So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Bryanhester]

Ha ha !! No grandkids .. Stole that pic .. I'm a lot better looking than that !!!! ?

[Catt]

4 hours ago, Bryanhester said:

Ha ha !! No grandkids .. Stole that pic .. I'm a lot better looking than that !!!! ?

I may have to put it on Facebook!

[jpmor1]

I'm going to be on La Nana in a couple weeks with the wife and two boys (11 & 8). Any pointers on where to start and what to look for would be much appreciated. With this crew, we'll only need to catch a few fish of any size to be a successful guide. 

[jacob2000]

So our lakehouse is on Palo Gaucho, but we don't bass fish there all of the time like say one would fish 6 Mile or Housen. We just don't hear about the fishing being nearly as good there. In our neighborhood, there is this old married couple that fish every single day, so I'm sure they know every nick and crannie in that cut. But how do you get there? Open to all replies, but I feel like Catt would be a great example, because you have a vast knowledge of the lake. I want to know how to get my start on being able to fish well in Paulo Gaucho, like what is the first step to learning that place. I realize that the level of knowledge and expertise I'm talking of isn't easily achieved, but that's only another reason to start early right? Even if you can't help my specific situation, how did all of you get to learn your lakes and better understand the bass? Thanks

[RNG521VX]

Anyone know if the water has cleared up in the Buck Creek/Mill Creek areas?  Last Monday and Tuesday there was about 1' of visibility and in some places farther north less than that. Headed up in the morning after work.

[LaRoper]

Gage caught a good one this morning.  5.14.

[bighed]

1 hour ago, RNG521VX said:

Anyone know if the water has cleared up in the Buck Creek/Mill Creek areas?  Last Monday and Tuesday there was about 1' of visibility and in some places farther north less than that. Headed up in the morning after work.

Not bad, maybe 1 1/2' right now.  Best I saw of the places I fished over the weekend.

[Catt]

6 hours ago, jacob2000 said:

In our neighborhood, there is this old married couple that fish every single day, so I'm sure they know every nick and crannie in that cut.

But how do you get there? 

I want to know how to get my start on being able to fish well in Paulo Gaucho, like what is the first step to learning that place. 

How do you eat an elephant?

One bit at a time!

You start at your lake house!

If your in a cove ya start there!

If your on a point ya start there!

I started in Lowe's Creek, when I got to know it from the marina to Millionaire Point, I moved to Jessie Lowe Bay & across to Tennessee Bay.

I had two 6 gallon gas tanks in my boat, I would head one direction until I run out of gas & pug in the other tank & head back. 

I fished everything that look good by sight or on my Super 60!

That was 45 yrs ago

[jacob2000]

7 hours ago, Catt said:

How do you eat an elephant?

One bit at a time!

You start at your lake house!

If your in a cove ya start there!

If your on a point ya start there!

I started in Lowe's Creek, when I got to know it from the marina to Millionaire Point, I moved to Jessie Lowe Bay & across to Tennessee Bay.

I had two 6 gallon gas tanks in my boat, I would head one direction until I run out of gas & pug in the other tank & head back. 

I fished everything that look good by sight or on my Super 60!

That was 45 yrs ago

Alrighty thanks for the help????

[Catt]

Jacob & LovestoFish read this!

 

[Shanon]

Hello Everyone -

Hope all is well on the Bend after the crazy spring weather. Our group of 8 guys are coming up to fish the first 10 days of April. We usually fish the last 10 days of March but we stayed home to enjoy Easter with our families (I see the Easter Bunny enjoyed a day on the Lake and caught a bass haha).

Now for my question - We fish what I would call Mid South area (Lowes - Negreet down to Indian - Pirate's Cove). What's the consensus on the spawn in general? Has the water fluctuating set them back a month? or is it business as normal - some have spawned - some are - and some have not yet? We are the usual suspects that beat the banks, grass and both sides of any stick-up. Has the water in my area stayed stained since big rains or is it clearing up in between washouts?

 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Shanon said:

 What's the consensus on the spawn in general? Has the water fluctuating set them back a month? or is it business as normal - some have spawned - some are - and some have not yet? We are the usual suspects that beat the banks, grass and both sides of any stick-up. Has the water in my area stayed stained since big rains or is it clearing up in between washouts?

 

Yes & No!

The water fluctuating backed some off & not others

Some have spawned - some are - some have not yet

Some areas are still stained - some are clearing up

Oh! Wait that's pretty much normal!

