So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Dougw]

On 2/1/2020 at 7:33 PM, operationgrass said:

I just get tired of people complaining about the grass.  I only fished the lake a few times before the hydrilla died and yes it was fun to punch it, but to say this lake doesn't produce is crazy

I've been beat by a few 30+ sacks in the last 3 years, and most spring tournaments I've averaged 13-18 pounds and have been beat by plenty of 20-25 pound sacks.

Man... I ain't been this wrong since right before my divorce was final!

[Catt]

48 minutes ago, Dougw said:

Man... I ain't been this wrong since right before my divorce was final!

 

It ain't so much about being wrong as it is about underestimating the Big Pond!

 

At its best this lake has humbled some of the best anglers.

 

Everyone loves to tout Dee Thomas & his dramatic win on Bull Shoals but that wasn't his first tournament. His first tournament was the week before on Toledo Bend where he failed to make the top 50 & the next year he failed to make the top 100. Dee said of Toledo Bend, "I was awestruck, that lake has such a target rich enviroment that I tried flipping them all."

 

In 2001 while pre-fishing Toledo Bend for the up coming Top 150, Kevin VanDam said, " if you can not catch 25-30 bass per day on this lake you can't fish".

 

KVD's average finish after 5 events on the Bend is 30th place.

 

I fished the amateur side of that 2001 Top 150, Jimmy Houston & Roland Martin failed to catch a single fish!

[Clinton john]

19 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

It ain't so much about being wrong as it is about underestimating the Big Pond!

 

At its best this lake has humbled some of the best anglers.

 

Everyone loves to tout Dee Thomas & his dramatic win on Bull Shoals but that wasn't his first tournament. His first tournament was the week before on Toledo Bend where he failed to make the top 50 & the next year he failed to make the top 100. Dee said of Toledo Bend, "I was awestruck, that lake has such a target rich enviroment that I tried flipping them all."

 

In 2001 while pre-fishing Toledo Bend for the up coming Top 150, Kevin VanDam said, " if you can not catch 25-30 bass per day on this lake you can't fish".

 

KVD's average finish after 5 events on the Bend is 30th place.

 

I fished the amateur side of that 2001 Top 150, Jimmy Houston & Roland Martin failed to catch a single fish!

This is how I look at it.

 

I love to handload for my rifles and the single most important thing to understand, is that all rifles are diffrent and you got to listen to the rifle and let it tell you what it wants.

 

Bass fishing is no diffrent, you can hit the water and have this great plan of where,when and how but if your not listening to what the fish are telling you about what,when and how they want it.

 

Your just going to get frustrated. And then start making excuses why your not catching.

 

I heard someone say once. Sometimes you got to forget what you think you know, turn off the tech and just drop the tolling motor and fish.

 

 

[Dougw]

I listened to Toledo Bend it said "Go fish somewhere else!!!" LOL... 

 

After seeing the pro's results I don't feel quite as hopeless. 'Least I got company now!

 

Last time I was there conditions were similar to what the pros faced. Overcast, warming/rising water. I weighed in 10.86#s. That would of been good for 73rd place - after two days!

 

"...turn off the tech and just drop the tolling motor and fish." N' That's 'zackly what I do once I give up... Just caught the big fish on the wrong day last time!

[Catt]

About the time I think I have em figured out they prove to me I don't!

 

This pond will test you like no other but it will pay dividends like no other & that my friends is what has kept me coming back for close to 50 years.

[Koda]

I live in the Arnold Bay area and I'm looking for help finding fish. I've been trying ledges, drop offs, creek channels and points with no success. Thanks

[operationgrass]

I don't know how many days by 12 oclock I'm sitting there with 1 bite all day and say well time to find them. 

Get on a creek channel, throw the Carolina rig behind the boat, and get on the trolling motor just dragging it.  You might go 4 miles but eventually you'll run in to them.

[Bass_Fanatic]

The fishing is tough right now, but the fish still live there.  I found fish in 52’ of water today.  The Shad are all in 40+ ft and the bass have moved out with them.  With the recent cool weather and the water temps just getting below 55* I think the fish are in a winter pattern more so than prespawn which is throwing everyone for a loop.

