So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Bass_Fanatic]

Looking for a spot to bring the kids catch some schooling bass This week, we usually run in the back of Lowes creek And hit a few schoolers any help on locations would be appreciated

From what Ive been seeing, the schools of fish are scattered and not real big.  Seems there are only 4 or 5 fish per school.  Of course I havent been on the south end lately, so Housen/Six Mile may be a little different.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Payout for Saturday will be 1 place for every 7 boats:

Payout will be as follows:
1-6 boats = winner take all
7-13 boats = 70/30 split
14-20 boats = 60/25/15 split
Big Bass = winner take all

 

I know ealier in the thread I had something alittle different, but after talking to a few guys we settle on this.  Hope to see yall there!!

[Bass_Fanatic]

My buddy went to Cypress Bend this morning, said the gates didnt open until 6, whereas they were open at 5 last week. So we will be moving the launch to Pendleton Harbor Marine. If you are coming from Toledo Tackle, you will cross the Pendleton Bridge and it is immediately on your right. I will be there at 5. You are welcome to come and pay and trailer to another launch if you want. Sorry for the confusion.

[ATX]

I managed to get some quality fishing in this weekend thru Wednesday and found the bite was on until Sunday evening. Monday and Tuesday were slow and when they started dumping water I couldn't get a bite. I'm sure they were biting but when the conditions changed I couldn't find them. That's why I'm no pro! I did have fun hauling in 3 bass that will make the picture album biggest at 5.5 lbs and had a sure enough toad jump and shake my hook loose. I was so sick I couldn't hardly untangle my line! Anyway there are fish to be caught out on six mile point and a Biggin that's a little wiser but worth trying for. I found small baits to work best and be alert for soft finicky bites. Good luck and be safe! God Bless America

[Bass_Fanatic]

Well it was a tough day today for sure! We had 5 boats show up for our fruit jar. I got to meet TxGator and Henrylewis. Nice meeting both of you. Hopefully next time we do something like this the fish will cooperate a bit better. I started north of the bridge and caught a 7.62lber and a 5lber early then struggled the rest of the day. Caught 3 other dinks to go with them for a little over 18lbs. I did win big bass, but some other boys won 1st with a little over 19lbs. Both of my big fish were in 20-25ft of water. Go deep or go home!

[RonnieF]

Bearonthewater, thanks for the links. I haven't had a chance to investigate, but I will.

[RonnieF]

Congrats on the big ***atic.

[jcdogfish]

***atic,,I would like to have a few tough days like that. Fishing in 20feet of water is hard on this old shallow water guy but I'll keep chunking at them. Maybe the puzzle will come together one day. I didn't do much Thursday and Friday. 4 keepers total.

[ATX]

No joke JC! Great job fanatic.

[Catt]

Great job guys!

If I don't get to the pond soon I'm gonna forget where it is.

[bullet20]

Thats some nice fish for july.I wish I could have been there.My camp was full but Iam stuck offshore.

well time to start fishing the Basin.

[TxGator]

Had a good time sat seeing new water even though we didn't catch much. Maybe next time. Thanks to fanatic for organizing this and I hope next time we have a bigger turnout. Just goes to show you another one of the differences between Rayburn and Toledo. Was catching in 12 to 15 on rayburn and they caught in 25 on Toledo.

[henrylewis]

Me & txgator started off ruff by me forgetting the plug then the bad luck was still with us all day

[ATX]

Hey guys I will fish ever little tourney that y'all put on that work allows. I could not make this last one but happy to see some nice stringers.

[Bryanhester]

I hate I missed it but I was out of town !! I really wanted to meet some of the great guys on this forum. Headed down for the next couple of days .

[ATX]

I here you.. I feel like I owe all you guys for all the advice. We need to put on a forum fish fry.

[Catt]

I here you.. I feel like I owe all you guys for all the advice. We need to put on a forum fish fry.

Nah they taste like weeds

[Catt]

We have a new guy (who needs to introduce himself) who needs help with 6-Mile.

6-Mile is a tuff nut to crack!

It is usually calmer than Housen`

It can be more off colored

I find it shallow

Structure not as well defined

But #1 & #2 bass came from here!

Like the Community Flat outside Housen` the 6-Mile Flat and 6-Mile Pass are well known and pressured but the starting place none the less (hint roadbed). From the main lake to Gilley's Point is another place of interest. The 3315 Point can be worth looking at.

[hoyt1]

Greetings everyone!..., As Catt said..., I am the Noob here.  I would first like to state just as mostly everyone else here on this thread that after reading through a majority of this topic that I too am a shallow wateraholic...

However, I realize that I am not alone, there are others out there like me who want to change ...I have fished the Bend for 10 yrs on and off but thanks to the Army and deployments, I never really had time to break it down and get serious with it.  Well, now is the time.  I have a ten year old son that absolutely loves bass fishing and I would like to be able to learn something to teach him so that we may have several productive outings before he is off to college, time is moving quickly...I dont want to ruin his enthusiasm so I need to learn how to find some productive water, right now a bunch of bites so he can learn the feel / hookset thing is foremost, but at the same time dear ole dad will be learning something his own venue.

 

Facts:  97 skeeter zx190, I launch primarily out of Army Rec and fish louisiana side of lake from kites area south

, seldomly cross the lake because I dont have enough knowledge to go all the way over there to waste time and fuel

 

Lets just assume that I dont know jack so I can start with a clean slate

 

I am humble and no one here will hurt my feelings so all and any advice is welcome

 

I have caught fish in the past but no consistency or weight so that I may be able to try a tournament or two and not waste my $$, however my primary focus is to enjoy the sport with my son...

 

I am a recovering shallow wateraholic as mentioned earlier

 

I have the map yall have been working off of and am excited to learn. 

