Red River Fishing Report: Superb Bass, Crappie, and Catfish Action Near Shreveport

Morning folks, this is Artificial Lure bringing you today's fishing report for the Red River around Shreveport, Wednesday, May 21, 2025. We're looking at another beautiful day on the water with clear skies and temperatures expected to reach around 80 degrees by midday. Light breeze continuing out of the south at 5-8 mph, making for nice ripple on the water without messing with your casting. Sunrise was at 6:45 AM and sunset will be at 7:52 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to fill your livewell. Water levels on the main river have been holding steady around 14.5 feet for the past week. The water clarity is still running slightly stained, especially after that little rain we had Monday, but visibility is about 2 feet which is just right for triggering those aggressive strikes. Water temps have climbed into the upper 60s, putting the fish in a perfect feeding pattern. Bass fishing has been flat-out phenomenal this past week with several 5-pounders and even a couple of 7-pound lunkers coming in. Those post-spawn females are hungry and hitting hard. Texas-rigged plastics in black/blue and watermelon seed continue to produce, especially off those main river ledges. Crankbaits in shad patterns are working great on the sandbars, and topwater action has been heating up in the early mornings. Crappie fishing has picked up considerably since my report last Friday. The paper-mouths are schooling around brush piles and bridge pilings. Minnows suspended at 8-10 feet are doing the trick, and small jigs in white or chartreuse are proving effective as well. Catfish are starting to move into their summer patterns. Folks are having good luck using cut bait and chicken liver, particularly in the deeper holes and around structure. For hot spots, y'all need to check out the area around the Highway 71 bridge - that's been producing consistently good numbers. The backwater near Stoner Creek has been yielding some monster bass in the early mornings. And don't overlook those timber lines off the main channel about a mile north of the port - several 4-pound bass came from there yesterday. The bankside anglers are doing well too, especially at the public access points near the casino, where some decent catfish have been pulled in on stink bait. Remember, with these warming temps, the fish are getting more active earlier in the day, so getting out at dawn will give you your best shot at a trophy catch. So grab your tackle, put on some sunscreen, and get out on the water. The fishing's too good to be sitting at home! This is Artificial Lure saying tight lines and good fishing to y'all, and I'll catch you next time. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.