So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Catt]

9 hours ago, jcdogfish said:

Six Mile has been pretty dead for me.

 

West of the bridge in the creek channel 

 

8 hours ago, Amateur Hour said:

 

 

That would be the one.

 

That's a pretty popular 

[RCCA]

It's a deluge with lightning bolts every time I come this year ?

[A5BLASTER]

1 hour ago, Lil Joe The Grinder said:

It's a deluge with lightning bolts every time I come this year ?

It's the one you don't hear you got worrie bout lmao

[RCCA]

That's the one that scares me. When my hair gets fluffy and my line jumps lol 

[jcdogfish]

17 hours ago, Catt said:

 

West of the bridge in the creek channel

,,

[Catt]

1 hour ago, jcdogfish said:

,,

 

I'm serious! Learn from the bridge back about 1/4 mile 

[jcdogfish]

8 hours ago, Catt said:

 

I'm serious! Learn from the bridge back about 1/4 mile 

I know you are serious, its the only place in 185,000 acres I can always get bit.

[Catt]

57 minutes ago, jcdogfish said:

I know you are serious, its the only place in 185,000 acres I can always get bit.

 

Many believe there's no fish in that area, which is way you'll seldom see anyone fishing it.

[airborneduckhunter]

So much fantastic information here. I have been reading through this thread for several months now, but haven’t commented until tonight. I am staying on the bend this weekend north of Toledo Town. Hopefully I can put all of this info to use. 

[Catt]

@airborneduckhunter How y'all are? ?

 

Looking forward to hearing reports!

[kajun32]

I see now where you are on lake map. I’ll keep up now.  Good luck ! 

I’ll be there in few weeks. 

Thanks all !  

Have a safe and bless day! 

[Scot Ferguson]

Hey there y'all. 

I'd like to give a brief description of myself and my situation. As a young man.....20 years old 1990 or so.... I got stationed at Ft. Polk. I was from Ohio....and loved to fish but never really bass fished. I soon learned of a lake Toledo Bend. I read some bass master magazines......bought me a little gear.....and went out to the Army Rec area and rented a boat.....$25 a day as I recall. I learned pretty fast and caught fairly well. Pretty soon a I was hooked. Bought myself a boat.....a Ray Craft from a dealer in Leesville. Joined a bass club.....the Deridder Hawg Hunters. Learned alot from those guys......and done pretty well.  Even made top 6 a year or two. After the service I got me a job offshore and stayed in Louisiana. In 97.......times got hard for me......I sold my boat to finance moving my family to Ohio for work. Bass fishing was so poor compared to what I was used to on the Bend......i just flat gave up.  Packed my gear away......and went to catfishing. About 5 years ago.....a fella showed me that Ohio bassin could be ok. About 3 years ago  I got back into a boat. A Bass Cat. Started travelling a little. KY lake.....Barkley.....and I'm bad tore up with it again. Well.....at 48 years old......Ive decided the time is right to visit TB. 

I always fished the South end of the lake when I lived there. Pirates Cove........Buck Creek........Six mile...etc. I've already planned a trip....10 days...3rd week of March 2019 (week of full moon). Booked me a cabin.....up in San Patricio. I known the lake has changed over 20+ years.....and I've never been north of Negreet. I found this page.....and ordered me a Hook n Line map. I'm gonna study hard......and try not to aggravate y'all with too many questions. 

 

But I'll go ahead and ask one now. What is the best map card for Lowrance......that will show me creek channels......ditches....etc.???.I appreciate any advice y'all are willing to share with me!!!

[Catt]

If I'm fishing the Polo Gaucho area the end of the point is on the short list of spots to check.

 

It's got everything, creek channel intersection & roadbed, I like about the last third.

 

@Scot Ferguson How Y'all Are?

[Scot Ferguson]

Once my map gets here......maybe I can find what you speak of on there. 

 

We're all good. 

[airborneduckhunter]

 Catt, doing well. Seems we brought a bug with us so maybe this afternoon I will get on the water.  

[A5BLASTER]

You old folks is too slow I done been out this morning and caught every bass they had leavt north of the bridge y'all go south no fish leavt up north lmao.

 

Ribbet ribbet ribbet.

[jacob2000]

For our map analysis are we gonna be able to see any screenshots of the areas we’re discussing? Or just kinda figure it out with our map at home

[RCCA]

Scot, I think your best and possibly only option with Lowrance is Navionics. 

[Scot Ferguson]

Does one version work better than another? Premium Hotmaps.....Platinum Hotmaps.....Navionics Plus??? I've heard each version can be better for one lake.....than another lake. I know how important finding those ditches can be in spring. Hoping to hear what works best for y'all on TB.

[A5BLASTER]

13 hours ago, Scot Ferguson said:

Does one version work better than another? Premium Hotmaps.....Platinum Hotmaps.....Navionics Plus??? I've heard each version can be better for one lake.....than another lake. I know how important finding those ditches can be in spring. Hoping to hear what works best for y'all on TB.

The hook and line map shows what coves has creeks fairly well.

 

From there for me it's just a matter of water time and eyes on the graph to find the ditches.

[Nitreaux]

Scot....I agree with Lil Joe in that Navionics is the only option for Lowrance units. I use Lakemaster but it is compatible only with Humminbird so I won't go in detail about it. I haven't used Navionics in a while but I do use their app on my phone and their free web app at Navionics webapp. From my observation the Lakemaster seems to be more accurate compared to navionics but Navionics is constantly updating. In fact when you buy their card you get free updates for a year. I guess after that you pay a small fee yearly. At least that's how it works on my smart phone for me to get the updated version. These updates apparently come from users who turn in readings to navionics who then add the new detail to their maps. Humminbird actually hired boaters to scan the topo that they used for their maps. The disadvantage there for me is that there are several smaller lakes I like to fish due to less pressure that Lakemaster doesn't have on their card while Navionics does. As far as their apps you can scout contours at home or work as though you were looking at paper maps. I also mark details on them that I want to investigate on the waterPerhaps someone can clue you in on the options that the different versions of Navionics offers such as seeing your contour in 3D. I don't really know if that is more a function of the card or the actual unit it is used in.  

[RCCA]

I think I have platinum plus. Not sure about the others but I don't update it anymore cause I didn't notice many updates and didn't want to pay the yearly fee. It may be different now. It's ok but not really that good for finding and following ditches or the boat lanes. 

[Progator]

Read good things about boat lanes and the tommy martin cards but I think they are supplements

[Nitreaux]

I have both. The boat lane one shows where the boat lanes are and I have found it handy when there are missing buoys and I can glance at my sonar to see if I am still following the boat lane. Just be mindful of water levels when running even in marked lanes. Tommy’s card shows original channels, bridges and culverts and flooded roadbeds which aid in finding where bass could be. Neither one actually shows contour lines. You just load these into your unit and the info will be there until deleted. Their info overlays on whatever map card you have.

[Catt]

21 hours ago, A5BLASTER said:

The hook and line map shows what coves has creeks fairly well.

 

From there for me it's just a matter of water time and eyes on the graph to find the ditches.

 

I have a couple original survey maps with 1-2' contour lines. They also show where trees were bulldozed when boat lanes were made. 

 

They show where farmland met up with timber, where fire lanes were cut through timber.

 

Most aint got time for paper maps ?