So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[btoups]

This forum is awesome.  I have been reading the older posts for awhile now.  I have a trip scheduled to Toledo Bend with my family Feb 18-22.  We are staying at a VRBO on the lake about 5 miles from Holly Park Marina. 

 

I've been to Toledo Bend twice and both were for hurricane evacuations.  I brought my small boat in August 2020 and we fished around the Negreet Creek area around Turtle Beach lodge.  We caught a few fish, but we had no electronics so we mainly just beat the banks.  

 

This time I will have my 22' aluminum dual console so hopefully we get good weather and I can expand my fishing area some.  I have the Hook and Line map and have been trying to read this forum for tips and areas to fish.

 

Any suggestions or pointers would be appreciated.  I'm willing to trailer my boat to any area on the lake that may be productive at that time of year.  

 

I live in way South Louisiana, so anything over about 8' is deep water to me.  As a result, fishing away from the bank is completely foreign.  I've been reading and researching as much as I can and would appreciate any help.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Catt]

16 minutes ago, btoups said:

I have a trip scheduled to Toledo Bend with my family Feb 18-22.

 

Bass should be in pre-spawn & shallow. I me look at a map of that area.

[LovestoFish]

Welcome to the forum btoups

[A5BLASTER]

3 hours ago, btoups said:

This forum is awesome.  I have been reading the older posts for awhile now.  I have a trip scheduled to Toledo Bend with my family Feb 18-22.  We are staying at a VRBO on the lake about 5 miles from Holly Park Marina. 

 

I've been to Toledo Bend twice and both were for hurricane evacuations.  I brought my small boat in August 2020 and we fished around the Negreet Creek area around Turtle Beach lodge.  We caught a few fish, but we had no electronics so we mainly just beat the banks.  

 

This time I will have my 22' aluminum dual console so hopefully we get good weather and I can expand my fishing area some.  I have the Hook and Line map and have been trying to read this forum for tips and areas to fish.

 

Any suggestions or pointers would be appreciated.  I'm willing to trailer my boat to any area on the lake that may be productive at that time of year.  

 

I live in way South Louisiana, so anything over about 8' is deep water to me.  As a result, fishing away from the bank is completely foreign.  I've been reading and researching as much as I can and would appreciate any help.

 

Thanks in advance.

With that time schedule.

 

Be sure to bring warm weather clothes, extreme cold weather clothes and all the rain gear you have.

 

Honestly since you dont know the big pond all that well, stay shallow. It will be more productive for your skills and equipment and with our typical weather that time of year. It will be much more safe.

 

Toledo bend will quickly take your life if your not on your toes, she gets very mean very fast, dont run on plane outside of a sra boatlane.

 

 

[btoups]

20 hours ago, A5BLASTER said:

With that time schedule.

 

Be sure to bring warm weather clothes, extreme cold weather clothes and all the rain gear you have.

 

Honestly since you dont know the big pond all that well, stay shallow. It will be more productive for your skills and equipment and with our typical weather that time of year. It will be much more safe.

 

Toledo bend will quickly take your life if your not on your toes, she gets very mean very fast, dont run on plane outside of a sra boatlane.

 

 

Thanks A5.  I come from a family of commercial fisherman so I grew up on the water and learned from an early age to respect all waterways, but especially large open ones full of underwater trees. Lol.

 

I know it varies based on weather and temperature, but any bait/technique suggestions are typical for this time of year.  Also bait color recommendations if that makes a difference.  

 

I'm an experienced fisherman and I'm not asking for secret spots(although I doubt any exist on a lake that gets so much fishing pressure).  This is such a large lake that I'm just looking for suggestions on where to start.  I plan to fish around where we are staying for the first day or two, but I would like to trailer to another area of the lake just to gain some experience with different areas.

 

Thanks again and I'll keep reading the older posts and taking notes.

 

 

 

I'll probably also ask more questions as the trip date gets closer.

 

 

[A5BLASTER]

1 hour ago, btoups said:

Thanks A5.  I come from a family of commercial fisherman so I grew up on the water and learned from an early age to respect all waterways, but especially large open ones full of underwater trees. Lol.

 

I know it varies based on weather and temperature, but any bait/technique suggestions are typical for this time of year.  Also bait color recommendations if that makes a difference.  

 

I'm an experienced fisherman and I'm not asking for secret spots(although I doubt any exist on a lake that gets so much fishing pressure).  This is such a large lake that I'm just looking for suggestions on where to start.  I plan to fish around where we are staying for the first day or two, but I would like to trailer to another area of the lake just to gain some experience with different areas.

 

Thanks again and I'll keep reading the older posts and taking notes.

 

 

 

I'll probably also ask more questions as the trip date gets closer.