 

Im not looking for free hand outs, but instead want to identify certain areas to try , I just need to know if I am thinking correctly

 

I have never successfully found map features and been able to transfer my theory to the lake and catch fish

 

Area I would like to learn is mill creek, six mile for starters but primarily six mile unless someone would suggest that I start with a different creek. It has to be housen or south for now unless I could trailer up to millionaire pt area (different story..) but primarily six mile is in my sights, also would like to figure out a few spots on the louisiana side to catch some fish at night as well ( I know a little)

 

OKay..., thats it for now its off for work...thanks to all that have contributed to this thread  (im sure everyone has heard this before), but all bs aside, I have already learned and this is what I have been looking for and am very excited to start all over again)  

 

I am not a secretive person and will share anything I learn

 

More to follow this eve along with my first map questions... 

[Catt]

hoyt1, welcome home

Hete are a few thoughts based off what you wrote here & in earlier PMs.

Being a shallow wateraholic is not a bad thing, shallow water can be located off the bank!

If you are referring to the Army Rec Center located in Pirates Cove you're in a good starting place. Caney Creek has lots of structure, roadbeds, creek channels, points, & islands. Just in the cove where the rec center is located there are 8 smaller coves,idle through each watching your depth finder

You stated in one of your eailer PMs you're good with a Caroling Rig, another huge plus. I have several friends who throw c-rig where I throw t-rigs. Hint: 3/8 ths oz weight!

[jcdogfish]

Wish I could help Hoyt1.  I just started fishing up there recently.  I have a travel trailer at 6 mile and usually fish from Housen to Mill.  I'm really trying to get a handle on 6 mile.  Surprising to me I am finding some shallow bank fish and they seem to be active when I can get there on Friday afternoon.  My theory is the boat activity on the weekends makes the shallow fish skittish. That's my excuse anyway.  My catches off the bank have been scarce.  I am finding some fish on the creeks but can't catch more than one here and there. I am finding the fish away from the bank are larger for the most part.  I did find one spot where a creek comes in close to point and crosses a road bed that I can always catch a few fish.  My biggest challenge is understanding what I am looking at on the electronics.  I'm spending some time now trying to see what is on the topo maps on my electronics and find myself stumbling on some interesting things.  I am finding that when I see what looks like bass in 20 ft of water or so is I can get one to bite in the first few casts, then nothing. Hopefully some of the interesting areas  pay off one day.  I would love for some of the structure guys to post some illustrations of what they look for on topo maps.  Please don't post the exact spots on Toledo, maybe use a different unnamed lake for the illustrations because most of the fun is finding them.  For now I'm just happy to have a few pull on the line.  Thanks to all who help here.  This has to be the best thread on the net because of the unselfish guys that contribute.

[hoyt1]

Hey jcdogfish..., glad to see that I am not the only Fry around lol..., took me a while to figure out what that meant at the top of my profile.  I live in Anacoco so it only takes me 30 minutes from house till boat in water....I will be posing a bunch of questions for the off shore specialists...., I differ from your opinion though on the whole different lake thing...., I would like the vicinity, riddles or the nod of a head for when I present to the wizards what I feel is the spot I have determined I would like to try....  Good thing is .., you and me might be able to hop in the same boat and stare at the same graph, compare notes and then wet lines to see if our research has paid off..., you know some dont like to dive off into the unknowns...., myself on the otherhand, like to explore..., and two heads are better than one...   

[mguidroz]

jcdogfish and hoyt1 welcome

I would take Catt's advice and start with a major cove and learn it. Then apply what you've learned to another (eliminate water). Use the +/- 15' Catt suggested. I'm no expert at offshore fishing but you will not see me near a bank in the summer. I would be happy to take y'all on a trip when I'm available. I should be up there next Wednesday (7/16) evening until Saturday. I will be night fishing but we can scout during daylight....no time for sleeping. lol. This is my last weekend of little league baseball so I will try to fish as much as I can the remainder of the summer. PM me when y'all we be at the lake. hoyt1 thank you for your service.

 

mguidroz 

[Catt]

The Electronis section have great info along with screen shots!

[hoyt1]

Thanks mguidroz...., I had to laugh when u mentioned little league...., I just got off of the travel ball path (need I say more) lol, thats why my fishing has taken a back seat. If you need someone to tag along if you fish Fri Eve, maybe we could link up..., just shoot me a PM. Seems like there are a bunch of good folks on this site.  As mentioned earlier in my post, I spent 22 yrs in the Army and was stationed here on and off, now Im retired and live in anacoco...

I have lived through scraping up 15 lbs in a night tourney only to have someone walk up with a 30 lb sack lmao...I even knew back then that they must have been on some serious structure or features that I just couldnt compete with.  I will be there one day and Im starting this weekend!! I have found a few spots on map that I will post tonight to see if I am in the ballpark..., one spot I have found with lessons learned here is a brand new night spot near kites. I want to fish this Friday PM..., gonna be fun to see if my plan works.  I caught a ten not far from this new spot that I sought out..........

 

Catt..., I am even trying some new bait ideas, I realize this post was stated in 08, but I could not find any of the gene larew 7.5 ring tails that you mentioned, looks like all trhey make now if 4"...?  If discontinued, what are the preferred baits for  T rig  I normally throw ole monster in redbug or a super speed craw in watermelon red but am interested in trying something different.... you said 1/4 oz , I believe what I normally throw is a little heavier beacuse i prefer bottom contact..., but may be too heavy and not allowing enough action..., I can change this up as well.  Also if I stitch a jig along i this area that I normally night fish, what are my odds, what weight and color should I use..?  Grass is scattered....

 

Thanks to all..., be back tonight