NEW ROADS — New Roads may be a town of around 5,000, but its tourism numbers go far beyond that, largely thanks to False River. 

"False River, of course, is our gem. It is not uncommon to see our parking lot down here filled with boat trailers," New Roads Mayor Theron Smith said. 

On a hot day, False River can be found full of people coming to beat the heat on their boats, doing some water skiing, tubing or enjoying a nice swim.

"I’ve been here about 20 years, and I’ve noticed a big uptick in the popularity of New Roads and Pointe Coupee with regard to water sports and people wanting to get out on the water and enjoy our beautiful Louisiana seascape," Cpt. Jimmy Duckworth of the Pointe Coupee Sheriff’s Office said. 

Throughout the year, fishing is especially popular, with people fishing from their boats or the docks, hoping to reel in a big catch, like a catfish or bass. 

"I’ve been coming around here my whole life. We literally just left out of here last night. We had a good catch. We got two fish, a bass and a catfish, and it was really exciting when they actually bite," Kenneth Winfield said while doing some fishing. 

Arguably, the most popular time of the year on the river is the Fourth of July, when the annual boat parade gives boaters the chance to deck out their vessels in red, white and blue and stroll down the river.

"People go out in the morning and stay out all day long. My wife and I run into people from Lafayette in restaurants, and they come in and bring their boats in, so the boating here is enormous," Smith said. 

One thing people will notice about False River, too, is that nearly every house built alongside it has a boat or a dock to go with it.

The river has also been a big help to businesses opening up on land.

"I think New Roads has two or three new restaurants opening up, so everyone looks at False River as a destination where people are gonna throw the trailer on the boat," Duckworth said. 

Whether someone is into water sports, fishing, or just enjoying a nice meal by the river, New Roads and False River offer it all.