So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[fishfordollars]

Glad you are ok. I was not on the water yesterday and neither was Catt as far as I know. We are going to give it a shot Wednesday and Thursday. Hopefully the weather will be a little better than the last time we tried it. If the winds top at 30 it will be an improvement.

[EricTR21]

Well I said I would give a report when I got back and here goes. I was able to fish saturday and most of sunday all except the time I was on the bank wondering what I was doing on the water. That was a freaky little storm. we thought it was all over went back out and the rods were buzzing.

well saturday I started my TBend experience in Hausen and found a few fish but nothing real big I was fishing mainly inside and outside grass lines in 4-18 foot of water. I was also able to find some fish on a couple of humps back in thatr area that I had found on a map. From Hausen I left and went into Six Mile. i could not find may fish in Six Mile but what I did find was caught on a 10-12 foot crank bait. It seemed that the fish in there wanted the bait to mave to where the ones in Hausen did not want a fast presentation. From Six Ile I went up to Indian Mounds no one told me you had to get reservation for that area man was it full of boats. We stuck a couple of fish in that area but the fish seemed to be up shallower in this area and again did not want the bait moving quick so the wacky worm was the ticket here.

Now for Sunday. I started off the day by getting to the lake a little late and once I got to my first spot at 1215 road i shut off the motor to only fire it back up and run to shore. I waited out the storm and preceeded to fish the area with no luck I think Bass do not Like lightening either. From there we moved up north just south of Huxley Bay and the water up ther was stained up pretty bad and the fishing was still not great to say the least mostly just swimmers and a couple short strikes on a spinnerbait.

well that is all I have lets just say that there is a lot of water out there on that lake and it is going to take some years to learn it better. All in all though not a bad week end for my second time ever fishing out there. We had some 3's and 4's with a couple of 5's and 6's thrown in.

I hope everyone that lives there made it through the storm with no damage.

[Catt]

I heard a big storm at the Top 6 tourney on Toledo Bend took 4 boats!

Eric, pretty good for a post spawn bite during frontal conditions; it is a big lake that can be awe inspiring in more was than one reason.

What was you throwing?  

[Catt]

We're coming!!!

fishfordollars & Ole Catt will be on the water at first light so bass beware

[fishfordollars]

We're coming!!!

fishfordollars & Ole Catt will be on the water at first light so bass beware

Catt, I'll be on the road no later than 2:00am, will call Pat when I get close to the Six Mile Ramp

[t bend tex]

Hi Catt

I kinda been laying low this spring- bad arthritis in my neck and rough water does not mix well!  we have  caught a few bass and crappie- just haven't worked hard.

my wife and I plan to go to our camp Monday morning, staying probably til Friday late.

any suggestions for six mile and sandy creek area this time of year?

Larry G

[Catt]

Sorry for the late response guys my puter was down and I've been some what under the weather but here's the skinny.

Jack and I spent Wednesday from sun up to sun down trying to establish a pattern on bigger fish which was impossible since there wasn't one. We caught 15-20 bass ranging in size from 8 to 6 lb 11 oz; it was typical junk fishing; my youngest son and partner caught maybe 10. Thursday was any better with Jack and me boating another 15-20 with maybe 2 or 3 keepers while Scotty and Pat boated only 4. So out of 50 something bass we might have had a half a dozen keepers.

The deep water bite was none existent other than Jack and me both getting broke off by something rather large; most fish came from 10' of less; we caught on Rat-L-Traps, spinner baits, crank baits, Texas rigs, Jig-N-Craw, and Wacky rigs.

[txfisherman]

What area of T Bend were you guys fishing?  I launch out of the Big Bass Marina area (Negreet) and am trying to establish some fishing areas on the lake to be more proficient.

[Catt]

Since I stay at Six Mile I launch at Six Mile  

My suggestion always has been learning one area at a time; you could spend a year easily in Negreet and still not know it.

[fishfordollars]

I do a lot of fishing up by the bridge. Usually put in at the smaller bridge out in front of Frontier Park. I fish the Bugg Island Carrice Creek area a lot.

FYI, if the S.E. wind is blowing hard you can forget this area.

Jack

[fishfordollars]

    Last Wednesday and Thursday Catt and I fished the big pond. Here is how our Wednesday went.

