So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[alwayslooking]

Catt, have you heard any info on pulling the water down a couple more feet? heard a rumor and checked around abit, but couldn't confirm anything,,

[Catt]

Nope aint heard that one!

We will loose some to evaporation, plus this region is under near drought conditions.

[BulletDon]

i caught all three fish in the 10-12 range in the grass.2 of the three came off of humps about 1/2 mile apart and the other came off of a creek swing with grass off the edge.two of them came on a 1oz jig and the other was on a 12"worm with a 1/2oz weight.the first one was at 7am the second was 1130 and the third was at 1oclock.i fished the sixmile and sandy creek area' date='the key was to find areas where there was an underwater grass point that came off the main mat.the one i caught off the creek swing is kinda out of the way place i like to fish and have caught numerous big fish off of.in housen there were alot of people in there which is not unusual but i do know that there was a seven and a couple 5's caught on spinnerbaits slow rolled on the deeper grass.i hope some of this helps. [/quote']

[Dam Yankee]

I can't begin to say how much this thread has helped me in fishing the Bend. And yes, I have read all 81 pages.

Using the approach that catt has been explaining relating to structure and creek channels helped me to catch my personal best of 7lb.8oz. yesterday in toro. Thanks to Catt and all the others out there for the lesson. I am hoping to keep learning and maybe get into some tournaments in the future.

[fishingcajun]

If you have any doubt about entering pro-am tournaments, my experience was great. Read on

Catt, Sorry it took so long.

To: fishingcajun

Dude you need to write this up for the site, many tournament anglers get the bad mouth for being to selfish & self centered, Gleen is nowhere close to that.

I relate many aspects of fishing to hunting, I thoroughly enjoy the hunt for bass but as soon as the fights over it's like "Let's go get some more?"

2 Sent box » Re: Fishing Line Color

on: Sep 2nd, 2010 at 2:06pm

From: fishingcajun

To: Catt

Yes, gentlemen they are. I met them both for the first time this weekend. Gleen's hand was the last I shook before i departed Sunday. I really couldn't have scripted better drawing Gleen. I started reading your posts last spring ( 2009), and really wanted to become a more rounder fishermen, leave the banks, which i love in the spring and learn offshore. This is why i sent in to fish the AFL & BFL this year. Everything I wanted to observe and learn for the most part happened in these two tournaments. I am getting to old to dream of the tournament trails, don't think the siblings will ever let me retire. Sorry about the rambling, we have a lot of free time offshore sometimes. Every Time i pick up the map and study for a few hours I see something different, the 3-D vision only came to me last week. I finally found ACME Mapper, so i guess now i can follow you guys a little better. I have three paper maps and all are a little different. Anyway thanks again for all the help. I know what you mean about enjoying the teaching as much as fishing. I enjoy studying and learning and the anticipation of finding fishing spots i picked out on the map to try.

3 Inbox » Re: Fishing Line Color

on: Sep 2nd, 2010 at 7:46am

From: Catt

To: fishingcajun

On the occasions I've beaten Gleen & Harold they were ones of the few to quickly offer a hand shake & congratulations.

4 Sent box » Re: Fishing Line Color

on: Sep 2nd, 2010 at 7:27am

From: fishingcajun

To: Catt

Thanks for the response.

Yes Gleen was very nice, and invited me to give him a call when I go up next time, which will be the Oilmans next weekend.

I also use Berkly Bigame 15#, I tried many of the new lines and could not find one that held up as good as Bigame, and for the price.

5 Inbox » Re: Fishing Line Color

on: Sep 2nd, 2010 at 7:18am

From: Catt

To: fishingcajun

I believe line color is a non factor on Toledo Bend because there is some much vegetation in the water a bass can not distinguish between the two.

At various times of the year the water color changes so I'll change my line color to one that allows me to see it better, I use green, amber, & electric blue.

With the exception of using braid for punching I use Berkley Big Game 15# 100% of the time.

Gleen Freeman has been around Toledo longer than I have, he & Harold Allen are long time fishing buddies. We are not personal friends but our paths have crossed at cafe's or in tournaments many times. You could not have had a better partner then Gleen, a true gentleman!

