So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[shaneus]

When I get the lake house finished I will take y'all out and show y'all the grass line and what catt is talking about if y'all want to go, as far as fishing deep on the main lake your on your own....I'm lost in the 25+ fow I've caught fish this deep, nothing like shallow, finding the ditches and productive points are harder to find and to me it's harder fishing since you have to fish so slow

[shaneus]

One foot holy cow! Stumps should be under now, not by a lot though

[Bass_Fanatic]

I usually fish 12-20 fow, but have caught em out to 35 ft, just not often

[Express Kid]

Thanks guys

[ToledoMard928]

First of all this thread has been a huge help to me!!!  I have been fishing Toledo all of my life but have just recently started fishing offshore structure.  The tips and techniques have been priceless......Thanks to all for posting!!!

 

 

I was able to make a trip last weekend to the Bend and had a mixed bag of results.  Started fishing Friday afternoon in the community hole in Housen.  Caught several fish in and around the grass beds.  Made a move to the back of Housen and found very dirty water from the rains earlier in the week.  Ran back out and fished in the Ashmore area and was able to finish the day on a high note.  Found the bass feeding around the grass line and caught several on just about anything you wanted to throw, Spinner bait and crankbait was the lure of choice.  Saturday and Sunday was a different story!!  The Northwest wind stirred the water up around Ashmore killing my bit and the wind blew me off of my spot in the community hole....struggled bad, still caught a few but it was a battle!!

[Catt]

ToledoMard928, welcome

Typical fall pattern!

Post frontal conditions, higher dirty water, & nortwest winds basically shut down secondary creeks like Ashmore.

I would fish the mouths of major creeks like Housen, Indian Mounds, or 6-Mile; staying on the north bank.

[SquiggyFreud]

I will be heading to the Lake tomorrow, I am excited. Looks like a nasty front will be moving through around the time we get there, I am hoping for a window long enough to at least get the camp set up. After that, I plan to use some of Catt's Knowledge and try to land a fish!

[ToledoMard928]

ToledoMard928, welcome

Typical fall pattern!

Post frontal conditions, higher dirty water, & nortwest winds basically shut down secondary creeks like Ashmore.

I would fish the mouths of major creeks like Housen, Indian Mounds, or 6-Mile; staying on the north bank.

Thanks for the tip!

 

By the time I had given up on my spots from Friday the gentleman I was fishing with was spent.  He is not a die hard and is just getting into Bass fishing.  We spent the rest of the afternoon telling stories, eating gumbo, and watching a few deer from the deck at the camp!!

[Dam Yankee]

Catt is right. A friend and I went out yesterday. I thought the wind out of the SE wouldn't be too bad but after a while of not getting bit fishing spinner, topwater, and plastics around windblown grass I decided to battle the wind.  The waves were popping my 60 inch TM out of the water on the rollers with plenty of water coming over the bow trying to hold position. I stayed in the mouth of the creek I was fishing and it paid off. Largest 5+.  Had a good day.

[Dam Yankee]

Shouldn't the spinnerbait bite be on by now? I don't understand.

[Catt]

Looking at a map of the overall lake & a compass it lays kind of northwest. This allows a northwest & southeast wind to blow almost straight down the main lake. During the fall & winter most fronts are coming from the northwest. Each major creek is effected differently by a northwest wind & it pays to learn the effects on each.

During this time of the year I'll trailer to different areas instead of running the main lake. If I wanted to fish Housen & I was staying down south I would trailer to Fin-n-Feather, Jack's, or White Oak. If I'm staying on the Louisiana side & not in a tournament I'd stay on the Louisiana side.

I look at it this way, is beating up my body & equiptment worth running the main lake? And besides my truck gets better mpg than my boat!

[Dam Yankee]

Yup. I do not mess with crossing the lake in those conditions. I don't like beating my boat on a run.

[Catt]

Shouldn't the spinnerbait bite be on by now? I don't understand.

Everyone I've talked to say it's early morning, 6-8 am

Stanley Vibra Wedge, double gold willow leaf, 3\8 oz, white skirt.

[Dam Yankee]

I been doing it wrong. I only went to the spinnerbait after I had no success with topwater. Probably started throwin it too late. Thanks Catt.

[Catt]

While there is an early morning bite shallow there also is a deep water bite early.

I start the day deep & stay there

Catt ya mean you never throw top water or spinner bait?

The only top water I throw is a buzz bait @ night from May-July. I throw a spinner bait during pre-spawn & fall. Every then if I aint bit in 30-45 minutes those rods go in the rod box.

[mguidroz]

While there is an early morning bite shallow there also is a deep water bite early.

I start the day deep & stay there

Catt ya mean you never throw top water or spinner bait?

The only top water I throw is a buzz bait @ night from May-July. I throw a spinner bait during pre-spawn & fall. Every then if I aint bit in 30-45 minutes those rods go in the rod box.

Then what TR or Jig?????

[Catt]

mguidroz, we have two choices to make when it comes to the early morning bite, shallow or deep.

I pick deep

T-rigs, Jigs, C-rigs, Wacky, Drop Shot, Spoons, or Cranks

[shaneus]

I got on the lake around one o'clock, no bites, fished housen and six mile  north coves, around the edge of deep grass. Bass cat did great in the rough water in very impressed! Crankbait and 1/2 oz. t-rig. Better luck next time!

[Flippman]

I fished a total of 14 hrs spanning from Monday till Wednesday evening we stayed in Mill Creek the first day and had one bite. Six Mile...we zeroed. It seemed like optimal conditions...we were very humbled. Threw spinnerbaits, crankbaits, senkos flukes, deep and shallow from main lake points, pockets, to the back of those creeks, inside and outside grass...in the grass, stumps, laydowns and breaks ..only fish came on a T-rig super hog.

[Catt]

How's the water color in the coves?

We take the good days with bad

[Dam Yankee]

I did OK yesterday. Nothing to brag about though. best fish 4 pounds.

[mguidroz]

mguidroz, we have two choices to make when it comes to the early morning bite, shallow or deep.

I pick deep

T-rigs, Jigs, C-rigs, Wacky, Drop Shot, Spoons, or Cranks

Catt, when you say deep, is that still the 15 FOW +/- 3'? Are depending on season..... Thanks

[Catt]

Catt, when you say deep, is that still the 15 FOW +/- 3'? Are depending on season..... Thanks

Yelp

Only 1 exception pre-spawn

[Dam Yankee]

Virtually no wind today till mid afternoon. Seemed like the bite picked up during that time. Decent day. Best fish 4.6.

[Catt]

Once again how's water in the creeks ?