Johnson's Ranch Marina gave us the guided tour needed for my birthday trip experience. I knew I…read morewanted to explore Caddo Lake and had originally planned to kayak, but given the weather and the expectation of rain we decided it's better to have someone explain the history and rich landscape to us while we relax (and hope it doesn't rain). Overall experience was superb! Starting from our call, we didn't book ahead of time but they were able to get us a boat tour in an hour. Upon arriving, they greeted us kindly with a warm welcome. Our boated tour did last an hour, with the tour guide entertaining my stepdad with fun facts about the lake and its inhabitants. We were told that gators are rare to see especially during the day. And yet throughout our trip, we saw multiple great egrets, blue herons, one gator, and one ratsnake! We were astonished at how much wildlife we observed. The trip lasted an hour. It poured rain about 20 minutes after the tour ended. Truthfully had we postponed it, it could've ruined my Caddo Lake experience. I'm really glad the timing worked so well for us!

We drove over from Jefferson after hearing about a swamp tour from a couple on our trolley tour who…read morereally enjoyed it. So glad we did! This bayou is part lake, part river, part pond and all of it amazing. We got super lucky that we came off the water just as rain began and a storm was forming so the tours after pits god cancelled. I can't imagine that the periodic flooding is actually welcomed by locals to clean out the growth but they said it's lining up to be a flood year in 2027 so I'm so glad we got to check it out this year.

Very laid back and personal tour. Small boat, only 8 people and totally non commercial. Mike new…read morethe area history and was very personable. Fairly priced for a great tour of a beautiful and unique area.

I love anything that has to do with water. (Its even my job!) So, Michael Landrum took his big…read morepontoon boat, ripped out all the seating, and put in a bunch of wicker lounge chairs. Comfortable! Michael will take you out on the lake for 1 1/2 hours, giving you the history of the lake, and telling you about the biggest bald cypress forest in the world. It really is! Glenda and I enjoyed every second of the trip. The lake and trees are absolutely beautiful. The Spanish moss is one of Mother Nature's miracles! With all the rain, the lake is 2.5 feet over normal. Saw several docks under water. Never saw an alligator, but we looked! Michael has a picture of a 14 footer! Just imagine. A 250 ft freighter starts in Jefferson, Texas, and a couple of days later is on the coast in New Orleans! Yep. This used to happen! We definitely recommend Michael 's tour. You'll enjoy it!

This was an outstanding experience. They usually run a steamboat but it was getting re-regulated so…read morewe went on a pontoon boat instead. But what made the experience was not the boat but the guide. Ron is a certified captain in the Coast Guard and extremely knowledgeable about the lake and the area. He made the tour interesting, fun, and entertaining. It is hard to believe that a place like Caddo Lake exists in Texas, just a couple of hours from Dallas. It is like going back in time to a different era. Unbelievably beautiful--highly recommended.

We wanted to show the kid Caddo lake so we drove from Dallas to do a tour with Captain Ron…read more Ron is a down home friendly guy who obviously loves people, his job, and Caddo lake. During the 90 minute boat tour, he was enthusiastic and passionate about the lake. He really seemed to enjoy sharing his immense knowledge the lake, both real and legend. I learned a lot and he made the tour very interesting. The day we went it was a bit chilly and overcast. It had just rained so the lake water was muddy, and therefore we did not see much wildlife, just a busy beaver and some blue herons. You can go during the summer when the water is clearer and see turtles and dragon flies. During the summer, the climate is much hotter and humid and there is little air flow on the lake, so be prepared to sweat. Cool and overcast actually was preferable IMO. The wife and I had toured the lake about a decade ago and we left from the northern part of the lake. Our opinion is that despite the fact that Captain Ron did a great job, the northern part of the lake is more interesting than the southern part where Captain Ron is now located.

Had the best experience on the water today. Did a late afternoon tour w/ Captain Ron. Very sweet…read moreguy...full of fun lil facts, stops to admire birds, explain the scenery...just an all around great experience. So glad we booked this. Do yourself a favor...book the experience!! When back in town...will definitely shoot for a full moon tour!!!

