The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) announced a $1.1 million project to install new pavement striping and rumble strips along numerous routes throughout the Alexandria region.

Work is scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 3, weather permitting, starting on LA 1 and LA 29 in Avoyelles Parish.

Construction will begin on LA 1 from W. Bon Temps Street in Marksville to LA 114 in Echo and on LA 29 from Dora Road to Dupuy Crossing in Avoyelles Parish. Motorists are advised to watch for advance warning signs, crews and equipment in the work zone.

This portion of the project is expected to take approximately five months and is dependent on weather conditions.

The project includes the following routes:

• LA 8 (Sabine Parish)
• LA 120 (Natchitoches Parish)
• LA 3191 (Natchitoches Parish)
• LA 1146 (Vernon Parish)
• US 71 (Grant, Natchitoches and Winn parishes)
• LA 29 (Avoyelles Parish)
• LA 467 (Vernon Parish)
• LA 112 (Rapides Parish)
• LA 191 (Sabine Parish)
• LA 174 (Natchitoches Parish)
• LA 1 (Avoyelles Parish)

Future work will take place in Grant, Natchitoches, Rapides, Sabine, Vernon and Winn parishes. DOTD said it will provide another update when contractor Nation Striping Company, LLC moves from Avoyelles Parish to the remaining parishes.

According to DOTD, the project is intended to replace pavement striping that provides important information to motorists while improving safety through the installation of rumble strips, which alert drivers with sound and vibration when they drift from their travel lane.

All roadways included in the project will remain open to local and through traffic during construction, with no vehicle width restrictions. Lane closures will be used as needed during construction operations.

DOTD reminds motorists to drive with caution through construction zones, watch for work crews and equipment, leave adequate following distance and use caution when walking or biking near active work areas.

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Now into Week 4 of recovery from quadruple bypass surgery and I’m slowly getting some energy back. My appetite is also returning after losing close to 20 pounds. Quality, deep rem sleep is hard to come by, but the anxiety issues are getting better. 

Enough about all that, let’s talk about things to do during the dog days of summer. While health wise, I’m still a few weeks away from dropping my boat in the water and getting back to serious fishing, now is a great time to head into my fishing man cave and reorganize, clean and respool a few reels for some good fall use. 

After a busy spring tournament schedule my fishing man cave is a disaster. Bags of baits that should be on pegs are laying everywhere. I’ve got tackle boxes scattered all over the room that also need to be placed on a shelf. 

Some of my crankbait boxes need to be gone through to consider certain baits that might need to be replaced. It’s also a great time to check the hooks and replace those old treble hooks with new ones. This is one area anglers can sometimes overlook until they lose a few fish, and it costs them a high finish. 

Outside the fishing man cave, another thing anglers have to be conscious of this time of year, with temperatures reaching the mid to upper 90’s, is leaving soft plastic baits in your boat. Point being, high temperatures will melt soft plastic lures making not only a mess but costing you money. 

Hopefully you’re fortunate enough to park your boat under a carport or inside your garage. But even in the garage, temperatures can reach extreme highs. I have a large fan that I run daily in my garage to help keep the temperature down. 

If I know that I won’t be fishing for quite a while during those hot summer days, I’ll remove the soft plastic baits from my boat and store them in my air-conditioned fishing man cave. 

After reorganizing the man cave, next I’ll take a look at the fishing reels that I have used most of the spring; clean each one as well as drop a little oil on the gears and moving parts. High dollar fishing reels only act like high dollar reels if you take good care of them.

Once your fishing man cave is in order, now is the time to get into your boat and clean it out. I take everything out of my boat so I can clean all the lockers. It’s also the time to take my spring tackle out and put my fall tackle in. 

And while you’re at it, why not clean any major carpet stains? The best thing I have found to bring your boat carpet back to looking new is shaving crème. Take a small section at a time and apply the shaving crème then scrub with a soft brush or rag. 

Let it sit for about 10 minutes, then rise with water and you’ll be amazed at how good your carpet will look. It’s also great for the new marine deck foam flooring that has become so popular.