6 Sent box » Fishing Line Color

on: Sep 2nd, 2010 at 6:22am

From: fishingcajun

To: Catt

Catt, read some where that when fishing deeper water on Toledo bend or i should say one particular hole, you needed to use green line, that it made a difference. Unfortunately i can no longer ask this person what type of green line they were referring too. Keeping in mine this information was cataloged some 10-15 yrs. ago. I just wanted to know if you ever ran into this and what green line do you think they were referring too. Other than clear i have only used Big game in green before, but i know there are other versions. Your insight would be greatly appreciated.

Not sure how well you know him, but i had the pleasure of fishing with Gleen Freeman this weekend for the BFL. His total weight was 40+ lbs. The guy is a machine when he gets on them, all i had time to do was net!!! The structure fishing you have taught us in the past two years was well demonstrated this past weekend. After studying my maps after returning is was obvious of some of the spots we fished. I had several marked already in my old catalog of holes.

[Dam Yankee]

I am not at the level to be in a pro am or anything like that. Just want to fish in some locals and meet a goal of coming in with 5 fish first.

I am on baby steps right now.

[fishfordollars]

I am not at the level to be in a pro am or anything like that. Just want to fish in some locals and meet a goal of coming in with 5 fish first.

I am on baby steps right now.

You might just surprise yourself. Jump in there and find out. You just never know and the experience will be something you relive the rest of your life.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Alright guys I need some help...

My wife and I are going camping in a tent this weekend.  I took off at the church, so we got 3 days.  I would like to fish the Indian Mounds and Six Mile/Sandy Area.  The only problem is I cant find a campground in that area with shower/bathhouse and a grill.  I cant bring my grill because it won't fit with all the other junk we got goin.  Any suggestions?  Does anyone know of a place to camp with water, electricity, and a grill near these areas?

[BulletDon]

FYI There is a Bass Champs tourney on TBend this weekend.  It is there Championship for the North and Central trail.  The weigh in site is Fin and Feather.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Thanks for the heads up...maybe I'll head north then haha

[Bass_Fanatic]

Does anyone know anything about Twin Oaks RV Park in Six Mile?  Also, would you stay there and still fish Six Mile with the big tourny out of Fin and Feather or would you head north to Cypress Bend or North Toledo Bend State Park?

[TBendBassin]

***atic check out Paradise Point.. http://www.paradisepointpark.com/ i have a camp there and its great. if you are going in a tent dont worry they have shower houses, marina, gas on the water, a sports grill if you dont feel like cooking, boat slips etc everything you need is there. six mile by boat is about a 8 minute ride, indian mounds about 15.. if you have any questions you can get a hold of me at 409-719-3385 i should be up there this weekend.. its a really great place and rey and lea, the couple that run it, are great and will make sure you are taken care of

[txfisherman]

South Toledo Bend State Park might be an option since that is directly accross the lake from that area.

http://www.toledo-bend.com/attractions/index.asp?request=stbsp

[Bull]

Catt, would you happen to know how long are they going to keep the lake level down? Wanting to build a new pier so I was just wondering.

Thanks

[Dam Yankee]

I heard this week that they are done with repairs and are only generating once in a while to maintain the river below the dam.

I asked the Army rec site people and they called to find out and that was Monday.

[Catt]

Alright guys I need some help...

My wife and I are going camping in a tent this weekend. I took off at the church, so we got 3 days. I would like to fish the Indian Mounds and Six Mile/Sandy Area. The only problem is I cant find a campground in that area with shower/bathhouse and a grill. I cant bring my grill because it won't fit with all the other junk we got goin. Any suggestions? Does anyone know of a place to camp with water, electricity, and a grill near these areas?

Lowes Creek Park

105 Lowes Creek

Hemphill, TX 75948

Phone 1-800-290-9489

Phone 1-409-787-2600

Fax 1-409-787-9930

E-Mail lowescreekpark@sabinenet.com

Launch out of Lowes Creek, Indian Mounds, or White Oak 

[Bass_Fanatic]

Alright got back this mornin.  We ended up staying at Pleasure Point, which was nice and Im glad we did. 