    We launched around 6:30 from Fin & Feather Marina with the intention of fishing the main lake humps and ridges that the lake is famous for. Due to the wind(Again) we were forced to change our plans. We ran out to the north side of Housen Bay and concentrated on a grass line located next to a 30' channel. We were throwing spinner baits in Chartruse/White, worms, jigs, and buzz baits. We never caught a fish off this area.

    The next hour we moved into Hurricane Creek and began by fishing another grassline with spinnerbaits and trick worms fished wacky style. Another hour went by without a bite. We decided that a change need to be made. We picked up the dreaded rattle trap in 1/2 oz.(Gold, Black back, Orange belly) and on the third cast we boated a 4.04. Off this point we had 5-6 bites quickly, but we only boated another two. We spent the next hour in this area without another bite.

    About 11:00 we decided to make the run out to the main lake and fish for a bigger bite. The wind was down and we were able to fish the area. We spent over an hour fishing a 15' ridge that fell off into the river at 55-60'. I got one bite and it was a decent fish as I stuck him and never moved him. He wrapped me up quickly and we ended up having to break him off.

    About 1:30 we decided they fish had not made the move out to the main lake due to all the new water. The lake was on a major rise. We decided to run back into Housen and fish some shallow grasslines that had a lot of 30' water close by. We immediately began to get bit and started catching fish. All were small with the occasional keeper, but they were few and far between. We did manage to boat one good fish(6.11) out of 4' of water. We broke at 5:00 to eat and went back out. The wind was back up, but we caught a couple of smaller keepers along with several nonkeepers on spinnerbaits, worms, and traps off of wind blown points.

    Overall it was a tough day. We covered a lot of water, but never did figure out the better fish. I will report on our second day tommorrow.

Jack  

[Wesley]

The big girls are still in shallow water caught this in 2 foot yesterday and its my new personal best at 7.87

[Catt]

That's a Hawg!

This has been a very frustrating year on the Big Pond with high winds since December, very warm water shallow early but a slightly late spawn and now Post Spawn with high water levels.

This tread has been in existence since Aug. 7th, 2008, 11:42 pm

20 pages, 289 Replies, and 15,334 views

It has been the most fun thread I've ever participated in, I love sharing this absolutely wonder lake we call the Big Pond or the Bend. I have totally enjoyed fishing with Jack (fishfordollars), Matt Fly and his lovely accompanist, and Deneice and Larry Gerald. Looking forward to meeting other members ASAP.

With summer quickly approaching I suggest we start looking for structure again and let's start looking north again. So who wants to select an area?

[fishfordollars]

I'll volunteer to cover the area around the bridge, Carrice Creek, Bugg Island river area, and down to the Lowe's Creek area on the Texas side.

Maybe we can find a few areas out off the river that will hold some larger fish.

If we all put our heads together we might have a few toads located come Big Bass Splash time.

Jack

Good job Wesley. that's a great fish. As Pat Miller stated last week, anytime you land a fish over 5 pounds that's a good day on the water.

[bmm]

Good Morning,

This very nice website was sent to me by a friend. My whole family (12) of us are heading up to Toledo Bend from the 19-25th. We are staying near Big Bass Marina at Nessie's Nest. In the past we've gotten lucky finding some sac-a-lait, white bass and last season some really nice bream. I am looking for any help, advice, tips and general information to catch something on our upcoming trip. We would like to learn some new areas close by and also be able to take our younger children out for some fun. Any information is appreciated, we are hoping to get into some large mouth this time out.

Thanks!!

[roadwarrior]

Good Morning,

This very nice website was sent to me by a friend. My whole family (12) of us are heading up to Toledo Bend from the 19-25th. We are staying near Big Bass Marina at Nessie's Nest. In the past we've gotten lucky finding some sac-a-lait, white bass and last season some really nice bream. I am looking for any help, advice, tips and general information to catch something on our upcoming trip. We would like to learn some new areas close by and also be able to take our younger children out for some fun. Any information is appreciated, we are hoping to get into some large mouth this time out.

Thanks!!

Have you read all 20 pages of this thread?

[fishfordollars]

Catt would be the one to help you. He and I spent a couple of days last week on the lake, but he can give you a heads up on the largemouth.

Lots of new water and the fish were scattered, but we did catch fish from 1-8' fishing wacky trick worms in watermellon/red and we caught a few on a ridge that toped out at 9' dropping off to 30'. The fish were positioned at all levels and we were getting bit on a brown 1/2 oz jig with a Zoom twintail grub that was green with blue specks in it.