These are just a few things to add to your summer to-do list in order to make sure you’re ready for some great fall fishing. ‘Til next time, stay cool and avoid the summer heat. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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July 29 marks the anniversary of the death of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh, whose life and work have become among the most recognized in art history.

Van Gogh died on July 29, 1890, at the age of 37, two days after suffering a gunshot wound in Auvers-sur-Oise, France. Although he created more than 2,000 works of art, including around 900 paintings, he sold very few during his lifetime and struggled financially while pursuing his passion for painting.

One of his most famous final works, Wheatfield with Crows, is often associated with the final weeks of his life. The painting’s dramatic sky and winding paths have led generations of art historians and viewers to interpret it as reflecting his emotional state, though scholars continue to debate its exact significance.

Van Gogh’s distinctive style, characterized by bold colors and expressive brushstrokes, later helped shape modern art. Today, masterpieces such as The Starry Night, Sunflowers and Irises attract millions of visitors to museums around the world and rank among the most recognizable paintings ever created.

Ironically, the artist who struggled to gain recognition during his lifetime is now considered one of history’s greatest painters, with some of his works selling for tens of millions of dollars at auction.

More than 135 years after his death, Vincent van Gogh’s legacy continues to inspire artists, historians and art lovers worldwide, making July 29 a day to remember one of history’s most influential creative figures.

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Walking through our preschool the other day, a little fellow proudly showed me his bandaid. He stuck out his arm like he was unveiling a medal of honor. I asked what happened. With the solemnity only a fouryearold can muster, he said, “I got a bobo.”

Case closed. Diagnosis made. Treatment applied. Healing underway.

Children are refreshingly honest about pain. If something hurts, they point to it. If they fall, they cry. If they get a scratch, they want a bandaid — preferably one with dinosaurs or superheroes, because everyone knows those heal faster.

Adults, on the other hand, become experts at hiding our wounds. We carry heart bobo’s — hurts no one can see. Disappointments we never voice. Grief we tuck behind a busy schedule. Regrets we bury so deeply we forget where we put them. Pain that we pretend isn’t there because we think grown-ups are supposed to “handle it.”

But the truth is, some of the deepest wounds don’t show up on the skin.

Isaiah wrote, “By his wounds we are healed.” That’s not poetic exaggeration — it’s the heart of the Gospel. Jesus didn’t just die for our sins in some abstract theological sense. He took on our pain, our brokenness, our hidden hurts, our heart bobo’s. The Son of God carried what we try so hard to conceal.

There’s pathos in that exchange — Christ taking our sin and sorrow, offering us freedom, and yet we humans often cling to the very things He died to release us from. It’s like walking around with a perfectly good bandaid in hand but refusing to peel off the backing.

King David prayed, “Put a new and right spirit within me.” That’s the grown-up version of holding out your wound and saying, “Lord, this is where it hurts.” It’s the courage to admit we need healing. It’s the humility to let God do what we cannot.

And here’s the soft humor of it all: If a preschooler can trust a bandaid to make a scraped elbow better, surely we can trust the Savior of the world to tend to our hearts.

So maybe today is a good day to stop pretending we’re fine. A good day to let go of what Christ has already carried. A good day to let the Healer do His healing.

After all, Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make broken people whole.  And that includes every one of us — heart bobo’s and all.

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Michael Ray Paddie (Slayter), age 73 of Verda, passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center. He retired after many years of working in various jobs including the oil field, hanging billboards, manufacturing plants, cable tv services and his last job of delivering medical equipment for Dixie Medical. He loved fishing, hunting, and spending time with his family.

He was preceded in death by his Mother and Stepfather, Dale and Leona Tullis, adopted parents Albert Burton and Irene Slayter, brother Albert Dale Slayter, sister Paula Jean Stafford, daughter Shani Slayter Fallis, grandson Douglas Wayne Thompson Jr., and numerous foster brothers and sisters.