[operationgrass]

36 minutes ago, Bass_Fanatic said:

The fishing is tough right now, but the fish still live there.  I found fish in 52’ of water today.  The Shad are all in 40+ ft and the bass have moved out with them.  With the recent cool weather and the water temps just getting below 55* I think the fish are in a winter pattern more so than prespawn which is throwing everyone for a loop.

One thing about it you’ll figure them out soon enough!

 

Sorry I don’t post a bunch with changing jobs and moving last year did not get much chance to fish or do much. New lake is Conroe so we’ll see how that goes. 

[Catt]

@Bass_Fanatic I think this warm winter has everybody overly anxious.

 

@operationgrass Conroe is an excellent lake, wish ol Jack was still around he fished that lake a lot. Try Googleing fishfordollars Conroe bassresource.

 

@Koda  You fishing Diamond Cove & Arnold Creek or other areas?

[Catt]

He ain't fishing grass ?

 

 

[Dougw]

Nope... Told a buddy of mine Huff caught'em 'zackly like some of the folks on Bass Resource said they needed to be fished right now. Suspended, off-shore, following bait fish. That's how Huff caught'em. Like a lot of folks, that's is without a doubt my least productive/least confidence style of fishing. I cry like a two year old at nap time when that style of fishing is required to be consistent.

[Koda]

Catt, with the water low I've not fished much in diamond cove, I have caught a few spots in arnold creek/blackland slough. I've been fishing mostly in the 15-25 foot depths throwing plastics and jigs. I usually fish from Yokum Bay to the Negreet creek area on the Louisiana side and from millionaire point to white oak Creek on the Texas side due to where I live. I am willing to run further or trailer if necessary but there has to be fish in this area that I'm not finding or seeing on electronics.

Also, thanks to all who make this such an interesting thread.

[operationgrass]

Thank you catt. 
 

Funny you say that Catt last night about 2am I was reading jacks comments on carice. Wish I could spend a day with him around there. I rarely leave that area and when I do it’s because I want to drive fast?? 

[Catt]

@Koda from @operationgrass

 

So I’ve made more than 100+ dives in various areas on Toledo and I can firmly tell you the fish are still there. See the great thing about diving is that bass and other species are curious and attract towards you typically. I think it has something to do with the bubbles. On numerous occasions I’ve actually had schools of 10 to 20 3 pound bass feed near me or come and check me out. And once had a mega school 100+ fish come out of no were and start chomping. I’ll see if I can find the GoPro footage it was amazing. 
 

most guys are off the mark when fishing even if they’re in the right area.

Think about it like this. How many 3 to 5 pound bass can you fit in your live well? Personally I know I can fit 20 comfortably. Now think how big a creek channel live oak stump and root system is let’s say 10x10 give or take a few feet (This is your break line on a creek channel that’s 3 miles long).  How big is that live oak stump system? You can easily fit 20-100 fish on one stump. Now take the depth of water say 15 feet across the whole lake just to make it easy. Now take how many square acres Toledo is 185000 square acres. It all boils down to you’re looking for a break line that can be a 1 foot square or 20 foot square on a lake that is 185k acres with or without grass. And you may say but the grass holds them true but when fishing grass I know typically I catch all my fish in key areas of the grass. Guess what, there is a break line there it may be rock, a stump, lawnmower etc. anything you name it. 

[operationgrass]

So Catt like I said I was reading jacks old post @2am but I didn’t say why.
 

Well I finally have my first days off in a year and my best friend called me and wanted to go to the bend for a day so we loaded up early this morning. We fought about what to do the whole ride. He wanted to go way up north around Tenaha and I wanted to put in around carice. Flipped a coin and I won. 
 

So my 7 rods:

1. tail spinner
2. Carolina rig
3. Crankbait

4. Jig

5. Texas rig

6. Utility rod

7. Drop shot( never had to pick it up)

 

so we start out on bug island/pipeline area after reading about that guy catching suspending fish I figured I could find some fish on the east side similar to what he was doing and would be able to pluck them with a tail spinner. Got nothing but fish where out there just could not find an active school. 
 

next we started hitting some of the points just to the south east of the carice bridge. Picked up 3 or 4 tight eyes nothing to talk about. At this time my buddy looks at me and says you think it’s to early to try our secret, and I say heck why not. So we get on plain and  get there pick up the utility rod and bam buddy catches a 7. Had another guy close by so we put her back pretty fast. Fish some more nothing. 
 

