Louisiana is a water world! You’ve probably heard that the Bayou State is home to forty percent of the nation’s wetlands. But boaters, birders, fishermen, kayakers, and sunset-on-the-water-lovers know that bayous are just the beginning. There’re also thousands of miles of coastline, millions of acres of swamp and marsh, and hundreds of lakes, lagoons, reservoirs, and rivers to explore. With spring finally here, what better time to start discovering the natural beauty, mystery, and excitement to be found on, along, and even in, Louisiana’s waterways? But with so many options, if you don’t have a boat of your own, when you’re ready to get onto the water it can be hard to know where to begin. Not to worry; just 26 miles north of Baton Rouge, historic Pointe Coupee Parish offers a glittering necklace of beautiful, accessible waterways perfect for getting one’s feet wet. For local information and help with bookings, visit the Pointe Coupee Office of Tourism at pctourism.org.
Photo courtesy Louisiana Office of Tourism
Recreational boats pull up to the floating dock at Morrison Park in downtown New Roads
False River
Ten and a half miles long and covering more than 3,200 acres, beautiful False River is the jewel in Pointe Coupee’s crown and one of Louisiana’s most accessible, and versatile, recreational lakes. The hundreds of homes and camps that line its shores are testimony to this oxbow lake’s appeal, both as a day-trip and weekend destination, and also as a thriving bedroom and retirement community centered around the historic town of New Roads on the lake’s north end. Uniquely accessible from the roadways that ring it, False River floats a host of recreational activities including bank and boat fishing, birdwatching, water-skiing and tubing, paddle sports, waterside dining, and more. Here’s a taste of what’s on the water.
Messing About in Boats
Pontoon boat rental
According to Joey Dupont, False River is a perfect place for beginning boaters to get their sea legs, “Because as an enclosed body of water, it’s not as temperamental,” he says, “and because False River has lots of waterside restaurants and places people can drive right up to.” As owner/operator of GeauxOutdoors boat rental, Dupont has been helping people get out on the water for five years and counting. From GeauxOutdoors’ base at The Sand Bar (6716 False River Drive, Oscar), Dupont rents pontoon boats for groups of up to 13, with half-day rates for a 10-person party barge starting at $250. GeauxOutdoors also rents tubes and wakeboards, lilypads for lounging, and in 2024 will also begin offering electric GoBoats, which Dupont explained are “…kind of like bumper boats, with an electric motor, and super stable.” To rent a party barge you need to be 30 or older or have a valid boater safety license. Reserve in advance at www.GeauxOutdoors.net or call (225) 937-4828.
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Photo courtesy Louisiana Office of Tourism
Boats on False River at Sunset
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Photo courtesy Louisiana Office of Tourism
The John James Audubon Bridge brings travelers across the Mississippi River to Pointe Coupee parish
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Fishing False River at sunset
Sailing
Although you’ll spot plenty of party barges, ski boats, and jet skis plying False River’s wide-open water, don’t be surprised to spot some sails, too. Members of the Pelican Yacht Club have been sailing Sunfish, Optimists, and larger sailboats on False River since 1960. According to club commodore Roger Seals, after a period of inactivity, the 20 current members of the club are unfurling sails again in 2024, with a new boat storage and launch site in Jarreau (on what’s known as False River’s “Island Side,”) and plans to launch a Youth Sailing Program offering sailing lessons to school-aged kids and 4H club members, in summer, 2024. On spring weekends, Pelican club members periodically stage sailing open houses at New Roads’ Morrison Park, providing sailboat rides with club members at the helm. The club is currently accepting members. Members get access to a fleet of Sunfish and larger daysailers, which the club keeps both on False River, and at Madisonville on the Tchefuncte River, 30 minutes upstream of Lake Pontchartrain. Visit www.pycl.org to learn more.
