Five water-control structures stand along the course of the Red River, once a muddy torrent slashing southward through the Piney Woods from Shreveport to the Mississippi River. Now, these structures make pool conditions similar to reservoirs. The river's historically dark water cleared up, and its backwaters were inundated. The structures hold the channel at a minimum of 9 feet deep, but some "scour holes" may drop to more than 60 feet deep.

Along the river, numerous rock jetties redirect water flow. Bass stack up behind points and jetties that break the current while they wait to ambush shad flowing downstream. In winter, these rocky jetties can absorb heat produced by sunlight and hold bass. Typically, swirling currents scour holes at the end of jetties. Fish drop into these holes to get out of current or wait behind the rocks.

"In the winter, rocks are always a good place for bass," says bass pro Alton Jones. "In the winter, I run a flat-sided crankbait parallel to, and as close to, the rocks as I possibly can. I put my boat right up against the rocks and make long casts parallel to the rocks. The bait runs about 2 to 3 feet deep. Oddly, at that time of year I make a really fast retrieve along those rocks. That usually makes for some arm-jarring strikes."

Ancient oxbows along the Mississippi River also can hold big bass. Looking more like the old rivers channels they once were, these lakes usually consist of flats at either end, with deeper water in the middle. Some holes, which eroded where the Mississippi River once flowed, can provide deep winter sanctuary for bass. Some better oxbows include lakes Concordia, St. John and Bruin.

In central Louisiana, anglers might fish Lake Kincaid, a 2,000-acre lake west of Alexandria. It can produce double-digit fish, with some tipping the scales beyond 12 pounds. Lake Kincaid drops to 25 feet deep in places. Several islands provide access to both shallow and deep water.

A powerplant uses Rodemacher Lake, also known as Cleco Lake, for cooling. The hot-water discharge acts as a bass magnet in late winter or early spring. The lake also can produce some bass breaking the 10-pound plateau.

Near Leesville, Lake Vernon can produce double-digit bass. The state stocked this 4,600-acre impoundment with Florida bass for more than a decade. Although it averages about 10 feet deep, Lake Vernon drops to 55 feet in places. Anglers may keep eight largemouths per day. Each must measure less than 14 inches or more than 17 inches. And each angler may only keep four largemouths longer than 17 inches.

Under Interstate 10, between Lafayette and Baton Rouge, a canal created to help in the highway construction holds deep water adjacent to the Atchafalaya Basin. This canal can provide good big-bass fishing in wintertime on occasion, if anglers can stand the rumble of traffic passing overhead. Lake Pelba and Lake Bigeaux, two deep natural water bodies that intersect with the highway canal, also hold some water that drops to more than 30 feet in places. These lakes provide a much quieter setting for fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin.

Following the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, it might be some time still before bass anglers return to much of the southwest Louisiana marshland, but when they do anglers can expect to find a mix of both deep and shallow waters created by the storm's flooding passage. Flats in the marshes usually run less than 3 feet deep, but the canals that carried away much Katrina's flooding rainfall should offer deeper water in general, and, perhaps, some very deep holes were carved by eddies in the storm flows. Around Houma, many anglers fish the canals near Bayou Black. The canals in the Lac des Allemands area also provide good action, depending upon tides. Southeast of New Orleans, many bass anglers fished the old canals near Caernarvon, but the status of access into that area, post-Katrina, was not clear at press time.

Just about anywhere in Louisiana, anglers can find big bass that snatch their lures. But during the wintertime, sleep late. Fish in the afternoon and bring more patience than lures. Bass anglers this time of year might only feel one or two bites in a day, but those could be the bites of year's largest bass.