So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Clinton john]

Cool thanks for the head's up.

 

I figured it would be more south then San Miguel that he was catching prespawner's in that water depth.

 

Wish I could have gotton on the water today but work just had to get in the way and now the wind is blowing to hard for me to make my first night fishing trip of the year.

 

But come first light my pro crappie

will be running wide open headed for my secret spot.

[RockNReelN]

The wind was strong enough on Thursday & Saturday that most anglers including myself  shied away from the open lake as much as possible with the exception of traveling.

[Clinton john]

Tie off rope and anchor, is the first tip I learned here for fishing the deeper water.

 

You should see the looks on some of the guys faces when I tie off to a stump and drop anchor when I'm fishing deep water while the wind is blowing.

 

In fact i have never seen anouther bass boat tie off or anchor off when fishing deep water when the wind is blowing.

 

Thanks Catt, best tip I picked up so far.

[Bass_Fanatic]

A lot of Hartmans fish have come from mill creek. 

[RockNReelN]

I think Paul Elias used an anchor during his 132 pound total on Falcon.

[Bassbender]

Congrats to John Murray on his win! There's a good lesson there, I think. Sometimes you have to listen to reason and leave the area you THOUGHT you were going to catch them in and find something else when that pattern doesn't pan out. I am SO guilty of beating the water to death and not catching because of a preconceived notion. 

[RockNReelN]

Was John Murray in Six Mile the first couple days ?

[Clinton john]

So John Murry won it.

 

What was his total bag weight to win?

 

[RCCA]

77-10. And he won it catching prespawn fish north of the bridge. 

[Catt]

29 minutes ago, A5BLASTER said:

So John Murry won it.

 

What was his total bag weight to win?

 

77 lbs 10 ozs

 

A lot of naive people are trying to compare that to KVD's 96 lbs 2 ozs from last year, they say it's proof the lake is in decline.

 

FYI: the last 5 Elites held on the big pond

77 lbs 10 ozs

96 lbs 2 ozs

79 lbs 10 ozs

83 lbs 9 ozs

70 lbs 15 Oz's

Average: 81.6 lbs

 

That's puts this year about 3 1/2 lbs off average or one fish!

 

Yes but Catt we've seen 25-30 lbs sacks in the past so it's definitely down!

 

Y'all be correct but that's single day tournaments, try doing it for 4 days!

 

I started tournament fishing back in the early 70s, we were chasing the elusive 100# 4 day sack back then & we still are.

 

[mpdunne79]

We spent the weekend on Toledo watching the Elites; the weigh-ins were very interesting.  I cant wait for the TV footage of them fishing.  In particular, Murray and Christie (who I think ran wayyy north).

 

 I agree with @Catt.   I do not think you can look at 2016 as the "norm".  @Catt beat me to the Elite tournament weight comparison.  There are so many different variables that contribute to those weights..  Lake level, temps, time of year, moon phase, etc..  

 

In looking at the top 5 weights for 2016 as compared to 2011 and the 2014 tournaments, the weighs are all pretty similar.  They were at a similar time of year as this one (2011 - April 14-17, 2014 May 1-4).  A comparison with the 2012 tournament is difficult as it was in June that year so a different pattern existed. 

 

I guess my point is... 1 point in time does not a trend make....  We should be careful not to jump to conclusions too quickly and overreact.  The lake might be in a downturn (which I'm sure is cyclical), but that does not mean its being "destroyed".  That isn't something which can be determined strictly comparing 1 year to the next.  It will be a couple of years before that determination could be proved valid.  Hackney said it best at the weigh in Saturday... he said something to the effect of "there are 10lb'ers that will never see a bait".   The fish are there, we as anglers must adapt to find them (although tough to do with a 15mph south wind...lol). 

 

I'll give @Strikeking credit as he got me diving into some details that I otherwise would not have looked at.  While we disagree on the points he made in his blog, I think his point on conservation is valid.  We should protect the lake and I believe the vast majority of folks who fish it have that mindset. Further, if the lake does get to a point where it is troubled, I'd like to believe the vast majority of us would come together and do whats best for the fishery. 

 

[Redseal]

I'd like to start out by saying hello to the most educational blog I've ever read. I've been an outsider just reading as I've been continuously working on my structure fishing. I spent all the practice and tourneyment days watching the pros fish my home cove of negreet , to which I can say that I learned a lot. I watched Aaron Martins beat a hump in salter in the boat lane , but just couldn't make the bite , also saw Brandon paluniuk in the back of salters Sunday. And Scott Rook beat a point. But I found it odd that nobody fished my go to spot off the long point in Tenn bay, thanks and I look forward to becoming more active in this great blog

[Marshfly]

So, since the majority of the Elite tournament bass were caught deep and ready to spawn, does that mean that a lot of that will happen in the next week or so with the full moon?

