So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[operationgrass]

I am just ready for the next two weeks of work to end so I can start fishing the extreme north end.  Had plenty of good days this fall up there.

 

So Catt what is your take on the Bends lake level. Do you rather extreme low, low, at pool, or above? And why?  How do you think it positions the fish differently or does it when you fish structure?

[Catt]

@operationgrass historically 168-169' is the normal lake level 

 

In my opinion at 169' it leaves room for spring rains without causing flooding issues down stream. It's also allows for summer droughts without issues.

 

Many people think since "full pool" is 172' that's where it should be kept. The problem with that is any spring rains that pushes the level to 173' & above forces SRA to open gates causing flooding down stream.

 

 

 

[Dougw]

Once the property owners and SRA reached an agreement, many years ago, on a winter pool of 168’, that’s been the SRA goal... for the most part. If you look at this years level you can see that starting in September SRA dropped the level to 168’. Then the rains came and continue to come. One foot of water, especially at or above full pool, on a lake the size of TB is an enormous amount of water. It takes awhile to move that much water through the system - without creating havoc down stream. Given the opportunity you can rest assured the SRA will get the level much closer to 168’ before spring arrives.

[Catt]

@Dougw1515@aim.com Exactly!

 

Most guys don't understand "full" pool means ya can't add any more without releasing some. 

 

On average the level during pre-spawn is 170-171' because of spring rains, which puts more water in the buck brush & is better for the spawn.

[A5BLASTER]

15 minutes ago, Catt said:

@Dougw1515@aim.com Exactly!

 

Most guys don't understand "full" pool means ya can't add any more without releasing some. 

 

On average the level during pre-spawn is 170-171' because of spring rains, which puts more water in the buck brush & is better for the spawn.

Yea I love me some buck brush during the spawn.

 

Y'all can chase the under water grass all y'all want give me a shoreline full of buck brush with bout 2 foot deep water behind it and some creek feed coves and I'm in hog heaven.

[Catt]

14 minutes ago, A5BLASTER said:

I'm in Hawg heaven

 

FTFY! 

 

Love me some buck brush ?

 

[ranger392xt]

Have a gift card to burn! What reel do y’all use for Alabama rigs or deep divers? I would prefer a low speed also. 

[Bass_Fanatic]

1 hour ago, ranger392xt said:

Have a gift card to burn! What reel do y’all use for Alabama rigs or deep divers? I would prefer a low speed also. 

Lews Super Duty wide Spool

[A5BLASTER]

1 hour ago, Bass_Fanatic said:

Lews Super Duty wide Spool

What he said all day and night.

[Swampghost]

Good choice.

[Dougw]

For 8/10 XD’s I use an Abu Garcia Revo T2 BST50 it’s a big reel built to handle very large baits and fish. Is available L/R hand. Has 4.9 retrieve ratio but because of the size of the spool it takes up line @24” per revolution. It has dual braking systems and comes with 2 handles. One single grip and one double grip. It’s not cheap.

 

For 6XD’s and smaller I use a Revo3 Beast. It too has the dual braking system.

 

If your not big into chunking really big/heavy baits the Revo3 Beast is probably the one for you.

 

You didn’t ask but... I pair the T2 Beast up with a Dobyns DC806CB. It’s an 8’ rod designed to handle the 10XD or those big west coast swim baits.

 

For 6xd sized baits a Black Envy crankenstein EBC711C is hard to beat - if you can still find one.

 

For what it’s worth.... I started out with the Lew’s wide spool, and still use some of them even now. While they are certainly a very good reel they do not rise to the level of the Revo Beast line.

 

Also for what it’s worth... I am absolutely no fan of Abu Garcia. But... the only reels I found, having the features I was looking for, ended up being the Revo Beast line up.

 

I have a number of different Lew’s reels and like them. My bang for the buck reel is Diawa’s Tatula R100. But Diawa’s Mag Force Z magnetic only braking system starts struggling when bait weight exceeds 3/4 oz.

 

Didn’t intend to write a book but... one thing lead to another....

[ranger392xt]

Thanks guys. Probably give the Lews a try as it fits closer to budget especially adding the rod cost. ?

[Bass_Fanatic]

3 hours ago, Dougw1515@aim.com said:

For 8/10 XD’s I use an Abu Garcia Revo T2 BST50 it’s a big reel built to handle very large baits and fish. Is available L/R hand. Has 4.9 retrieve ratio but because of the size of the spool it takes up line @24” per revolution. It has dual braking systems and comes with 2 handles. One single grip and one double grip. It’s not cheap.

 

For 6XD’s and smaller I use a Revo3 Beast. It too has the dual braking system.

 

If your not big into chunking really big/heavy baits the Revo3 Beast is probably the one for you.

 

You didn’t ask but... I pair the T2 Beast up with a Dobyns DC806CB. It’s an 8’ rod designed to handle the 10XD or those big west coast swim baits.

 

For 6xd sized baits a Black Envy crankenstein EBC711C is hard to beat - if you can still find one.

 

For what it’s worth.... I started out with the Lew’s wide spool, and still use some of them even now. While they are certainly a very good reel they do not rise to the level of the Revo Beast line.

 

Also for what it’s worth... I am absolutely no fan of Abu Garcia. But... the only reels I found, having the features I was looking for, ended up being the Revo Beast line up.

 

I have a number of different Lew’s reels and like them. My bang for the buck reel is Diawa’s Tatula R100. But Diawa’s Mag Force Z magnetic only braking system starts struggling when bait weight exceeds 3/4 oz.