FYI: since 1/2/16 there has been 75 double digit bass reported!

 

[Shanon]

What does everyone call the different types of grass at Toledo Bend?

I know Hydrilla & Milfoil (pictured below)- but what do you all call the hay-colored grass (tough) found outside of Indian Mound? This is the type that we have success fishing behind in the evening during warmer days.

Is there a term for the slimy grass that can engulf a spinnerbait blade?

 

[RCCA]

Not sure what the scientific name for hay grass is but that slime is filamentous algae. I hate it! Lol 

As far as water clarity, all I can tell you is Six Mile was starting to clear up last Friday thru Sunday. Hadn't been anywhere else. 

[jwclteer]

We will be coming to South Toledo this weekend. We are in a small 17ft bass boat so running the big lake is probably out of the question. We do not have a problem trailering wherever we want to fish rather than run the lake.

Any help with places to launch, places and patterns to fish would be awesome! I promise to post a report when we get back.

I have read through this thread and understand the bigger fish are usually caught in deeper water. What stage is the spawn in on the southern part of the lake?

 

[Bryanhester]

Fish are in all stages !! Fish your strengths. Had a good day today and had a steady bite all day. Caught some shallow fish and moved a little deeper and caught fish too. I just think the fish bit today. It was nice not having to fight the wind !! 

[Catt]

9 hours ago, jwclteer said:

We will be coming to South Toledo this weekend. We are in a small 17ft bass boat so running the big lake is probably out of the question. We do not have a problem trailering wherever we want to fish rather than run the lake.

Any help with places to launch, places and patterns to fish would be awesome! I promise to post a report when we get back.

I have read through this thread and understand the bigger fish are usually caught in deeper water. What stage is the spawn in on the southern part of the lake?

 

Where ya staying?

[jwclteer]

We will be staying at Harborlight, but had planned to fish a little further south simply because the one time I have fished TB, it was out of S. TB State Park. We are open to anything though!

Heck, I may even keep a crappie rod in the boat just in case! Mainly going after bass though!

 

[Catt]

Right now pretty much every where is good!

From Harbor-Light one can fish Hines Creek or the back of Polo Gaucho past the 3121 bridge.

You can launch at Lowe's Creek Marina & fish the north coves.

You can launch at Indian Mounds & fish all those coves.

You can launch at Jack's 944 Marina at the end of hwy 944 & have access to Housen' Bayou

You can launch at the 6-Mile boat launch on hwy 87 & fish that whole creek.

[mguidroz]

There's going to be a stiff N/NE wind Friday and Sat. I'm taking a half day off and running up Friday only. I will report. 

[bayouXpress]

poor indian mounds.. sure getting a lot of attention lately.  With getting voted #1 lake and all the LA sportsman's articles mapping out where the DD's have been caught it seems to be getting the bulk of the pressure.  

Wasn't even a few years ago you would have maybe 5 boats at the launch on a weekday. 

[mguidroz]

Here is the wind forecast for Hemphill. 

 

 

 

 

 

[jwclteer]

Being in a 17ft boat, that doesn't look like our first couple days will be much fun!

[Shimsham]

Wow, what a spring!! My dad & I have caught some good numbers and solid fish (3-4lbs) for a month now. This past weekend I was spankin'em Friday and Saturday, show up next morning ready to fill the live well, and NOTHING (happened at two different locations, in TX and LA). When pulling off the point, I noticed fish in 20-25 fow, not sure what species.  Do you guys think the fish backed that far off in a night (200yds)? Didn't try'em, just proceeded to next spot, since you guys have said post-spawn-ers are difficult to catch.

I was fishing point 2-8 fow with flooded trees and began to notice bait spraying top of water with fish destroy-n-em, it was obviously not bass.  Crappie? I don't know.  Do you guys believe this was fry or threadfin they were eating, or something I don't know about?

I don't recollect ever having the discussion of the bass' primary forage for a specific time of the year except fall.  I am interested in learning more about their primary bait sources once they back off, Late Spring and Summer. I'm trying to stay ahead of the game.

Any discussions/literature on the baitfish sources of TB to learn from would be appreciated.

Oh, by the way, I haven't got that look from Pops in a while 

[jcdogfish]

LOL, If I checked the wind every time before I go I would probably never make it up there.  I have come to accept that to fish there you gotta deal with mother nature and take what she gives you.  I can usually manage the wind but it may not be where I want to fish.