So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[FlukeJr]

OUt on the Bend as I type. It’s frickin brutal!!!!

[Troy85]

So my trip starts 1 week from today.  Looks like we are getting a mild front later on this week.  Looks like Early next week a decent front is coming thru, lows around 50 and highs in the 60s.  Any tips on what to expect from this cool front?  

[Bass_Fanatic]

12 minutes ago, Troy1985s said:

So my trip starts 1 week from today.  Looks like we are getting a mild front later on this week.  Looks like Early next week a decent front is coming thru, lows around 50 and highs in the 60s.  Any tips on what to expect from this cool front?  

I’m hoping it fires the fish up, we need something.  Toledo continues to fish tough right now.  Not many people are catching much or anything right now.  

[Catt]

The only pattern I'm seeing right now is... it's tough!

 

Texas Rig with a 1/8 or 3/16 oz & a small 6-7" curl tail worms.

[jcdogfish]

Yea, she sure went to crap in just a couple of years.  gotta think something is going on or went on that is not just a down cycle.

[Smalljaw]

Long time lurker.  The forum is great!  This thread sparked my interest, since this summer has been the toughest I can remember.  I would like to blame it on the loss of grass, but I primarily fish deep ledges near the river, mid-lake, and those areas have not had grass for several years.  I had one super trip (for me) late July, when I caught 5 in an hour weighing 20+ lbs, the largest 6.5.  Other trips meh.

 

This past weekend was a little encouraging.  Sunday AM was cloudy and choppy, and I caught several the first 2 hours on a shallow flat just off the creek, using a spinnerbait and trap.  No great size, just keepers to 3.5 lbs.  It was a relief to get some shallow action for a change.

 

Thank you, Catt, for a great job!  Bring on the fall!!!

Edited October 9, 2018 by Smalljaw
Spacing, margins

[PlanoSooner]

Well, I havent gotten very far through this thread..... And we have a tourney there on the 20th & 21st.
.
Can someone recommend any particular pages of this post I need to focus on?
Or...., any good tips?!!?!?!
Looks like I will be sitting on a couple of community holes.

Been there only once. Mostly to get a feel for the boat lanes.
Pre-fished shallow water only (was before I saw this monster post).

We launch at bay bridge resort by the Pendleton bridge. We don't like to go too too far..... this is just a JR. Southwest Bassmasters club tourney. We aren't crazy hard core fishermen.... But experienced(the boys are good fishermen but this is a second sport for us)..... We just love competing and winning from time to time. And we just love our little club.

 

TIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PlanoSooner]

More:

 

We will not have an opportunity to pre-fish. 

 

We fish out of a 20ft Lowe CC.... No power poles. Cheap electronics(Can't decide whether to upgrade electronics or wait until I get a different boat). So our bottom vision isn't good.

 

I have fished lakes. But mostly experienced in farm ponds growing up and rivers and basin fishing the last 3yrs with the Jr. Bassmasters.

Just need some tips on which patterns to focus on and where. 
I watched Ken Smith videos with Albert/Glen..... wow!! But that doesn't help me much being 4hrs away. 

Plan so far: 
Fish the shallow point just north of Pendleton for a topwater bite. It is too close to the river to ignore.
Fish the community hole just s.w. of the bridge. (12 ft hump)

After that I am thinking the flats at waypoint 52 and maybe the island at waypoint 48(its on the way to 52)

 

 

[FlukeJr]

Ok guys. Here’s my take. I just got back from the Bend. Been fishing it for 30 years. I fished this week from Martinez to Housen. The north and mid-lake regions look like a wasteland. By that, I mean thousands of acres of zero vegetation except for very little useful vegetation around Blue Lake.  Housen on the other hand looks like the Toledo Bend I’ve know for the past 3 decades. The eco-system is alive, vibrant and the fish are healthy. The difference is vegetation from lily pads to hay grass to deep hydrilla, all of which is gone from the north and mid-lake. Now I ask what has happened??? We are in decline, why? It’s almost as if herbicide/poison has been indiscriminately dumped into the north? Any ideas?

[Catt]

@PlanoSooner we might get @A5BLASTER to chime in on areas north of Pendleton.

 

@FlukeJr There's been more than one event that caused the loss of grass. Spraying for Giant Salvinia coupled with extremely high winter/spring waters in 2015-16 stopped the grass from coming back completely.

 

I've fished this lake for close to 50 yrs which means I fished it before all the grass, during all the grass & now back to little grass.

 

The bass made the adjustments...most anglers have not!

[DamCajun]

I’m not convinced the loss of vegation has no impact on the bass population and that the issue is simply that us fisherman have not adjusted.  I’m also concerned that the herbicide used to manage the vegation may be having a year in year compound affect,  that we just tipped pass, directly on the fish.

 

  I’m on TB many times each month, I don’t remember the last time I”ve seen slyvania patches of any size.  However take a look at TPWs nuisance plant control treatment proposal and even with the size of TB accounted for, note the acreage covered in the application.

 

https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/nuisance_plants/treat_proposals.phtml

 

I’m no biologist and I want to think that TPW would have and are doing their due diligence to ensure the fishery is not adversely affected however it would be nice to see an independent study and best I can determine no such study has been performed/published.    