He is survived by his son, Michael Brandon Slayter and wife Jennifer of Winnfield, step daughter Kimberly Bruce Futrell and husband George of Winnfield, Grandchildren Billie Thompson, Brady Fallis, Savannah Carr, Michael Braxton Slayter (Lizzy), Carlie Rhea Slayter, Megan Bruce Glenn (Chris), and Dylan Bruce (Meagan), great grandchildren Shaina Dupree (Austin), Peyton James Glenn (Bella), CJ Bruce, Jaxon Carr, Grayson Carr and Hudson Roncal and great great-granddaughter Adrianna Butts, Son in law Duane Fallis, and his significant other Cynthia Steadman. He is also survived by his twin sister Susan McCarty (Howard), brothers Ailon Slayter, Thomas Tullis, Butch Paddie and Brad Paddie, and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, July 29th, 2026, at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Southern Funeral Home in Winnfield with Rev. Richard Debusk officiating. Burial will follow at Mill Creek Cemetery in Saline.

Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, from 5-8:30 pm and again on Wednesday from 8 a.m. until time of services at the funeral home.

Serving the family as pallbearers will be Michael Braxton Slayter, Peyton James Glenn, Dylan Bruce, Brady Fallis, Duane Fallis, Matthew White, Chris Robertson, and Danny Slayter.

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All Americans learned in school that we fought two wars against the British, namely the American Revolution and the War of 1812, but there was a third war that began in 1859 which has been largely forgotten.  Following the War of 1812, the United Kingdom and the United States agreed in the Treaty of Oregon that the boundary between the countries was along the 49^th parallel from the Rocky Mountains to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver’s Island then south through the channel to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and west to the Pacific Ocean (see map).  This agreement was made by using crude maps by people who had little knowledge of the area.  Both parties were unaware that there were two distinct channels or straits, the Haro Strait and the Rosario Strait, which were divided by San Juan Island. Because of the way the treaty was written, both countries claimed right to the island and people from both countries began settling on the island. For years, tension rose as each side argued that settlers from the other side were nothing more than squatters or trespassers.  

The first shot of the war happened on June 15, 1859, when Lyman Cutlar, an American, shot and killed a British subject whom Lyman had found destroying crops in his field.  British authorities threatened to arrest Lyman and to evict all Americans from the island.  In response, American Brigadier General William Harney ordered a company of 64 infantry soldiers to the island.  When the soldiers arrived, the British Governor at Vancouver ordered Royal Navy Captain Geoffrey Phipps Hornby to take his 31-gun steam frigate HMS Tribune to remove the American soldiers.  More British warships joined the Tribune shortly thereafter, and more American soldiers were sent to the island.  For months, the British and Americans stockpiled weapons and built up their forces for the upcoming battle.  Each side drilled and fired their cannons, but they were careful not to aim at the opposing soldiers just yet.  As both sides were making their final preparations for battle, General Winfield Scott, U.S. Army commander and War of 1812 veteran, arrived and began negotiations.  General Scott proposed and both sides agreed on a joint military occupation until a final border could be agreed upon.  For twelve long, tense years, San Juan Island remained under joint military occupation.  In 1871, when Great Britain and the United States were still unable to agree on ownership of San Juan Island, they turned to Kaiser Wilhelm I of Germany who set up a three-man arbitration commission to settle the dispute.  Both sides agreed that the commission’s decision would be final.  Finally in October 1872, after nearly a year of discussions by the commission, Kaiser Wilhelm I ruled in favor of the United States.  San Juan Island belonged to the United States.  The Royal Marines withdrew the following month, and the war ended 14 years after the first shot was fired.  The war over San Juan Island was named after that British subject who was the only fatality of this war between the United Kingdom and the United States.  It is known as the Pig War.  That’s right.  This conflict between the United Kingdom and United States was set off by a squabble over a pig. 

Source: “The Pig War,” National Park Service: San Juan Island, accessed July 19, 2026, https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/historyculture/the-pig-war.htm.       

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According to Winnfield Police Department officials, a vehicle was reported stolen from a residence on Dale Street during the night of July 11.  The report was on a 2021 Buick Envision with an estimated value of $25,000.  The victim reported leaving her purse and keys in her car when she parked around 9 pm.  The vehicle was missing by 10:30 pm.  