 

Didn’t intend to write a book but... one thing lead to another....

I use the same rod, a Dobyns 806cb, for 10xds.  And I use Daiwa Tatulas for my cranking reels.  Been using them for years with zero issues

[Dougw]

3 hours ago, Bass_Fanatic said:

I use the same rod, a Dobyns 806cb, for 10xds.  And I use Daiwa Tatulas for my cranking reels.  Been using them for years with zero issues

Tatula’s are, in my mostest humble opinion, the best value reel on the market. I tried the Tatula HD for cranking the big crank baits but, for me, the Magforce Z braking system wasn’t up to the task. Yeah, I could still cast and control using the o’l intelligent thumb. But even then I could not get the consistent distance, cast after cast, that the T2 Beast provides.

 

Phil Marks uses, or at least used to use, a Curado 300 for the 8/10XD. That’s what got me looking at larger reels...

[A5BLASTER]

Well got a report.

 

Buck brush 

3 foot of water

3 fish biggest 3 1/2 smallest 2 pound

 

Baits used

3/8 oz white chartreuse spinnerbait

Watermelon red bass asassian 

[Catt]

@A5BLASTER ya killing me but good report ?

[Dougw]

I’ll be there Wed. - Sat. Gonna start out on ledges/drops 15-20fow with 1oz. Spinnerbait , multiple different jerk baits n drop shot. Then I’ll head to the buck brisk with “special” 1/4oz. Jig. And probably a hand full of trick sticks T-rigged....

[A5BLASTER]

2 hours ago, Catt said:

@A5BLASTER ya killing me but good report ?

Best I could do, had a small window too hit the water. Won't be one the water again for a while, front moving in and deer season is drawing short.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Toledo is finally fishin good! 

[Catt]

1 hour ago, Bass_Fanatic said:

Toledo is finally fishin good! 

 

And I'm stuck at home!  ?

[Dougw]

On 1/8/2019 at 8:15 PM, Bass_Fanatic said:

Toledo is finally fishin good! 

Hummmmm.... I was out yesterday only managed 3 small keepers. In six mile, Miles Creek, the water was pretty stained so I opted not to chunk any jerk baits. I did try 1oz. Spinnerbaits and c- rig deep(20-25fow) with no takers. BTW marked a ton of fish at that depth. Flipped miles of flooded buck brush/cypress trees w/o much success. Best fish,about 2#’s, came off cypress tree in about 2 fow on a 1/4oz. T- rigged trick worm. Couple of others also came off cypress trees, similar depth, on a 1/16oz. finess worm/rig. Stayed in six mile most of the day though 2 fish did come out of Caney/Pirates Cove- where the water was much cleaner than six mile.

 

Going out again today. Starting a bit further north this time though still not past the Pendleton bridge...

[Dougw]

Goose egg day.... guess I’m doing something wrong.... Went north as far as Palo Gaucho. Worked a jig and t-rig on buck brush and cedar trees in 2-3fow. Early water temp was 52 degrees. Ran under the bridge... Water has a pretty heavy stain and cold — didn’t wet a hook. Fished Patoon from the mouth to the back. Nuttin’... moved back to Housen and got a few bites on A c-rig. Are y’all catching fish north of the bridge working the flooded buck brush????

[RonnieF]

I'll be heading up tomorrow just in time for the next front and colder weather. Bought 3 new Duracell AGM batteries for the trolling motor, so I'll have that to do when the weather turn cruddy. The Orbital AGM's i'm changing out are 10 years old. Hope I get at least half of that with these.

I'll be in San Miguel and maybe main lake around Clear Creek to Pendleton, depending on the wind. Stop and say hi if you see the old Bass Cat with the yellow bolt.

[Bass_Fanatic]

4 hours ago, Dougw1515@aim.com said:

Goose egg day.... guess I’m doing something wrong.... Went north as far as Palo Gaucho. Worked a jig and t-rig on buck brush and cedar trees in 2-3fow. Early water temp was 52 degrees. Ran under the bridge... Water has a pretty heavy stain and cold — didn’t wet a hook. Fished Patoon from the mouth to the back. Nuttin’... moved back to Housen and got a few bites on A c-rig. Are y’all catching fish north of the bridge working the flooded buck brush????

Too early for that. Look in 15-25’

[Dougw]

6 hours ago, RonnieF said:

I'll be heading up tomorrow just in time for the next front and colder weather. Bought 3 new Duracell AGM batteries for the trolling motor, so I'll have that to do when the weather turn cruddy. The Orbital AGM's i'm changing out are 10 years old. Hope I get at least half of that with these.

I'll be in San Miguel and maybe main lake around Clear Creek to Pendleton, depending on the wind. Stop and say hi if you see the old Bass Cat with the yellow bolt.

Not supposed to be much wind the next couple of days so you’re good there. I crossed the lake today at 75mph. Wasn’t “glass” but pretty close. Unless the lake is clearing from the upper end you’ll probably be fishing a very heavy stain, if not out right muddy, based on what I’ve seen from mid-lake below the bridge. Either we’re still getting a lot of runoff or SRA isn’t putting a bunch of water through the dam these past 2 days. All I can say is Good Luck!

 

Went to the backs of a couple of creeks hoping to find the water clearing up but - wasn’t to be. Lack of water movement is probably the reason the creeks haven’t started clearing up and if that is the case it doesn’t bode well going up the river either. I know I’m working the south, six mile to the dam, today.