So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Catt]

Quite fishing water clarity & start fishing bass ?

 

Just because the water clarity went doesn't mean bass left.

 

As @Bass_Fanatic stated it's a little too early to target real shallow, look at 15-20 in creeks leading to feeding flats. I wouldn't be in the back of creeks either, 

[Dougw]

I hear y’all loud n’ clear. Going to the backs of creeks didn’t make much sense to me either. But... there’s two basic truisms that I think of when fishing is tough.

 

1.) If you don’t know where they are - you can’t say for certain where they aren’t!

 

2.) If you don’t know what bait they want - you can’t know for certain what they don’t want.

 

Sooooo... sometimes I go in a direction that makes no sense at all....

 

Having said all’a that... today will find me probing 15-25 fow in pre-spawn locations with crankbaits, spoons, drop- shot and an occasional c-rig!

 

Thanks for the help.

[Catt]

You would find me in the mouth of a creek  throwing a Texas Rig & a Jig!

 

There’s two basic location “truism” on this lake.

 

There is resendent bass in every creek of the lake.

There is resendent bass out on the main lake.

 

Sometimes ya gotta find em with your lures, I catch a lot of bass I never see on my electronics.

 

[Dougw]

Welp.... for me the magic number was 15 as in 15fow. I didn’t load the boat but did way better’n the last couple of days. Ended the day with 4 keepers and one short’un. and enough missed chances to have two limits. The keepers I did catch were decent fish. 1@2+, 2@3+, and one pushing 5#s( but probably wouldn’t quite make it).

 

3 of the 5 came from the same place but 1 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon 4 came in LA while 1 came from TX. The biggest and smallest hailed from LA.

 

Main lake humps and points is where I found those that were willing. At the mouth of coves - of course. C-rigged Trick Stick accounted for all of’um. First one came around 7 am n’ last one, and smallest, jumped in the boat at around 2pm.

 

Thanks to everyone for getting me pointed in the right direction!

[RCCA]

Love it. Keep slinging them baits. Hope to be there next week. 

[Dougw]

Welllll... Wouldn’t ya’ know it. Either the rain, or later, the wind shut’em down or I can’t fish for squat! I had three spots that put out one good fish each before I left’em on Friday. Come Saturday morning things had changed - apparently. While each spot produced multiple bites I couldn’t convert bites to fish except at one - hump in the mouth of Housen. There I caught 2 that were a shade over 2#s each. Then I started catching short fish.

 

Soooo... I thought, clean out the short fish then get the big’uns. Well... didn’t happen like that exactly. I executed the first part of the plan to perfection! Caught all the short fish. And after that? Well... I stopped getting bites.

 

Crossed the lake and went to a hump in Caney where I had caught my big fish of the day yesterday, and where I had started the tournament, nothing - maybe one feeble bite. With time running out I headed to the very back of one of the coves that populate Caney and pulled out my finess rig - 4” finess worm w/ 1/16oz weight. On about the 3rd cast set the hook on my 3rd and biggest fish of the day - about 2.5#s. Water temp was about 4 degrees warmer vs the main lake.

 

20#s+ won the ABA tournament - out of the Army ramp, 2nd - +13#s, 3rd - +12#s, 4th and the last money sack - +10#s. 5th came in at +8#s and yours truly showed up in 6th with 6.13#s. 20 boats and 22 anglers participated in the tournament. 

 

ABA District 111(Louisiana) host these tournaments out of the Army(Military) ramp each month. Our next tournament(s) is/are February 9th and 10th. These are each one day tournaments. You can enter one, none, or both. If you are an ABA member the tournaments are $85. If you are not an ABA member there is a one time $35 membership fee plus the $85 entry fee per tournament.

[Catt]

@Dougw1515@aim.com 6th while struggling is pretty impressive!

[Dougw]

Thanks Catt! I know I cry like a 2 year old at nap time but... it seems like I’m always strugglin’ on Toledo. I’ve fished lakes from Guntersville to Falcon and a ton of lakes in between and I’ve never had one kick my butt like Toledo - OK well maybe Eufaula did too. But usually I can finger it out. But... I’m a river rat by choice. Most all of the lakes I do well on is up the river. Because we put in at the military ramp, and the way Toledo lays out, I’m not willing to make the run to get to the river. Mid-lake fishing is, and always has been, my nemesis.

[A5BLASTER]

Seen on facebook the big pond gave up a 10 pounder yesterday.

[Catt]

@Dougw1515@aim.com This lake has humbled many a great angler.

 

In 2001 while pre-fishing Toledo KVD said if you can't catch 40-60 bass a day on this lake you don't know how to fish.

 

It took several tournaments for Kevin to break the top 20!

 

Everyone brags about Dee Thomas first Pro win but they hate admitting Toledo spanked his rear the tournament before his win!

[Amateur Hour]

Heading up there on Thursday if all goes as planned.  I was planning on staying until Monday but Sunday and Monday don't seem too inviting.  I may use Sunday as a travel day and head back south.

[Catt]

57 minutes ago, Amateur Hour said:

Heading up there on Thursday if all goes as planned.  I was planning on staying until Monday but Sunday and Monday don't seem too inviting.  I may use Sunday as a travel day and head back south.

 

The bass are starting to stage on  main lake points, secondary points, & the mouths of drains.

 

As always it's a matter of timing ?