While officers were patrolling the surrounding areas, a vehicle was found parked at the Recreation Center.  The license plate indicated it came from Arkansas.  The owner was contacted and it was then reported as stolen from a repair shop in the Hot Springs area.  Arkansas officials were notified of this.

The Winnfield dispatcher on duty entered the missing Winnfield vehicle into the LLETS database and NCIC.  This triggered the Louisiana State Police to request assistance from the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Exchange (LA-SAFE).  The fusion center is a “collaborated effect of many agencies that provide resources, expertise, and information with the goal of maximizing the ability to detect, prevent, apprehend, and report criminal and terrorist activity.” (LA-SAFE website).

On July 12 the stolen vehicle pinged on a License Plate Reader (LPR) in Milton, Florida, east of Pensacola.  Later information received by LA-SAFE that 2 subject were using the victim’s cash app/credit card in New Syrma Beach, FL which is located on the eastern side next to Daytona Beach.

On July 13 the vehicle was located by a deputy with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Department in Port Orange.  The vehicle was recovered and 2 suspects taken into custody.  The suspects were identified as Clayton Pittman, age 23, of Glenwood Pike, Arkansas and a 17-year-old runaway from Indiana.

Both suspects are incarcerated in Florida on their charges.  Warrants have been issued here for Theft of a Motor Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Things over $5000, and the added charge of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Juvenile for Pittman.  Once the charges in Florida are adjudicated and they are through with them, extradition back to Winnfield will be initiated.  The victim’s insurance company is making arrangements to return her vehicle to her.

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Louisiana’s youth employment certificate process has changed and is now managed by Louisiana Works.

Under the updated process, employers are responsible for issuing work permits and verifying a minor’s age. Schools will no longer issue work permits or employment certificates.

Employers must use the new Louisiana Works Employment Certificate.

Louisiana Works also reminded schools that access to the Louisiana Works Employment Certificate System will end July 24, 2026.

The update is intended to provide important information for parents, students, employers and school partners preparing for youth employment.

Questions may be directed to EmploymentCertificate@la.gov or by calling 225-342-2683.

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If I have learned nothing else over my many years of tournament bass fishing, it’s the fact that it’s a young man’s sport. Being young has its privileges, especially when it comes to energy levels and mobility. At the age of 65, I no longer hop around the boat like a rat on crack. 

Now I’m a little more cautious in making sure I don’t hang a toe getting up on the front deck of my Caymas boat.  I’m just trying to maintain my balance and make sure that I don’t fall in the lake! 

I’ve also noticed that the older I have gotten, the further it seems to be from the driver’s seat console to the front of my boat. Just putting the trolling motor in the water also requires a little more energy now, even with high-tech lift-assist-systems that trolling motors have today. 

Even tying on a new lure can be a challenge as I need my reading glasses just to see what I’m doing. Threading fishing line through the eye of a hook requires skill that used to be automatic; now it’s an adventure and a test of my patience! 

One aspect that today’s young anglers seem to do a better job of is covering water and fishing as many places as they can in a day’s time. Older guys tend to stay in one area longer and fish it thoroughly just because we don’t want to take the time or exert the energy to move. 

I have also noticed the younger generation of today are not very likely to offer much help for the older guys who might be launching their boats by themselves. 

This was something I was always conscious of during my younger days. If I saw an older gentleman trying to launch his boat by himself, I always offered a helping hand. I think it’s just the way my generation was raised, to always be looking out for the elderly.

Even today, and now that I’m the older guy at the ramp, I’ll still offer ANY angler assistance. It’s just good manners.

In today’s tournament world, I find myself trying to stay in better shape just so I can compete with these young guns. To compete on any tournament trail, you must spend time on the water. 

A good angler will practice 8-10 hours a day in the boat trying to locate as many schools of bass as he can. It’s not uncommon for the really good anglers to practice from sunup to sundown. Again, nothing will make you a better angler than time on the water! 

These are the anglers who will not only cash more checks but will also be holding up the trophy at the end of the tournament. You cannot compete in today’s bass fishing world by taking shortcuts or only fishing for a few hours a day, no matter how good you think you are. 

