So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Troy85]

According to LA sportsman, night fishing is hot right now.  7 fish over 10lb were caught last month.

[jasondaily]

You guys are awesome. So many new options and ideas 

[Pierce LaFleur]

went frogging the other night, with the lake so low the frogging was lights out! but thankfully we took the little aluminum boat out, we probably hit 500 stumps! 

[Clinton john]

2 hours ago, Pierce LaFleur said:

went frogging the other night, with the lake so low the frogging was lights out! but thankfully we took the little aluminum boat out, we probably hit 500 stumps! 

Just 500? Yall must not have went far lmao.

[operationgrass]

What's up everybody. Finally back after a move and 3 months of work training. How is everyone?

 

About to make a trip to rayburn or toledo tomorrow tired of the golf course ponds.

[Catt]

@operationgrass How y'all are? 

 

We be fine!

 

Lake is a little low but fishing is good especially at night.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Hey guys, been a little bit since I’ve posted.  We’ve been fishing the past few weeks.  Fish are everywhere! We are finding HUGE schools of fish, but man are they ever hard to get to eat.  We are catching 15-30 fish a day mainly on a dropshot in 10-28’ of water.  Once we get a couple cold fronts, this fall is going to be one of the best we’ve had in a long time.  

[Catt]

@Bass_Fanatic Yes sir everything I'm hearing is the lake is shaping up to be an awesome fall.

 

Bigger fish are still being caught at night ?

[RCCA]

Sounds great. Can’t wait until it cools down. Hot as Hades. Dove season is good so far ?

[Walkerhuntfish]

I wish work would cool down so I could make a trip up. 

 

[Catt]

Better dust ya spinnerbaits off!

 

Just saying ?

[Clinton john]

44 minutes ago, Catt said:

Better dust ya spinnerbaits off!

 

Just saying ?

Way ahead of you I have had my spinning wing decoys dusted off.....oh wait you said spinnerbaits my bad.

 

They can stay dusty till January.

[Pierce LaFleur]

i have a club tournament on Saturday,  is it even a good idea to run in the boat lanes ?

[Clinton john]

9 hours ago, Pierce LaFleur said:

i have a club tournament on Saturday,  is it even a good idea to run in the boat lanes ?

Running will be very dangerous. I suggest you use your boat and ride. It should be much more enjoyable lmao.

[Dougw]

Anybody know if they're still working on the dam/spillway? Just wondering if 165 is going to be this years winter pool.... My first tournament of the year fires up on the 5th and I'll be there starting the 2nd. The lake may not be as low as it is now but I don't see any way for it to make any appreciable gains between now and then. Ought'a be interesting that's fer sure.

[Catt]

@Dougw Still working on the dam & if I remember correctly until the end of October.

 

Y'all need to understand the historical (normal) lake level is 169' not 172'. 

 

Most people hate it low, I absolutely love ?

[Dougw]

Well.... I couldn't catch fish when the lake was above normal pool.

I couldn't catch fish when the lake was at normal pool.

I couldn't catch fish when there was grass.

I couldn't catch fish when there was no grass.

Crossing my fingers n' hoping low water is the ticket!

 

I really don't care if it's up, down, in-between - I'm gonna fish it!

[Catt]

@Dougw Where ya fishing?  ?

[Clinton john]

4 hours ago, Catt said:

@Dougw Where ya fishing?  ?

In the water lmao.

[Dougw]

On 9/26/2019 at 8:43 PM, A5BLASTER said:

In the water lmao.

Nah... wasn't fishing in the water. 

 

I was fishing over grass with a buzz bait until the home owner told me to get my *&^% buzz bait off'a his lawn. Then someone told me they were in the trees so I decorated all the trees I could afford. So you're suggesting actually fishing in the water may help?

 

Where I've been fishin' - really. I'm starting my 4th year on Toledo. 

 

1st year - I stayed in Caney Creek(pirates cove). Fished docks, humps, drops, the islands at the mouth, every pocket/cove in Caney creek. I went as far back into Caney as a body can go in a fiberglass boat. I caught some good fish that year though not many. Crankbaits, finess rigs, jigs, flukes, top water... actually just about everything but a drop-shot. Xcaliber 1 knocker is always on my deck in varying sizes.