[Amateur Hour]

8 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

The bass are starting to stage on  main lake points, secondary points, & the mouths of drains.

 

As always it's a matter of timing ?

 

 

That is where I will be looking.  

[A5BLASTER]

19 minutes ago, Amateur Hour said:

 

 

That is where I will be looking.  

I know where they got some grass lol.

 

Might be some hydrilla gorilla's hanging out lol

[Amateur Hour]

27 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

The bass are starting to stage on  main lake points, secondary points, & the mouths of drains.

 

As always it's a matter of timing ?

 

Catt, on the very first page of this thread you talked about the area around millionaire point but in particular south pf there around cypress slash.  I am seeing lots of drains down there that are leading into what I would think would be spawning areas.  Would these underwater points be the area to poke around?

1 minute ago, A5BLASTER said:

I know where they got some grass lol.

 

Might be some hydrilla gorilla's hanging out lol

 

You talking about Blue lake?  I have seen some guys saying they are seeing hydrilla and pepper grass in SM.

[A5BLASTER]

49 minutes ago, Amateur Hour said:

 

Catt, on the very first page of this thread you talked about the area around millionaire point but in particular south pf there around cypress slash.  I am seeing lots of drains down there that are leading into what I would think would be spawning areas.  Would these underwater points be the area to poke around?

 

You talking about Blue lake?  I have seen some guys saying they are seeing hydrilla and pepper grass in SM.

Yep sure am. In the area know as the pocket. I grabbed up a few from the buck brush the other day when it was nice out.

 

Might have to hit it one day this week if it clears up and gets nice during the mid day, lil scouting trip, sling some baits and enjoy the water.

 

Big spawning flat's in that area if you know where to look.

[Catt]

46 minutes ago, Amateur Hour said:

Catt, on the very first page of this thread you talked about the area around millionaire point but in particular south pf there around cypress slash.  I am seeing lots of drains down there that are leading into what I would think would be spawning areas.  Would these underwater points be the area to poke around?

 

Somebody is paying attention ?

 

That whole Jessie Lowe's bay area down to & including Indian Mounds is a highly overlooked area of the lake. 

 

With the fish starting early pre-spawn now a time to pick an area of the lake & learn what structure the fish move on. Most generally the structure they use to move up on will be the structure they use to move back out. 

 

The biggest mistake I see guys make is they try to fish the entire lake before they understand areas. 6-Mile doesn't fish like Palo Gaucho, yes they use the same types of structure the breaks/breaklines are different.

 

That's just a dumb Coonass's viewpoint!

[Amateur Hour]

Thank Catt.  I just like that whole TN bay lake area.  I have tried to treat the stuff outside of Blue Lake the same way, but never have much success.

 

Would you spend time looking at the stuff closer to the river (red circle) or the inside points and drains closer to the spawning stuff (yellow circle)?

[A5BLASTER]

40 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Somebody is paying attention ?

 

That whole Jessie Lowe's bay area down to & including Indian Mounds is a highly overlooked area of the lake. 

 

With the fish starting early pre-spawn now a time to pick an area of the lake & learn what structure the fish move on. Most generally the structure they use to move up on will be the structure they use to move back out. 

 

The biggest mistake I see guys make is they try to fish the entire lake before they understand areas. 6-Mile doesn't fish like Palo Gaucho, yes they use the same types of structure the breaks/breaklines are different.

 

That's just a dumb Coonass's viewpoint!

That statement right there is why I think I do as good as I do on San Miguel.

 

It's basically the only part of the lake I fish, since I live on it and I have spent every moment I can spare fishing it and learning it.

 

Now I probably go out and get my butt whooped for saying that lol

[Amateur Hour]

8 minutes ago, A5BLASTER said:

That statement right there is why I think I do as good as I do on San Miguel.

 

It's basically the only part of the lake I fish, since I live on it and I have spent every moment I can spare fishing it and learning it.

 

Now I probably go out and get my butt whooped for saying that lol

 

I wouldn't fish a SM only tournament against you.

[Catt]

10 minutes ago, Amateur Hour said:

 

I wouldn't fish a SM only tournament against you.

 

No but you can learn SM from him & add that to Jessie Lowe's!

 

Structurally speaking every area of the lake holds everything the bass need. 

 

Look at Jessie Lowe's, there's the Sabine River, creeks forking off of that, road beds, railroad beds, an island, humps, points by the dozens. 

 

And yes @Amateur Hour you're on on track ?

[BayBoatFisherman]

Had a good day on the pond today. Had 15 fish that measured, best 5 between 15/16 lbs. Fishing secondary points in 25 to 30 fow. C-rig and drop shot both produced well, pumpkin lizard with dipped tail and robo watermelon magic on the drop shot. Was fishing six mile.

 

[kj21]

4 hours ago, BayBoatFisherman said:

Had a good day on the pond today. Had 15 fish that measured, best 5 between 15/16 lbs. Fishing secondary points in 25 to 30 fow. C-rig and drop shot both produced well, pumpkin lizard with dipped tail and robo watermelon magic on the drop shot. Was fishing six mile.

 

how far back into the creeks was this? what was the water temp?

[BayBoatFisherman]

About 1/3 way back, water temp between 52 & 53

[Amateur Hour]

Quick question.  What do you consider secondary points? Below is a pic from 6 mile.  Would you consider the one in black a secondary or the one in red?  I think the black is a primary and the red is secondary.