Red River Fishing Report: Shreveport's Late September Hotspots

Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Red River fishing report straight from Shreveport for Wednesday, September 17, 2025. If you’re headed out this morning, sunrise hit at 6:54 AM and we’re looking at a sunset around 7:16 PM. You’ll have nearly 12.5 hours of daylight to wet a line, and with early fall creeping in, you can bet the fish are beginning to shift patterns. Weather’s humid and muggy with temps in the high 70s before dawn, climbing into the mid-80s by midday. Expect a light southeast breeze and partly cloudy skies, with a stray shower possible this afternoon according to KMSS FOX 33. Red River’s running steady—no major rain upstream the past week—so water clarity is typical for late September; stained but not blown out. Tidal impact is negligible up here, but don’t overlook minor river current adjustments especially near the locks and oxbows. Fishing action’s been hearty! Local guides and regulars reeled in healthy bags of largemouths the past few days, with bass hugging current breaks, rip rap and eddy lines near the I-220 bridge and Stoner Boat Launch. Most catches ranged from 1½ to 3 pounds, with a few pushing 4, especially during morning topwater flurries. Crappie have been fair to good under the Highway 1 bridge pilings and sunken brush piles near the new John Franks Wildlife Management Area, where slab-sized fish over 1 pound hit shiners and jigs. Catfish are active along sandbars—several stringers reported near Bishop Point. Folks picking up channel cats and blues with cut bait and nightcrawlers, and one group last night pulled a nearly 12-pound blue from a river bend using stinkbait. White bass and hybrid stripes flashed up at the mouth of Twelve Mile Bayou, chasing shad around noon. For panfish, bream bite is on around grassy edges and willow thickets—red wigglers and small crickets are dynamite. Best lures for bass this week? Locals swear by **chartreuse/white spinnerbaits**, black buzzbaits at first light, and if the sun pokes out, flip a watermelon-red creature bait into laydowns. Crappie anglers prefer single 1/16 oz. **blue/white tube jigs**, sometimes tipped with a minnow. For catfish, your best bets remain chicken liver and fresh cut perch—don’t bother with fancy stuff, just keep it stinky and simple. Hot spots today: - **Stoner Boat Launch**: Early topwater bite and mid-day spinnerbait crawl for bass. - **John Franks WMA Cut**: Newly flooded timber attracting both crappie and largemouths. - **Twelve Mile Bayou mouth**: Midday white bass blitz if you’re after stripes and hybrids. Red River District stays lively, and if crowds get thick, slip down to Bishop Point sandbar or the oxbow near Hamel’s Park for quieter water. Folks, always check boat ramps for updates—construction can close a few during the week, so hop on the Caddo Parish Parks map before rolling out. It’s almost teal season and deer season is opening soon per LDWF, so expect more activity on the banks—be courteous and keep an eye on traffic at ramps This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.