BOSSIER CITY, La. — The Red River got its name for the large amount of red clay sediment flowing through its winding path from Oklahoma into the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
Lately, a lot of red has filled the river. So much, in fact, that federal officials want to know how a double whammy of flooding impacting the Shreveport area has reshaped the river, maybe for good.
“Something has changed inside the river,” said Greg Raimondo, a spokesman for the Vicksburg District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which includes Shreveport. “We want to know why and what we can do to prevent future flooding, on the scale we’ve had in recent years.”
Those events happened about one year apart. In June 2015 heavy rains and inflow from East Texas lakes sent the river out of its banks. Areas of Shreveport and neighboring Bossier City flooded. Life didn’t return to normal for months.
Last March it happened again. This time the National Weather Service called the flooding a historic event, the likes of which had not occurred in the region since 1991.
Over a 72-hour period the area received rainfall up to 600% above normal. The weather service recorded 17.5 inches just in Bossier City. The water came to 3 feet deep in the parking lot at Red River South Marina, weigh-in and launch site for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open.
The Corps is keeping its fingers crossed the coming months will give the mighty Red a much needed break. To get the answers mentioned by Raimondo, the Corps is spending $1.5 million for a hydrology survey of the riverbed.
Reshaping the Red
The condition and reshaping of the river is the talk of the tournament, and especially with veterans with years of experience here.
“It’s definitely not the same,” said Mike McClelland, an Arkansas pro with lots of time spent on the river.
He pointed to Clark’s Marina, a landmark on the river just south of Shreveport, in Bossier City. The marina, once known as a national tournament site, closed in part due to the flooding. Shifting sand bars blocked access to the marina’s large boat ramps and reshaped the shoreline. As a result of the flooding and related impacts the owners closed the business.
“You can’t even get to it by boat now,” added McClelland of the former site. “There are willow trees and sandbars where once there was water.”
Other pros noted areas previously fished, as recently as the last Open held here in 2014, are not the same, either.
“It’s the Red River and there always are changes to deal with on river systems anyway,” claimed Rick Clunn. “Figuring out the movements and changes of the river are part of learning that type of water.”
Clunn noted one key difference, not so much as critical as the shifting sand bars.
“There are very few snakes,” he added. “Before they were everywhere, just about on every tree you encountered.”
Elite watch
The Red River contest is the second of the season for the Central division. Another event remains next month. Meanwhile the usual shifting is underway after the first event, which ranked the top anglers in descending numerical order by finish.
Next month the top five anglers in the point standings receive invitations for the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series.
The biggest mover of the week, so far, is Alton Jones, Jr.. He stands the most to gain with likely sponsors already lined up should he make the cut. Skylar Hamilton is another likely taker, should he stay inside the point cut. He should be safe after qualifying for the Top 12 on the Red River.
Classic bubble boys
The top benefit of fishing the Opens is a berth in the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Go Pro. Fish all three events in a given division, win a tournament, and you get an invite. Missing just one tournament and winning doesn’t cut it.
Last week that happened to Bryan Schmitt, winner at the Northern Open on Lake Champlain. He did not fish all three events. As a result, that opened up an invitation for the first angler outside the Classic cut. That angler was Ish Monroe, who will compete in his 10th Classic next March.
Next on the list are two anglers fishing this week on the Red River. Keith Poche, next on the list, finished 41st in the final standings of the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Behind him in 42nd place is Fred Roumbanis. Both anglers are hoping for a repeat of last week at these next two events.