So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Wesley]

The way you read this image is from left to right on top and bottom to top on side image. The boat traveled over the grass toward deeper water.

One way to fish the edge is to position the boat 10'-20' out side the grass and cast back over the tops of the grass then let your lure sink down the edge. A spinnerbait is an excellent lure to fan cast but I always like to offer the fish a look at something different before I move down the grass line. Swimming a jig is often my next choice. If not, I might chose a trap. I'll do the same with any plastic as well.

I 'll be on the lake Friday and will try to add some lake information and share what I learn after the tournament.

My new smart phone is capable of recording some of my on the water experience like GPS etc. as well as video.

I know we have cold weather now but hope we get a break for the weekend. I'll be heading down to Choke and then Falcon after Sunday so I will escape any remaining cold.<g>

If anyone is on Facebook look me up.

If you see me on the water give me a shout...black skeeter w/ fish on engine wrap...can't miss me.

Best, ~jj

Great pictures and thats a good strategy, if they wont hit that spinnerbait or swim jig I will Tx rig a senko and fan cast it over the top of the gas and along the grass line.  Sometimes they want you to dead stick it for 1 to 2 mins. 

[FishNChip]

Here's another SI pic taken on TB. LongMike and I were up Housen last fall playing with this thing. I had to keep my bilge pump on auto to clear out all of LM's drool (you know I love ya). This is a bit west of Fin & Feather and we were crossing from south to north and spotted this bridge about halfway across. No idea it was there. The bright line on the left side image running up to and away from the bridge is the roadbed. Excellent sonar shadow.

[Catt]

Now can you interpret it for those who can't? 

[Wesley]

From what I can see on the picture, I have to assume the boat was being driven in a straight line or you would see distortion on the edges of the picture.

The boat crosses a small ravine with a small wooden bridge across it sitting in about 22 feet of water. The small ravine looks to be 4 to 6 feet deep. Then the boat crosses a creek that drops down to 30 feet from 22.

If the boat was just a few feet to the right we could have got a little bit clearer pic of the bridge, though from what I see it looks like it is falling apart.

Also if you look closely to the left of the brige you can see some laydowns that have fallen across the ravine close to where it hits the creek.

Now I may be wrong because I wasnt in the boat but this is what I have gathered from my experience with reading SI on the water.

[FishNChip]

Wesley:

You are right on with your interpretation except for the Creek Bed. That is actually an artifact from messing with some settings right at that moment. If it were a creek channel extending on either side of the water column (dark middle portion of the pic) you would see a well defined channel just like you see at the bridge. The easiest way to understand what is going on is to rotate the picture 90 degrees counterclockwise (or your head the other way) and you basically get a standard sonar view. Notice the blob on the right side image in the water column near one end of the bridge. I believe that was a bait ball.

Look at the color sonar image. The drop off you see is the channel crossed by the bridge. You can actually see the bridge extending across the creek if you look under the "S" in Speed.

[Ranger 251]

I have been fighting the urge to get a SI unit thinking I don't really need it.  You guys are not helping me at all.  From what I have seen so for, the SI is the cat's meow.

[Wesley]

We have a HB 997 and it is awesome, I love it.

[JeffJordan]

I know we have cold weather now but hope we get a break for the weekend. I'll be heading down to Choke Canyon and then Falcon after Sunday so I will escape any remaining cold.<g>

If anyone is on Facebook look me up.

If you see me on the water give me a shout...black skeeter w/ fish on engine wrap...can't miss me.

Best, ~jj

I wanted to come down Friday and see if I could catch any fish off the Jesse Lowe Ridge before the BWS...I guess I still have to come early to drop a trolling motor off at Mid Lake Marine to straighten shaft...it's a DS-82 electric steer I'm selling.

Lets talk about this image from TPW ramp 22 HWY 6, 21 bridge. I would treat this area like a ledge on the right side of the bridge structure. Note the grass in the image then you see the heavy shadow from the bridge itself. This should provide good cover for bass to ambush baitfish and lures.

I picked this image because everyone can easily see where it is. I know I'll be fishing the pockets to the south of this location during the tournament.....I suspect the baitfish will be near the surface on game day because of the cold weather. Maybe, Catt could give me some instruction and direction on this. I will probably chose a pop r and other slow moving topwater?

[FishNChip]

Don't overlook what appears to be the bridge pilings(?) on the right side image.  These provide cover for the fish to move vertically in the water column, and depending on the weather that day, they may not be in a chasing mood.  Might have to bop them on the head with a slow falling presentation.  You should have an answer either way with little time wasted.

[Catt]

Other than crappie fishing I don't fish Pendleton bridge 

[Wesley]

Thats the carrice creek bridge I believe, I usualy go to the back of carrice and fish a grass bed on the NE side. 

[Catt]

Well Catt you big dummy you can't see the little camera?

When someone says Hwy 6/21 bridge I assume they are talking Pendleton; Carrice Creek bridge is Carrice Creek bridge or Hwy 21 since the Hwy does not turn into Hwy 6 till halfway across Pendleton. But then again I'm ole school!

Any how I don't fish bridges unless I'm targeting Crappie so this question should be handed over to Jack since Carrice home turf

[bullet20]

this is my first reply,but have been reading these post

I have a camp on t.b. on La. side by pennelton brige.

I fish the carise area often and i have done good carolining a fluke across the under water brige before in MAY.

[JeffJordan]

...I suspect the baitfish will be near the surface on game day because of the cold weather. Maybe, Catt could give me some instruction and direction on this.