 

Given the antedotial evidence of the fishery’s decline, should we be asking SRA, LDWF or other to call for such study??

 

[Catt]

6 hours ago, DamCajun said:

  I’m on TB many times each month, I don’t remember the last time I”ve seen slyvania patches of any size. 

 

And you have been in the back pockets of every cove on the entire lake?

 

Most anglers don't remember Lake Conroe & how Texas Parks & Wildlife purposely removed all grass to satisfy land owners. 

 

There's still many double digits caught annually & a 5 bass sack of 20-25# is still required to win tournaments.

 

Todd Driscoll TPWD head biologist for our region has done such studies.

[Amateur Hour]

15 hours ago, PlanoSooner said:

Well, I havent gotten very far through this thread..... And we have a tourney there on the 20th & 21st.
.
Can someone recommend any particular pages of this post I need to focus on?
Or...., any good tips?!!?!?!
Looks like I will be sitting on a couple of community holes.

Been there only once. Mostly to get a feel for the boat lanes.
Pre-fished shallow water only (was before I saw this monster post).

We launch at bay bridge resort by the Pendleton bridge. We don't like to go too too far..... this is just a JR. Southwest Bassmasters club tourney. We aren't crazy hard core fishermen.... But experienced(the boys are good fishermen but this is a second sport for us)..... We just love competing and winning from time to time. And we just love our little club.

 

TIA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wish I could help.  Just wanted to come say good luck.

 

 

 

[PlanoSooner]

thanks AH

people i have talked to say zero grass anywhere.

 

I dont want to make a long run but i will if there is grass and biting bass there.

i dont mind fishing a few humps or flipping docks later. 

Just sucks that it is too far to prefish

 

[TBbound]

Hi y'all!  Just wanted to say, first that you folks are incredible! Catt, BassFanatic, and everyone else who have contributed to this post:  Thank you so much for sharing your tips about Toledo Bend!! This is without a doubt,  the very best forum I have EVER read!! I salute you all! 

Now for my question:  when drop shotting deep structure, what is your setup?   Weight size, length from weight to hook, size/type of hook, and the obvious what types of plastic are you using??   Thank you in advance!   And again, I can't commend each of you enough for this amazing thread!  Tight lines and God bless!

[Bass_Fanatic]

2 hours ago, TBbound said:

Hi y'all!  Just wanted to say, first that you folks are incredible! Catt, BassFanatic, and everyone else who have contributed to this post:  Thank you so much for sharing your tips about Toledo Bend!! This is without a doubt,  the very best forum I have EVER read!! I salute you all! 

Now for my question:  when drop shotting deep structure, what is your setup?   Weight size, length from weight to hook, size/type of hook, and the obvious what types of plastic are you using??   Thank you in advance!   And again, I can't commend each of you enough for this amazing thread!  Tight lines and God bless!

I use a 1/4 oz teardrop weight with a 2/0 roboworm rebard hook tied about 10” above the weight.  As for plastics, I use a 6” roboworm 99% of the time.  Every once in a while Ill put on a Yamamoto shad shaped worm

[RCCA]

I just stopped by to say Hi, as well. Don't wanna debate Toledo cause I still love her but been working, hunting and fishin' around the house. When I go back that way I'll be on Rayburn. That's the beauty of it all. Anyway, that's how I adjust. Good luck to all.  

[jcdogfish]

Lil Joe, I'm adjusting a different way too.  I'm selling the travel trailer up there.  Just too many places with tons of fish to fight that monster if I don't have to. I'm sure it will come back but I ain't waiting.

[RonnieF]

6 hours ago, jcdogfish said:

Lil Joe, I'm adjusting a different way too.  I'm selling the travel trailer up there.  Just too many places with tons of fish to fight that monster if I don't have to. I'm sure it will come back but I ain't waiting.

Best of luck to you JC. Good fishing to you down south.

 

[RCCA]

Awe man. Sorry to hear that, JC. Good luck to ya. 

[TBbound]

Heading to the big pond next week! Anybody got any reports? 

[jcdogfish]

Thanks Joe and Ronnie.   Its been a good year down south.  Venice was great til the river came up.  The marsh is always good.  Place is not sold yet, it may not.  If it does I still plan to make trips up there every couple of months or so. 

[Catt]

@jcdogfish don't know what to say but at least keep in touch!

 

 

[Amateur Hour]

Fished with Bassfinatic last Friday on Rayburn.  Woke up to a nasty breeze which had the trolling motor coming out of the water.  We caught a bunch of fish but not any real big ones.   I did learn a good bit as I always do.  

 

I fished Saturday on Toledo and again it was brutally rough.  Ended up catching 12 with the biggest around 2.5.  All fish caught on dropshots in around 20 FOW.  I could not get them to bite anything else. I graphed a good bit and found some brushpiles that I look forward to fishing this fall.  Decided to call it quits around 2:00 to go watch LSU whoop up on UGA.

[Catt]

@Amateur Hour great report ?

 

12 fish right now on Toledo is pretty good, I've had reports of 15-20 fishing all day.

 

Drop Shots, light Texas Rigs, light Carolina Rigs (3/8-1/2), & two reports of a Trap bite. One was up north & one mid-lake.