Fishing
In Louisiana, where there’s water, there’re fish to catch. And Pointe Coupee, with its multiple oxbow lakes, bayous, and the mighty Mississippi on its east, is no exception. Recreational anglers have long been drawn to False River for its easy accessibility, and for its trophy-sized populations of largemouth bass, crappie (sac-a-lait), and catfish. Avid local kayak fisherman Andrew Green notes that some of the best fishing comes in March and April, when warming water draws largemouth bass into the lake’s shallow flats and inlets to spawn. In fact, Green notes, last spring he caught the largest largemouth of his life—a ten-pound lunker—in a shallow inlet at the lake’s north end. For best results, Green points people towards the big flat that extends over much of the lake’s north end, where the water is between 4 and 8 feet deep and planted with brush piles that hold bass, crappie, and catfish year-round. At the other end of the lake, he recommends anglers try Bayou Chenal, a five-mile-long cypress-lined bayou that leads from the lake’s south end, and holds healthy populations of all the freshwater standards. Bergeron’s on the Bayou, a mile up Bayou Chenal from the lake, is a good place to launch to explore Bayou Chenal.
Other public launch sites on False River include the public boat launch at Morrison Park (210 Morrison Pkwy, New Roads), at the LA Express Boat Launch (6136 Island Rd, Jarreau; pay $5 at the store across the road), at Jim’s Place, (7913 Park St, Ventress, $5), or at the Sand Bar (6716 False River Drive, Oscar. $5). For bank fishing, try the floating dock between Morel’s and the former Satterfield’s building, which is slated to reopen this summer as the new home of New Roads’ original and beloved Hot Tails Crawfish House.
Waterside Dining
Who doesn’t love a restaurant on the water? A place where you can enjoy drinks at sunset, dinner with the moon reflecting from the waves, and maybe, even, the opportunity to arrive by water? Around False River, several eateries built right on the banks offer opportunities for waterside dining.
Bueche’s Bar & Grill. Scruffy on the outside, cozy on the inside, this tin-roofed mainstay on False River’s east bank offers everything a lakeside neighborhood joint should: cold beverages, unforgettable burgers, fried fish and shrimp po-boys big enough to row home on, and a back deck and lawn with sweeping views out over the water. There’s a pier for boats to tie up at, and a gravel boat launch, too. 6901 Island Road, Jarreau. (225) 627-6277
Jim’s Place Bar & Grill. A friendly, no-frills, waterside dive bar in a campground/RV park at the northern point of False River. Jim’s serves up good bar burgers, fries, great value drinks and has a boat launch alongside. To launch costs $5 cash, which you pay at the bar (there’s an ATM inside). 7913 Park Street, Ventress.
Morel’s Restaurant. Since 1926, Morel’s has been drawing diners to perch at the edge of the water, or actually over it (the restaurant is built on pilings) to enjoy sumptuous South Louisiana Creole cuisine with a touch of Asian fusion that keeps things interesting. From Eggplant Julie to Blackened Shrimp Lettuce Wraps, to entrées that include USDA Choice steaks, a grilled pork ribeye, and Red Fish Grand Isle, theirs is a menu equally up to the task of hosting casual lunches, intimate dinners for two, or special family celebrations. 210 Morrison Parkway, New Roads. Boat parking is available. (225) 638-4057.
Sand Bar. On sunny days the Sand Bar draws a crowd with abundant indoor and outdoor seating, beach volleyball courts, floating piers with plenty of boat parking, a boat launch, and snowball stand. Burgers, cold beers and frozen daiquiris are served inside and out. 6716 False River Drive, Oscar.
Drake on the Lake is a whole-home rental on False River's "Island side." Like many houses for rent, it features a private dock with a gazebo for making the most of False River sunsets.
Where to Stay
All the way around False River, accommodation options abound. On the water and nearby, historic B&Bs, brand name hotels, and RV parks mean that in Pointe Coupee, there’s an option to suit every taste and budget. Many waterfront rentals, such as Bee Happy on False River, a townhouse that sleeps 6 right by New Roads, Family Ties, with accommodation for 10 on the Island Side, and Rubies on the River, a cozy cottage with large yard and lots of outdoor space, offer private docks, waterfront porches, and kayaks or paddleboards for guests to use. Through online services like AirBnB and VRBO, lots more private house rentals are available, too. Over on the Island side, Drake On the Lake is a whole-home rental with sleeping space for 12, a full kitchen and living room, a screened porch, firepit, and extensive collection of contemporary Louisiana art. On a warm spring evening, the private gazebo dock stretching far out into False River delivers unforgettable views across the water to the steeples and spires of historic New Roads. www.falseriver.la to learn more.
For local information and help with bookings, visit the Pointe Coupee Office of Tourism at pctourism.org