Another issue at my age is that some days, fishing is literally a grind and a test of your patience. The bass don’t always bite all day long and there are only a few small windows of opportunity where the bass will feed. If you’re not on the water, you will miss those opportunities. 

There will be some days that you will ask yourself, “Why am I out here?”  But these are the days that will separate the good anglers from the average ones. The good anglers will stay on the lake and make every attempt to figure out how to make the fish bite. 

This is called persistence and determination, which can go a long way in having tournament success. It’s also called focus, which I find is a lot harder to maintain as I’ve gotten older. Focus ensures that you don’t miss those windows of opportunity when you get that unexpected bite. 

One thing that has not changed, even at the age of 65, is my desire to compete. I’m still that same competitive soul who gets so much joy in a high finish and beating the younger generation. We’ve all heard, age is just a number. That’s true until you reach what you think is that age …then reality sets in.

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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July 22 marks one of the most famous days in American crime history.

On July 22, 1934, notorious bank robber John Dillinger was shot and killed by federal agents outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago after leaving a movie. His death ended one of the nation’s most highly publicized manhunts during the Great Depression.

Dillinger became one of America’s most infamous outlaws after a string of bank robberies, jail escapes and confrontations with law enforcement across the Midwest. Newspapers closely followed his crimes, turning him into a household name at a time when many Americans were struggling through economic hardship.

Federal authorities tracked Dillinger to the theater after receiving information from an informant. As he exited the building, agents attempted to arrest him. When he tried to flee, he was shot and killed.

The event marked a significant moment in the history of federal law enforcement. The pursuit of Dillinger helped elevate the public profile of what would become the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) under Director J. Edgar Hoover and led to increased attention on interstate crime-fighting efforts.

More than 90 years later, Dillinger’s story continues to be the subject of books, documentaries and films, making July 22 a notable date in American history.

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In the early months of 1915, New York policemen knew unsavory characters had been living rent free in the dilapidated and seemingly abandoned building across the street from their station house in Brooklyn.  Finally, in late April, construction workers began demolishing the old building.  Only then did the policemen realize the scope of their problem.  As each floor was systematically disassembled, the unwelcome tenants just moved closer to street level.  The tenants that left the building took up residence in adjoining buildings or lived in the street.  They even began occupying the police station itself.  When policemen chased one away, it seemed that two or three more would take its place.  The New York Times reported, “Policemen who have faced all kinds of danger unflinchingly do not hesitate to say that it makes them feel decidedly uncomfortable.” That was an understatement.  The problem with the unwelcome tenants was out of control.  It affected all of the policemen in one way or another.  Some were unable to eat properly.  Others were unable to get a good night’s sleep.  Their work performance waned.  The whole area was going to pot.  The problem was not relegated to a single station house.  Other New York police station houses including Morrisania Police Station, Alexander Avenue station, and West 152d Street station were facing similar crises.               

In May 1915, the New York City Police Department added more than 100 new officers from a certain local tribe whose sole purpose was to rid their areas of the unwanted tenants by any means necessary.  A team of new officers at the Morrisania Police Station was led by an officer named Peter whom that station’s Lieutenant Peter Brady had adopted and named after himself years earlier.  In some cases, the police department filled the position by using the local homeless population, which solved two problems at the same time.  At the Alexander Avenue station, one new officer was not only homeless but nameless as well.  At the time of the New Yok Times’s report, the other officers at the Alexander Avenue station were trying to come up with a name for him.  One of the new officers at the Brooklyn Station who was described as being large and battle-scarred took the “by any means necessary” portion of his orders to heart.  The New York Times reported, “No count was kept of the number of [them] which [he] dispatched, but those he failed to slay he routed completely from the station house, so terrifying them that, according to the police, [none] since has had the temerity to show his nose in the place.”  With the help of the new officers, the crisis of the New York Police Department was resolved.  Why have you not heard of this murdering cop or his fellow officers who certainly performed similar atrocities against the unwelcome tenants?  They were from, as the New York Times reported, the “Feline Tribe.”  Those police officers and the unwelcome tenants were respectively… cats and rats.        