Friday we fished Six Mile and Sandy early with little luck.  Caught 7, only 3 keepers all on traps.  Went to Indian Mounds and White Oak that evening, caught 1 keeper on a DD22.  Came back to Pleasure Point in Toro Reach and saw schoolers at about 6.  Ended up catching 25ish with 8 good 4lbers and a 5lber.  All on Chug Bugs. 

Saturday we fished Toro and caught 2 small fish on C-Rigs.  Went and fished Housen and Six Mile, man were there some boats in there.  I was sharing grass mats with 25 other boats.  Caught 3 over there on traps.  Couldn't do anything punchin.  Came back to Toro Reach that evening and caught another 30 or so on Chug Bugs.  Even caught a 5lb striper. 

All in all a great trip.  I figured I caught 20 fish around 4lbs.  The only problem we had was Saturday when I put my boat on the trailor my skeg was broke off.  I dont even think we hit anything running, but we hit a couple stumps idling, but it shouldn't have broke anything.  It had broke before and we just welded it back on, but apparently it didn't work too well.  Then on the way home I got 15 miinutes from the house and burned up one of the bearings  >.  I got some work to do before my trip, but hopefully it will be fixed by the get together. 

[BulletDon]

Well, fished the Bass Champs tourney this weekend and finished 26th out of 172 and received a check.  We weighed 14.76 on Sat and 12.01 on Sunday.

We targeted main lake docks on Sat, which two of our better fish came off of and Sun that was not happening.  Sun at 9:35 had no fish in the well and we decided to cover some real estate and throw spinnerbaits.   The biggest sun was about 4lbs.

The winners caught 30lbs on Sat and 20 on Sun.  Throwing Frogs and Spooks on a Millfoil pattern.  They said the larger fish were 20-30 feet of the matts.  They weighed in at 11 in Sat and noon on Sun.  Wow.  We tried the frogs but no luck.  The winners were Brian Schott and Lee Yowell.  I would like to know what part of the lake they were fishing.  Did speak to a couple of locals Saturday and they caught 6, 5 and several 4's wacky rigging.

I can't wait to get back to the bend.  Great times by all.

When are you all booking the next get together?

[alwayslooking]

skeeterdon, you did better than i did saturday,,1 on topwater early, 1 on frog about 11:30 and 1 flipping the outer grass edge about 3:30, overall a hot, long day,,,tried deeper points and humps and couldn't get bit

[BulletDon]

I tried deeper points and humps Thursday and Friday as well and could not get bit either. Used primarily football jigs, crigs, and shaky head. Thursday afternoon we checked some docks and the bait fish were pushed up in there solid, you could walk to shore. They were everywhere. Granted it was 6:30 in the afternoon, but the thought was if the bait was there then the fish would be there too. It paid off on Sat but not Sun.

I still want to know where the winners fished just to have an idea.

By the way. Glanced at the map Sat night looking over Mill creek and noticed that they had a symbol there for an Aligator and it stated Aligator cove or something link that. Well Sun we went further back and just past the mouth on the left we saw and 8 footer and a few minutes later a 3/4 footer swimming. WOW There is one bend in the Mill that the depth is almost 20 ft, just one big ole hole.  While the rest of the creek was 7-10. No fish though. Couple of 13 inchers.

Good Times though for sure

[Dam Yankee]

I went back in Mill creek today lookin to get out of the wind and went in the back. Saw one that had to be 10' and on the way out saw another one that wasn't there before it was about 8'. No fish back there!

That topwater bite seems to be the only thing workin for me the past few days though nothing like what those guys weighed in, I have been throwin a Stanley ribbit waterrmelon/red w/pearl belly and a rage tail shad gray and white. Also caught a few on a c-rig wtrmln/red fluke and a couple on a trap strike king gold/blue. I just enjoyed being out there for a few days and am trying to get a look at areas so that when the lake is up I have a better idea of what is there. Even if I ain't catchin fish I guess I might as well learn something while I am out there.

[Dam Yankee]

Hey Catt.

I know I am ready for a Toledo Bend fall fishing lesson. Anyone else?

[Bass_Fanatic]

Im all ears!!!

[BulletDon]

The Catt's away and us mice are wanting to play!  ;D

[fishingcajun]

I'm In