 

 

The north shore sides will be the warmest water, the futher north you go in the lake the warmer the water will be.

 

Target the warmest water with wind blowing on to it. It will push baitfish into those areas and the fish will be eating more. Target coves with creeks, not just rain runoff creeks but coves with real deal creeks, watch for wood in the 2 to 6 foot depth.

 

Small sqaure bill cranks in white/chartreuse, white and black back, white and pearl, bone and chrome and black back.

 

3/8th once chatter baits and spinnerbaits in white, white/chartreuse, white/chartreuse with either silver or gold sparkle.

 

3/8th once swimjig same colors as above.

 

4 inch kvd swimbait rigged on a owner flashy spinner 3/0 hook. Either watermelon red or ghost shad.

 

Texas rig/Carolina rig with your choice of plastic in either watermelon red, watermelon seed, green pumpkin or my personal fav black with chartreuse tail.

 

If the weather is right and water temp is high enough, good ole baby ribbet.

Black and red flake when its sunny and white/chartreuse when its cloudy.

 

Hope this helps. 

 

As always. If yall see a fat guy with bare feet in a blue pro crappie boat. That's me come over and say hello.

[btoups]

Thanks A5.  I really appreciate the detailed response.  This is very helpful.  

 

I plan to do some map studying this weekend and may have some more questions.

 

 

[A5BLASTER]

1 hour ago, btoups said:

Thanks A5.  I really appreciate the detailed response.  This is very helpful.  

 

I plan to do some map studying this weekend and may have some more questions.

 

 

No problem. That's what we here for.

 

I learn something new about catching bass on the big pond every day and still ho back and re-read this thread several times a year.

[Catt]

Me!

 

I gonna throw a Lizard watermelon neon 

 

Rat-L-Trap Gold Tennessee Shad-39G

 

[Corkpuller]

Well boys. Currently, Lowes Creek area is quite a mudhole as I'm sure all creeks are.

So much for my love of throwing a Rogue for a good while.

I also suspect the fish will scatter in the next few days compared to a week ago.

 

[RockNReelN]

@Corkpuller has the chocolate milk cleared up in Lowes Creek I was thinking about making a trip that way soon ?

[Corkpuller]

2 hours ago, RockNReelN said:

@Corkpuller has the chocolate milk cleared up in Lowes Creek I was thinking about making a trip that way soon ?

No, not even close.

Be 4-5 days I’d guess, and we have more rain forecast next week. 

[Catt]

BFL Tournament 

5 bass over 10 lbs weighed in, 13 lb 6 oz big bass!

[LovestoFish]

Saw that!! Catt is that the biggest bag ever caught at TB to your knowledge?

[Catt]

58 minutes ago, LovestoFish said:

Saw that!! Catt is that the biggest bag ever caught at TB to your knowledge?

 

42+# if I remember correctly but I would have to research it. 

[LovestoFish]

Did not know that. 40+ is such a crazy number and not really a team event. So jealous!

[Catt]

[A5BLASTER]

Well I hit the water today around 10am. Fished a few close pockets to the house till 12ish.

 

Had 7 bites landed 5 of them. The 5 landed were the most intense bites, really smashed the bait.

 

Fish were all up in 1 foot of water holding tight tight too wood cover.

 

Bites came on a 4 inch watermelon red swimbait.

 

Nothing to right home about but soild 1.5 to 2.5 lbs fish. All fat females from what I could tell.

[LovestoFish]

17 hours ago, A5BLASTER said:

Well I hit the water today around 10am. Fished a few close pockets to the house till 12ish.

 

Had 7 bites landed 5 of them. The 5 landed were the most intense bites, really smashed the bait.

 

Fish were all up in 1 foot of water holding tight tight too wood cover.

 

Bites came on a 4 inch watermelon red swimbait.

 

Nothing to right home about but soild 1.5 to 2.5 lbs fish. All fat females from what I could tell.

Good report sir. Thank you! What was the water temperature and clarity?

[A5BLASTER]

8 hours ago, LovestoFish said:

Good report sir. Thank you! What was the water temperature and clarity?

Chocolate milk. It's always chocolate milk for a min of 3 days any time we get a rain that will increase the lake level.

 

Water temp ranged from 48.7 to 50.5 degrees.

[LovestoFish]

Thanks A5!! Figured water was dirty. More curious about water temp

[Catt]

3-10' around stumps & grass leading into spawning flats. Rat-L-Trap & Chatterbait 

[RockNReelN]

Cody Pitt knows his way round Toledo Bend for sure. Congrats CP. Well done and with Class.

[btoups]

Thanks for the great reports.  This forum has been very helpful.  I'll be there on Sat Feb 18th.  Hoping for some good weather.

 

 

[RockNReelN]

171.56 with more rain today. Those Gens will be singing.