Source: New York Times, May 7, 1915, p. 23.

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The Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University will present a traditional music and dance informance with Native Nations Intertribal at on Friday, July 17 at 6 p.m. the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum at 800 Front St. in Natchitoches. The event will be free and open to the public. 

The event will feature members of Native Nations Intertribal, who will symbolically open the 46th Annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival with Native American music and dance. Native Nations Intertribal will engage in a discussion of their traditions with NSU Professor of Anthropology Dr. Hiram “Pete” Gregory, an expert on Southeastern Native American tribes and culture. 

“We are so grateful to Native Nations Intertribal for so generously sharing their cultural knowledge with us,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, professor of English and director of the Louisiana Folklife Center at Northwestern State University. “Attendees at this event will have the opportunity to experience some of the most beautiful music and dance traditions in the world.” 

Native Nations Intertribal is an all-Native American song and dance troupe dedicated to sharing the beauty, diversity and living traditions of Indigenous peoples across the United States. For over 25 years, it has proudly performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where the troupe honors their ancestors and educates audiences from around the world through the power of their songs, dances and stories. The group is composed of approximately 15-18 dancers and five singers, representing more than 10 tribal nations including Alabama-Coushatta, Coushatta, Southern Cheyenne, Mescalero Apache and Chickasaw, among others. Each performance is a celebration of these cultures, an opportunity to showcase the rich traditions that have been passed down through generations while building understanding and respect among all peoples. 

Native Nations Intertribal will participate in the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival on July 18. In honor of the 2026 Festival theme, “America the Beautiful,” the Festival will feature the traditional music of the nation – blues, gospel, Cajun, Celtic, country, bluegrass and zydeco on three stages of music as well as in the Magale Recital Hall. Over 70 traditional crafts persons from throughout the state will display their crafts, handcrafting their work during the festival. 

Held in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum, the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival features three stages of live music, Louisiana cuisine food vendors, the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, dance lessons, music informances, narrative sessions, on-site demonstrations and more. Admission to this family friendly event is $10 for an all-day all-event pass, with children 12 and under admitted free all day. For more information, call the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332, email folklife@nsula.edu, or go to https://www.nsula.edu/folklife/. 

The event is sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest History Museum and is in partnership with the City of Natchitoches. Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the State of Louisiana. 

The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. 

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The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), in conjunction with the Saline Game and Fish Preserve Commission, has scheduled a drawdown of Saline Lake (Natchitoches and Winn Parishes) for giant salvinia control, organic reduction, and fish habitat improvement. The drawdown is designed to reduce the further expansion of giant salvinia as summertime temperatures promote maximum growth.

The water control structure is scheduled to open on or about July 13, 2026, and the lake should dewater at a rate of 4 -10 inches per day. The water level will be lowered to a maximum drawdown level of 8 feet below normal pool stage, depending on Red River Pool 3 water level. The Saline Lake control gates are scheduled for closure on October 5, 2026, to allow the lake to refill for fall, winter, and early-spring recreational activities.

During the drawdown, an estimated 2,500-3,000 acres of water will remain in the lake. Boaters may still access the main waterbody from the Mulligan Inn Boat Ramp with small craft, but caution is advised. Caution is also advised when on the water, as numerous obstructions that are normally not seen are present.

This action is an important component of LDWF’s integrated management plan to control overabundant aquatic vegetation and to improve and sustain access for recreational activities. An annual cycle of high and low water fluctuation can provide beneficial effects similar to a natural overflow lake system and replicate the natural ebb and flow of the watershed.

The current LDWF Saline Lake Management Plan Part A, can be viewed online: wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/freshwater-inland-fish

For vegetation related questions contact Kane Finkbeiner, LDWF Aquatic Plant Control Biologist Manager, at (318)-362-3089 or wfinkbeiner@wlf.la.gov. For fisheries related questions contact Villis Dowden, LDWF Biologist Manager, at (318) 357-3214 or vdowden@wlf.la.gov.