 

2nd year - Started venturing out. Spent a lot of time in Indian Creek, areas @ the dam. Hit Dry Creek, had a particularly good spot at the mouth of Housen that to this day I've never seen anyone else fish. They've been close but not so close I couldn't Anchor Lock on my waypoint. Millionairs point produced some fish as did the shoreline starting at Millionairs Point. and workinig back into the pocket. Got a spot near the boat lanes about 1/2 back into Housen that produces a 7+ my first year - I was fishing the ABA Ram series then.

 

3rd year - Kept fishing some spots/areas that paid off in prior years as I started exploring further up lake. Had a good day in Negreet. No big fish but a quick limit. Caught some good fish in the cove BigBass Marina is in. Plus the point((s) off the main lake heading into that cove.

 

4th year - Next week will be my first trip back to the lake for the 19/20 season.

 

I've caught some fish and 8+ was the biggest. I'm just not consistent and have never felt I had a grip on what the fish were doing or what they wanted. Last year I finished 2nd in Angler of the Year. I finished 2nd in the 2 day championship(had the fish on to win but....) but still felt it was more luck than any "I'm on'em" feeling.

[Bass_Fanatic]

We fished yesterday from cypress bend down to housen.  We caught a lot of fish, 40-50 but no size.  Lots of small fish, but still better than not getting bit.  The big fish have been elusive recently, but we will keep trying.  Dropshot and Alabama rigs!

[Catt]

5 hours ago, Dougw said:

I've caught some fish and 8+ was the biggest. I'm just not consistent and have never felt I had a grip on what the fish were doing or what they wanted. Last year I finished 2nd in Angler of the Year. I finished 2nd in the 2 day championship(had the fish on to win but....) but still felt it was more luck than any "I'm on'em" feeling.

 

In only 4 yrs sounds like you're "on em" to me!

 

As for feeling like you're on em is a matter of timing, like @Bass_Fanatic said, "we keep trying". 

 

This lake has left me scratching my head many times!

[JAWS]

On 8/7/2008 at 11:42 PM, Catt said:

Y'all get a Hook-N-Line map so we will be on the same page & I'll start an on-line class.

The first class will be summer patterns some other tools y'all need are to be proficient in one or more of the following techniques.

Texas Rigs

Carolina Rigs

Jig-N-Craw

Deep Crank Baits

Jigging Spoons

Drop Shot Rig

Hi y'all. Just wanted to thank all of you for your time and input. Especially you Catt for getting this all started. You've all really given us a better view and strategy on Toledo. I'm heading there next week and never fished it so low. Been 2 years since my last visit. I've caught some real beauties there before, but that was at full pool. 

[Corkpuller]

On 9/26/2019 at 6:12 AM, Catt said:

 

Y'all need to understand the historical (normal) lake level is 169' not 172'. 

 

Most people hate it low, I absolutely love ?

You DANG RIGHT !!! 

[Dougw]

Welp.... Spent Wed-Sat on the Bend. Tough'er'n'nails for me. Wednesday and Thursday spent about an equal amount of time shallow/deep. C-Rig is absolutely one of my favorite methods. Got a few pick-ups and put-downs but never caught a fish on the c-rig in 4 days. Chunked a 5-bait umbrella rig a lot on Wed-Thur. Caught one 8" fish on it. Tried letting it sink to the bottom and slow rollin' it back. At one point I had schooling fish around the boat. Chunked the U-rig right in amongst'em and it was like they were moving it outta the way to get to the food they were chasing. Next time picked up a 1/4 oz. one knocker and put fish in the boat - non-keepers though. Wed-Fri. there was a fair amount of schooling action. There weren't a lot of fish schooling at any one time and they didn't stay up long. For the most part catching them schooling wasn't happening. Threw a 3/4oz. Bomber spoon to the long range schoolers to no avail. Went to the 1215 area and fish were absolutely stacked up there but - couldn't make'em bite. Got over the top of them with a spoon but.... nuttin'.

 

Wed-Thur. caught a fair amount of fish on a 1/4oz. one knocker. Maybe 2-3 keepers each day. Friday had 5 keepers(would not have culled in a tournament) that probably went 10-11#s. Sat. morning dawns.... Totally different than the previous 3 days. No clouds at all - nada. Schooling activity was pretty non-existent as was the bite. Threw the one knocker and a c-rig most of the day. Might have caught 4-5 fish biggest was 13"s. Zeroed for the tournament. There were 16 boats entered. Winner had the only 5-fish limit by Tater Reynolds @ 16#s. George Jean weighed in 3 fish  and took 2nd. A single fish 6.9#er took 3rd and big fish. 4 boats zeroed and the other nine boats had either 1 or 2 fish.

 

There's always next time....