Caught a lot of small fish early fishing sandy banks, points, & we did better when we found the dark water along these banks. The darker water is caused when you have emerging grass growing on the bottom. If the bank was clean we just passed it up, or should have. Just get out there and throw smaller spinnerbaits (White/Chartruse), and a smaller trap in chrome/blue or any shad color and you will get bit.

Jack

[Catt]

Bream: look for bald spots or grassy areas with patches of sand bottom; live crickets

Sac-A-Lait/ White Perch: 12-15' outside grass lines, creek channels, & around bridges; live shiners

[txfisherman]

Good Morning,

This very nice website was sent to me by a friend. My whole family (12) of us are heading up to Toledo Bend from the 19-25th. We are staying near Big Bass Marina at Nessie's Nest. In the past we've gotten lucky finding some sac-a-lait, white bass and last season some really nice bream. I am looking for any help, advice, tips and general information to catch something on our upcoming trip. We would like to learn some new areas close by and also be able to take our younger children out for some fun. Any information is appreciated, we are hoping to get into  some large mouth this time out.

Thanks!!

The island at the mouth of Big Bass Marina Cove as you enter the main lake to your right, has always been a producing spot for my wife, family and grandkids on nice bream and some pretty nice crappie.  Caught on shinners and crickets mostly.

Best of luck to you.

[Catt]

Just goes to show you never can tell

May 9th, 2009 Bass Champs Toledo Bend Reservoir

1st place Doug & Mason McCain 5 bass 24.52# with a 6.52 kicker; $20,000 or $2,500 per hour

[TxGator]

Just wanted to thank yall for all of the posted information about t-bend. I havnt bass fished to speak of in the last ten years or so. Since my uncle passed away. Recently my parents moved to t-bend so i am slowly getting back into it. I know im fishing the south end, but I couldnt tell you what cove or anything, i need to get a map. I do know that a branch does run under 255, and i have picked up a couple of keepers in that area.

Just wondering if you some one could point me in the right direction. Where do you buy the Gene Larou ringworms? I used to mainly use a pumpkinseed ringworm with a green metal flake which i bought at a small convience store near Rayburn. Im having trouble finding this color with a ribbontail. I was able to get some ringworms from Barlows, but in the color i wanted it had a big hook tail. They may not offer the color i want, but id still like to take a look.

Thanks for all yall have done

PD

[fishfordollars]

Catt's buying the Gene Larew stuff on line. He's been up at 6 mile but should be back today sometime. I'll bet he will post  early in the morning. He called me at 6:00am this morning while he was up there and said they were starting to pick up some decent fish on a jig.

Jack

[Catt]

TxGator, welcome home

I do know that a branch does run under 255

South Prong Indian Creek

I used to mainly use a pumpkinseed ringworm with a green metal flake which I bought at a small convience store near Rayburn.

Probably a Ring Rascal which I can no longer find except for small amount here and there

My map is at the lake so give me time and I'll come up with pointers  

Bass are settling into summer patterns on main lake structure with T-rig, C-rig and Jig bites on the increase each day I go out.

[TxGator]

LOL im not suprised that you have no clue where im talking about, my directions are terrible. When i get a map ill look it up too. Im looking forward to trying some of the areas yall have talked about. I know my folks place is near indian creek, thats what all the sub-division signs say anyway. Its right off quail drive.

So far ive located 15 to 20 dumb fish in the 3 or 4 trips up there that ive made. Mind you that i fished two or three days each trip, that dosnt make my ratio too good. All small ones, except for two keepers.

I did release them all, i figure the lake needs a lot more mentally challenged bass if im gonna catch them.

Seriously, i figure that ill slowly get back up to speed, I need to get my equipment back up to par. I did go out and get a good worm rod, but the rest is pretty shoddy for bass fishing.  At least most of my old curados survived the flood from ike, even if the rods didnt. Two need more cleaning, they are running a bit rough. I guess i didnt clean them out as good as i thought.

As soon as the wedding is payed for, i figure to get a rod for c-riggin, and something better for top waters then i should be in ok shape for a while. Shame she wont let me register at Bass Pro Shops. She did however say that next spring would be a good time to get a bigger boat, so there is at least that.

l8r

Gator

[perchjerker]

If your on the south end try Tidbits and Tackle.They are on the corner of Hwy 111 going back to Anacoco.They have a good selection of worms and hard baits.