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Over my career, I have fished in every southern state below the Mason Dixon Line. Of all the lakes and river systems I have fished, I have never heard as many anglers hate on a body of water like they do the Red River. 

Why does this body of water garner such disdain? What is it about the Red that makes anglers’ blood boil like it’s the worst place on Earth to fish? 

For the life of me I have never been able to figure this out. Before we answer these questions, let’s take a look at some history of this wonderful river system. 

Before the great floods of 2015 and 2016 and from the time the locks and dams were implemented, the Red River became a fishing and hunting paradise. There was great duck and deer hunting along with some awesome bass fishing; fishing so good that both major professional bass fishing organizations, the FLW (now MLF) and the Bassmaster Classic, held championship events on the Red.

Well-known backwater areas like the Jungle, Little Jungle, Knee Knock, Sutherlands, White House and Goose Pond, to name a few, offered some of the best bass cover imaginable. Lush green acres of lily pads and hydrilla along with plenty of standing timber and laydowns were just loaded with bass.

Then in 2015 and 2016 the Red River went through two floods of Biblical proportions. These were truly 100-year events that took the Red River system years to recover. 

So much of the main river was destroyed with small islands totally wiped out. Tree lines along the river were completely stripped of the timber that once stood tall. 

Backwater areas off the river that held good vegetation like reeds, hydrilla and lily pads were all wiped clean. There was little to no cover left behind after these devastating floods. 

Just to give you an idea of how massive these back-to-back floods were, the water reached record levels of 25 to 30 feet above pool! 

There was also a huge fish die-off during the floods but give credit to the Red River Waterway Commission for developing a restocking program that has brought the river back to life with quality bass being caught once again.  

OK, enough history. Let’s get back to the question: why do so many anglers hate the Red River? First, it can be a tough place for a bass boat to navigate, especially in some of the backwater areas. It’s full of stumps and laydowns that can do damage to an outboard engine’s lower unit, not to mention the fiberglass damage that can occur to the boat. It is a very unforgiving body of water if you don’t know how to get around.

Additionally, there are underwater rock jetties. Knowing where these are located is VERY IMPORTANT, especially along the main river system. Some of these jetties are not visible and run straight off the bank several yards underwater. If you cut the corners too tight or run the river too close to the bank, you can hit these rocks and do major damage to your outboard motor. But if you stay between the red and green buoys that line the main river, you’ll be just fine. 

Let’s talk about the fishing! Some anglers really struggle to catch fish on the Red River, especially anglers who have never fished a river system. Rivers are a different animal than your man-made lakes. Fish relate a little different in a river system than they do in a lake.

Current and moving water can be a big factor in catching bass with any river system. Bass relate to current breaks like sand bars, big laydowns, and rock jetty points, making the main river current very important. However, the backwater areas do fish like any other lake.

So, between the difficulty of navigating the Red and the challenges of river fishing, the weigh-ins are a cry fest of guys complaining about coming to fish here! Tournament directors are inundated with complaints from the guys who can’t stand a Red River event. 

Here’s my advice to all the whiners. “Get your butt in the boat and learn it like you would any other body of water!” It’s no different than going to a new lake; you have to learn it! STOP YOUR WHINING!

Another reason some anglers hate coming to the Red is the fact that it levels the playing field. Every lake has a handful of local guys who you must beat when you back your boat in the water, which can make it more difficult for a lot of anglers to compete for a win. But the Red River is an equalizer and gives a lot of anglers a shot at winning.

Here’s my personal viewpoint. I absolutely love the Red River and everything about it! It’s a great fishery with both backwater and main river habitat. It’s a body of water on the rebound as local tournaments are now taking over 18 pounds to win. 

After the two major floods of 2015 and 2016, anglers needed 14-15 pounds to win. But now, due to the impact of the restocking program, good fishing has returned with more quality bass being caught.

From the very first time I fished an event here, I was hooked! I have loved the Red River ever since and made it a priority to learn it. As an angler, some of my greatest tournaments have been on this body of water. To all those who hate it, take the time to learn it and it will probably become one of your favorite places to fish!

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

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