I check the phone eat a little lunch and say I know a spot that may have fish on that I dove 2 summers ago.  So we pull up to the ridge fish for 30 minutes nothing. Turn around and notice a group of lunes about a 100 yards away so we ease up and they’re diving under the boat and there they where. Massive Shad balls, lunes diving and a big wad of fish in 40 fow suspended in about 10 to 15 fow. I’ve noticed when you pull up and the lunes don’t leave you’re in the right spot. There was also some special I had never seen there also and I have graphed and dove that spot dozens of times. If I had to guess it was something that was about a 3x3 square. 
 

Drop the tail spinners and start catching and never stopped. Best 5 today in picture 21 pounds best 5 overall 25 pounds. 
 

so just my assumption but Toledo is in dead winter mode. It may have been a warm winter but the amount of sun light we are getting isn’t enough on top of cool nights.  In short time the fish will be set up perfect for y’all while I’ll be at work lol. 

all fish were put back

Will be back in April and June. 

[Catt]

@operationgrass that's pretty much what I'm hearing & nothing going on shallow...yet!

 

March 16-20 th ?

[Amateur Hour]

I thought this was funny.  If it is too political let me know and I will delete it.

 

 

[Catt]

I like it ?

[Scot Ferguson 2.0]

On 2/2/2020 at 9:04 PM, Lil Joe The Grinder said:

Fished Rayburn today in solid grass. Got my tail handed to me. New area, all looked good and they whacked em for the 16 tourney so grass is not the most important thing. I believe I’ll follow my grassless creek channels on Toledo tomorrow ?

Joe, I hope you'll help me a little here. I hear alot about following the creeks and ditches....but I've purchased some of the best maps......and have good map cards......and they do show the major creeks. However they rarely show the secondary or minor creeks......and never show the ditches. So how do you find then? Just lots of time with electronics?

[operationgrass]

11 hours ago, Scot Ferguson 2.0 said:

Joe, I hope you'll help me a little here. I hear alot about following the creeks and ditches....but I've purchased some of the best maps......and have good map cards......and they do show the major creeks. However they rarely show the secondary or minor creeks......and never show the ditches. So how do you find then? Just lots of time with electronics?

So there are many ways to do it I’m sure but this is how I go about it. 
 

1. Map study at home or work if you have a bunch of free time?. You have to use every resource available. Paper maps, google earth, navionics, lake master mapping, and probably most importantly A historical map of the lake before it was built. You need to map out and make a plan before ever hooking up the trailer.  

2. Read, read, read. There are articles on both Toledo and Rayburn and really any lake you intend to fish. That tell were why and how people catch fish consistently on both. (I know you didn’t ask about this but I feel like people don’t think about it and it gives good historical base of where to start at certain times of the year). 
 

3. Once I’m on the lake and I Have a plan what I normally do is get on the major creek and using the map study I have done I will use side imaging and scan where I have already identified on a map where a ditch or smaller creek meets the major creek.  Once I have found it simply follow it from there. Also if I’m in a shallow situation I look to the land around it. Water will drain into the lake, there is your ditch/drain. 

This is a map that I started on and haven’t had a chance to finish.  
 

I’m sure some of you know where this is just by looking at it. 

[RCCA]

15 hours ago, Scot Ferguson 2.0 said:

Joe, I hope you'll help me a little here. I hear alot about following the creeks and ditches....but I've purchased some of the best maps......and have good map cards......and they do show the major creeks. However they rarely show the secondary or minor creeks......and never show the ditches. So how do you find then? Just lots of time with electronics?

Operationgrass covered it well. All I can add to that is that I went on google earth and adjusted the date to a low water year and traced them, converted them to trails, and added them to my unit. Also, Lakemaster shows them way better than Navionics. 

[Catt]

Here's one y'all ain't thought of ?

 

I drive up to the lake via hwy 87 north out of Orange Texas, from Burkeville to Hemphill I'm paying attention to the landscape. What you see on both sides of the road is what the bottom of the lake looks like. I used to drive around areas I fished taking every road possible.

[operationgrass]

yep I do the same thing @Lil Joe The Grinder

That’s good advice thanks @Catt

[Clinton john]

I live here so I have close too 3000 pics of San Miguel and the 1215 area from when the lake was very low a few years ago.

 

I just pull out my pic stash and can see what the bottom looks like in areas I want to know where the ditches and finger creeks run.