Red River Early Summer: Bass on Current Breaks and Topwater at First Light

This is Artificial Lure with your Red River Shreveport fishing report. Red River’s sitting a little stained with normal early-summer flow, and the current’s got a good push on the outside bends and below the locks. Water level is typical for June, with enough clarity that you can still work reaction baits along the rocks and timber. No true tide here, but the “window” fishes like one: generation and barge traffic are setting the bite, especially mid‑morning and late afternoon. Weather today is classic north Louisiana summer: warm and muggy, light south wind, building heat by mid‑day, and a small shot at pop‑up thunderstorms. Sunrise is right around six in the morning, with sunset close to eight‑thirty in the evening, giving you a long low‑light stretch to work topwater and moving baits. Fish activity’s been good around first light and again the last hour of the day. Local reports from area tackle shops say largemouth are hanging on current breaks, brush piles on the river edge, and the mouths of backwater cuts. Best numbers have been coming from that 3–8 foot range right off the main river, with some better fish pushing shallow early, then sliding to the first drop when the sun gets up. Bass catches the last few days have mostly been 1–3 pounders with an occasional 4–5 mixed in, enough to keep you busy if you keep moving. White bass are schooling in short bursts on shad in the river proper, and a few striped hybrids have been caught by folks dragging crankbaits along deeper ledges. Catfish action has been steady on cut shad and stink bait on the outside bends and below the rocks, with eaters in the 1–5 pound range and a few bigger blues for those patient enough to sit on a hole. Best lures right now for bass: - Shad‑pattern **squarebills** and **medium‑diving crankbaits** banging off rock and wood. - **Spinnerbaits** with double willow blades in white or chartreuse/white in the stained water. - **Texas‑rigged creature baits** and **green pumpkin worms** pitched into laydowns and brush. - Early and late, **walking topwaters** and **buzzbaits** along riprap and grass edges. For live bait, minnows and small shad‑imitating offerings will take bass and white bass, while **cut shad, nightcrawlers, and prepared stink bait** are getting the nod for catfish. A couple of local hot spots to try: - The stretch around the **I‑220 bridge and adjacent rock banks**, where current wraps around and stacks bait and bass on the eddies and seams. - The **backs of oxbows and barge pockets just off the main channel** near downtown Shreveport/Bossier, especially where there’s wood and a little deeper ditch running through. Work quick baits in the low light, then slow down with plastics once the sun gets high. Watch for surface busts from schooling fish; keep a small swimbait or spoon ready to fire into the action when it pops off. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn