004]

Keep us posted Mike!

[mitchell]

I would have to say that the back of the oxbows will be on fire by the tournament. The main river will stay muddy for awhile with all the rain and will be cooler by then also. I've had luck back in the oxbows that have shallow grass beds. They seem to push the shad back there more when its muddy. There is a lot of standing timber but they relate more to the grass then the wood this time of year. Just my 2 cents. Good Luck.

Mitch

[cgs2004]

It looks like most of the storm has made its way out of the area now.  Good to see.  How'd it hit the Red River area?  Was it very bad or did it weaken alot by the time it got there?  Hopfully no damage was done.

[Mike Cork]

So far not any damage to the river system at all, plenty of room with very high levee's. Looks like south of Shreveport (just south ) there was up to 12 inches, north of Shreveport is 6 plus and still counting, that is the part that will hurt the river, we'll have to see what the totals are after tomorrow

[R Tilson]

Mike and the other locals,
First, I hope you'll made it through the storm fine. I've lived on the Carolina coast and these hurricanes are no fun.

The word we are getting from Homer is that if you'll get 6-12 inches everything will be okay as the river needs water. If the storm stalls and get much more than that, it will become difficult. His comment was the same as yours, the increased water level will change the game and even out the playing field.

Please take care of your needs first after this storm and then keep us posted. If you get a chance, we'll be weighing in at Stoner's on Wednesday and Thursday at 3:00 PM and 2:00 PM on Friday. Even through we would not be able to talk about fishing on the Red, it would be nice to shake the hand of an unknown friend that's helping out.

Again, Thanks for everything!

[Mike Cork]

I think the river is going to be fine, there may be some extra current and extra hazzards so traveling the river must be done with caution of floating debri, I figure most folks will be traveling with caution anyway since it is new water.

I would love to meet everyone that comes to the tournament, please email me with discription of your boat and yourself so that I can track you down

Hopefully you will be on the leader board and I will be able to see you on stage and put a face to the names

[cgs2004]

Laurie gave me your telephone number.  We were planning on maybe meeting up for dinner or something while I was down there.  Being that I'm going to prefish with RTilson maybe we can all hook up for dinner or something, sound good?