I'll be fishing the pockets to the south of this location

Hi Catt, What do you think the baitfish will be doing in the Jesse Lowe Ridge area. I'm sure I will be looking at some of the pockets off the main lake like Palo Gauchco Flats, There are a few smaller pockets below that that I like as well. With the cold weather this week I assume the bass have backed off a little and are more likely to be setup on points rather than up on flats? With a little sunlight to warm the water I would think the bait fish will be near the surface and the active fish will be targeting them...I'm trying to better understand this activity. Under these type of conditions I thought you might me able to expand on fishing these pockets. I'm thinking about the mouths and points is the place to start? I know I'm going to want to flip a wacky worm or craw on the creek channels for example....but, my first choice will be to mimic the shad? I know if it was a little warmer I would be searching for bed activity.

Best,

~jj

[Catt]

This weekend?

30% chance for sleet/snow for tonight, 80% chance for sleet/snow for Thursday and 90% chance for sleet/snow for Thursday night.

Yea I'm gonna be in front of the fire place but there was a time when I would be slow rolling a big 1/2 oz Stanley Wedge spinner bait in 5-8' of water or a black blue tailed lizard Texas rigged with a 1/8 oz weight dead sticking it.

[Wesley]

This weekend?

30% chance for sleet/snow for tonight, 80% chance for sleet/snow for Thursday and 90% chance for sleet/snow for Thursday night.

Yea I'm gonna be in front of the fire place but there was a time when I would be slow rolling a big 1/2 oz Stanley Wedge spinner bait in 5-8' of water or a black blue tailed lizard Texas rigged with a 1/8 oz weight dead sticking it.

I agree a spinnerbait slow rolled over the top of the grass, or soft plastics fished very slowly will be the key this weeked.  When its like this I was always told you want to throw a SB with large blades and rell it just slow enough to tickle the top of the grass on the way back.

[5Biguns]

Now that the water temps aren't exactly cooperating.  Let's talk about what you think the fish will do on the upcoming full moon.  Looking at the 15 day forcast it is going to coincide with pre front conditions.  I think this is going to move a bunch of fish up in the drains. 

What has been your experiance Catt?

[Catt]

Right now everything is based on the timing of frontal conditions, I will never base anything off of a 15 day forecast it's just to unpredictable.

What I will base my searches on right now is water level, as of this morning at 6:30 am the lake is at 170.07 which is up 1.56' since the 1st. of the month. All the rain, sleet, & snow in the upper reaches of the Sabine watershed the lake will continue to rise. The influx of cold runoff will keep the water temps low and the back of creeks murky to muddy.

Individuals or groups of bass have begun making short reconnaissance trips into creek channel coves. Only when the water temperature is stable for a couple of days will any appreciable number of bass remain for long. Look for bass on primary points, secondary points, and feeding flats adjacent to deeper water.

My weapons of choice right now and in the upcoming month

Stanley Wedge Plus 1/2 oz., double gold willow leaf, with either a white or white/chartreuse skirt. Slow roll it!

Original Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap 1/2 oz in Gold Shad or Red Chrome also slow rolled

Light Texas Rig with a lizard or a Wacky Rig with a light weight or a Senko type lure

Terry Oldham's Jig 1/4 oz. Black/blue with a matching trailer

Keep in mind pre-spawn bass will be looking to feed

[zebo007]

Catt, me and a couple of buddys are staying at south toledo state park. We fished a couple of hours saturday and sunday and got skunked both days. We was mainly saying around the cabin area and tried slow rolling spinners and dead sticking some worms with no luck. With this other front that moved through I think our chances are slim to none but I know the fish has to eat. Have you heard anyone catching any fish in this mess? We are seeing alot of dead or dying shad. I would assume that this makes the fishing a little harded with the fish having such easy meals. What do ya'll think?

[Catt]

I know this aint gonna make you feel any better but on Toledo Bend someone is always catching!

The south toledo state park area will be one of the last areas on the lake to go into pre-spawn/spawn. Because of it's location on the main lake that area is also subceptable to frontal conditons especally winds. The Louisiana & Texas islands are excellent areas when weather permits; I would suggest getting behind the main lake point in the coves near hwy. 191.

[Corkpuller]

I received a similar report for Saturday afternoon. Mid lake area, ZERO bites, some dead shad, water temp was 37* @ boat ramp , noted suspended fish, but could not entice a bite. This coming from a pretty darn good fisherman.

[Low]

I fished Saturday and Sunday around the toro bay area. I saw lots of dead shad.  Water temp was about 47 in the morning and 49 to 50 in the afternoon.  I picked up 4 keepers Saturday and 1 on Sunday (4 lbs) slow rolling a spinnerbait on the outside edge of the grass lines and a suspending rouge.   

[Catt]

ABA Bassmaster Weekend Series 02/13/2010

1st: 5 bass 16.85

2nd: 5 bass 14.27

3 rd: 5 bass 12.62

The weights were low but keeper bass were still being caught

[fishfordollars]

Bass-N-bucks fished Rayburn sunday 30 miles from there. 21.65 won it. Out of 147 boats, 65 zero'd.

Second was a half pound behind, then it fell to 15 lbs.

It's still tough out there, but they are beginning to show.

Just thought I would post this for comparison. didn't want to hijack.

Jack

[Catt]

Jack the only thing you can hijack is me on your way to the lake

While pre-spawn is an excellent time of the year to load the boat it is also an excellent time to bomb!