I recently used the services of Rich McFarland, owner of Caddo Lake Bayou Tours to get out on Caddo…read moreLake for some photography. He was very courteous and easy to deal with, I live in Houston and our photo club wanted to come up to Caddo to see the cypress trees. Rich was very accommodating and made booking the trip easy. We met him about a half hour before sunrise and headed out in his pontoon boat. He positioned us in several spots to catch sunrise and as the sun got higher we toured a lot of the canals that snake through the cypress groves. Once back on shore we had the day to ourselves until about 4:30 in the afternoon when we went back out to take more photos and catch the sunset. In all we did 2 sunrise tours and 1 sunset which was more than enough to get some great pictures. I was a bit worried about being on a pontoon boat as to whether it would be stable for photography but it was perfect. There were 6 of us so 3 on each side of the boat and Rich maneuvered the boat so we could all get a chance for photos. I know there are a lot of lake guides on Caddo and I'm sure the are all good but I can highly recommend Rich based on our 3 tours this fall with him.

we had an amazing time on the Cato Lake. our guide, Capt. Ron was fantastic. He really did a great…read morejob and he knows that lake! It was a wonderful experience.!

We came from Dallas to the Caddo Lake area for a weekend excursion. The website was clear, and a…read moreboat tour for 2 adults and 1 dog was easy to book (done via phone). Upon arrival at the place, Mike greeted us outside. To our surprise, we got a completely private tour, which we especially appreciated in the setting of COVID. We walked back to the dock and boarded the platoon boat. Mike's boat was spacious and very comfortable with cushioned swivel chairs at the front so that we could get the best view of the scenery. Mike was patient and friendly. Because he is a local, he was able to tell us a lot of cool information about the history and the endemic wildlife in the area. He took us through the most scenic parts of the river, and we had a blast. Mike provides one of the few dog-friendly boat tours that I could find in the area, and I am so glad we chose him. It was a lot of fun and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

We did an afternoon tour in the pontoon boat during a short mid-October stay in Shreveport. It was…read moreonly an hour's drive to his location from there. We shared the boat with two other couples, delighted that one couple brought their dog and cat (in a carrier). Mike was friendly and very knowledgable about the lake biology and local history. While we explored the beautiful environment for over almost two hours, he regaled us with informative and humorous stories, answering any questions we had. At one point he unexpectedly stopped the boat just to put up the canopy to make sure the cat didn't get too hot. That really showed his thoughtful nature. Thanks, Mike, for a great time!

If there was a way to give Howard a 10/5, I would. He is the most knowledgeable tour guide on Caddo…read moreLake and he customizes each tour to your needs. He knows where the spots are to take AMAZING photos and he can tell you the incredible and interesting history of this weird place. I have gone 3 times with him out on Caddo and each time I learn something new and see brand new places that I have never been before. Every season is a good time to go but I would suggest spring or summer for nice weather. I would recommend this tour to everyone! Thanks Howard!!

East Texas is Beautiful Country! If you love the Great Outdoors, you'll enjoy Fishing on Caddo…read moreLake! Did I hear Someone say "FLY FISHING!" .. Talk about Relaxing! Take the Family - Bring the Friends - and Enjoy the Pontoon Boat Tours on Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou! ... The Big Dreamer Tours with Howard Leftwich is indeed a Big Dream to Remember! ... He has Fly and Conventional Fishing with Tours on the Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou! ... And if you aren't up-to-speed, he offers Fly casting Lessons provided at no charge! ... Big Dreamer Tours! Big Dreamer Fishing! A Vacation to Enjoy for Years to Come!

Patrick Collins was a great guide and had amazing stories about the history of caddo lake in the…read morearea. Reasonably priced. I would totally recommend this to anyone new to the area

Captain Pat did a great job in the swamp tour. Great…read moreinformation and very educational. Pat knows what he is doing!!!! Highly recommend this business and opportunity.

Owner Aaron Applebaum offers a one-hour small group boat tour of Caddo Lake. He is very…read moreknowledgeable about all there is pertaining to Caddo Lake and shares a lot of interesting information during the tour. He takes you to the "most photographed" section, the biggest tree on the lake, and some spots where filming has been done. Overall it was a nice tour, though a bit longer tour might feel less rushed. It was hard to find this tour by google search; I was referred by another tour company owner who was full. The tour meets at Shady Glade cafe.

An excellent tour with our guide Aaron. He has a love for the water, a passion for the job and…read morelocal knowledge of history and the environment. He is one of a kind. We took and afternoon tour and will be back for a sunrise tour soon.

John knows this lake like the back of his hand and has so much knowledge and experience. You can't…read morego wrong booking with him. He's fun, polite and will give you memories to treasure!

John Winn is a living legend on Caddo Lake. My wife and I were immediately struck by his immense…read moreknowledge of the lake, and how highly regarded he was by his peers and the locals we met on our kayaking trip. His kayaks were so much fun, and he gave my wife and I lots of tips on what to look for while on the lake (we saw so many white egrets and great blue herons!). We'd totally do it again, and recommend renting with John for anyone else!