[Redseal]

Just to back up what most of the positive posts are saying here. Patterns basically change daily lately , all the pressure has left only small windows to catch fish shallow. I've been targeting humps on windy days. Clear sunny days brush piles around midday also following drains when all else fails looking for shad but the key for me has been 10 to 16 ft of water. The main advantage for me has been the addition of a helix 9 with sidescan. It allows me to put together a 3 D pic using side, down and 2 d sonar. Now all the mapping is starting to make sence . I hope this helps 

[RockNReelN]

Historically Big Bass can be caught deep and shallow on Toledo Bend in April. I Love it.

[RockNReelN]

Is that Redseal as in Continental engines ?

[Marshfly]

4 hours ago, Redseal said:

Just to back up what most of the positive posts are saying here. Patterns basically change daily lately , all the pressure has left only small windows to catch fish shallow. I've been targeting humps on windy days. Clear sunny days brush piles around midday also following drains when all else fails looking for shad but the key for me has been 10 to 16 ft of water. The main advantage for me has been the addition of a helix 9 with sidescan. It allows me to put together a 3 D pic using side, down and 2 d sonar. Now all the mapping is starting to make sence . I hope this helps 

 

It does. Even if it just reinforces my plan to target drains from spawning areas mostly.

[Nitreaux]

I was able to watch the Elite tournament at Toledo Bend from the back deck of a couple of pros as I was fortunate enough to finally get chosen to marshal. Both pros I was paired with spent the majority of their day fishing less than 5 fow. They also ran out to deep spots but for different reasons. The pro I was with the first day simply couldn't get bit shallow though he told me the previous day in practice he had enough bites for a limit. He finally bagged a couple late. He had a fantastic day on day 2 on that same deep spot with close to 20#. I was able to talk to him and he said the difference was due to the wind laying down on day 2 that enabled him to fish the spot like he needed to.

[Nitreaux]

My experience as a marshal on day two, that pro also started in shallow water and probably only about a quarter mile from where my first day pro had started. After a couple of hours with only one bass in the well he ran out to a deep spot too. He told me that he thought the bass would show up later because on the previous day (day one) he managed to get his limit late in the day. He added a couple of keepers out deep and returned to the shallow area for the remainder of the day where he filled his limit and culled a couple of times. I saw a number of other pros in the area, one was throwing a chatterbait style jig near us and the others were out further on the flat and it appeared they were fishing jerkbaits.

[Redseal]

1 hour ago, RockNReelN said:

Is that Redseal as in Continental engines ?

No that wouldn't be me. I work at a plant in lake Charles.  You'll find me in a RT188 Ranger tin boat with a 115 Suzuki on the back side

[RockNReelN]

The look on John Murray's face in the behind the scenes photos says it all. Wheeler's  back is to the camera priceless.

4 minutes ago, Redseal said:

No that wouldn't be me. I work at a plant in lake Charles.  You'll find me in a RT188 Ranger tin boat with a 115 Suzuki on the back side

The Redseal was an engine on the old Lincoln SA200's thought that may be your handle origin.

[Nitreaux]

Redseal, I live in Lake Charles but grew up in Elton. If you see a Nitro with red/silver trim and a pair of talons on TB you might be looking at me.

[Clinton john]

Red and silver trim with talons that's Toledo Bend camo bro ain't nobody going to find you lol.

[bayouXpress]

On April 7, 2017 at 8:55 PM, Strikeking said:

Now you're just being stubborn. The thread is older than the moon. 897,000 people didn't read what said. Youre using total views is only showing you're losing any logical attempt to discredit what I said. 

I believe even though you've been overly critical, you know there's truth in what I said. If you truly know that lake as well as you claim, you know it's in trouble. But like I said over and over, I didn't write it for you. And it's not YOUR lake. It belongs to everyone. 

Remember this day. When you and a few others refused to listen. You can always fish Rayburn when TB is the worlds largest dink pond. What I said won't go away. And neither will yours. It'll be here for everyone to read when the lake is a disaster. And the people who ridiculed me will be just as much to blame as the people who took knives to the fish. 

 

Cheers. 

You are a funny guy..lol

 

last note on this then you can leave this disaster lake and this thread.

 

no place on earth continues to rise and never sees declines.  The big O, Guntersville, Falcon,etc.. It's always a cycle.  Some argue environmental changes or situations and some pressure.  Ever heard "all good things come to an end"?  It happens . But the great thing about Mother Nature is she always rebuilds it.  Is it on a decline? Time will tell.  Its too early to say that now, much less based on one trip and what some locals say.  But it will always come back. 

i respect your opinions, but your facts need work, too bad you can't admit that.  Cheers.  

[Redseal]

46 minutes ago, Nitreaux said:

Redseal, I live in Lake Charles but grew up in Elton. If you see a Nitro with red/silver trim and a pair of talons on TB you might be looking at me.

Lol. I'm from Elton too.