So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Wesley]

Wesley, how y'all are

Good Catt, how are you?

[Catt]

Wesley, how y'all are

Good Catt, how are you?

Well, I now have nerve damage in my left foot which has kept me on crutches for the last two weeks, that plus ruptured discs in my lower back.

Other than that I'm doing better than I deserve

[fishingcajun]

Looks like to new comers won the BFL yesterday on TB. 20+. Looks like a lot of males being caught. A local favorite finished out of the money with 10#, tells me big girls or not quite ready, What's your thought on that Catt. I am at work but spoke with my son and got an on the water report yesterday, Their boat had 12 or so keepers around 4pm. couple of 4# and 3#.  Pattern is off the chart. Traps,Flukes, spinner baits.

[Catt]

The spawn on Toledo Bend will run from now through the April full moon

Bass were caught this week in water ranging from 2-18' with 3-9' being the sweet spot; lures patterns are just about every thing in your tackle box. There was an 11 # bass caught some where down south and a pair of 10s out of Housen' bayou.

[Fury]

Well, not too bad a trip for the first of the year. We got on the lake between 230 and 300 Friday afternoon. We started out around Texas Island fishing grass but we didnt have any luck. Moved into Mill creek area and picked up two quick fish off a point next to a stump flat in 8' of water. Both fish were between 2 and 3lbs and were caught on a Chart/White spinner bait with dbl gold willow.. We moved into the flat a ways and found some good water with grass/stumps (4-8') that had a ditch running towards Mill creek and caught (3) 2.5-3lb fish on a 1/2oz crawfish rattle trap.

Saturday started with a 2 hours boat ride (idle speed) due to the fog and we got fishing at 830. By 1030 we had three solid keepers (2 on a chart/blue bandit and (1) on a Lake fork special 1/2oz trap) and 2 short fish (both on the chart/blue crank). Then we made the mistake of making a move. We hit a couple other spots without any luck. At 200 we decide to go make one more lil round in our hole. As soon as we get there I pick up a 3lber on a 1/2oz craw trap and we packed it in for a 300 weigh in.

All in all not too bad of a first trip and it sure felt nice to rip a couple lips! I'll be back in 3 weeks for a tourney on March 12th......unless I can slip away before then.

[Catt]

Three friends of mine fished out of Fin & Feather both Friday and Saturday, they headed west throwing only spinner baits. They followed the bank in 8-10' of water all the way to the back of Housen' and boat over 100 bass with the largest going 7.4.

[JBF]

Fished Friday and Saturday Blue Lake and 1215 Area caught A limit of keepers each day 5 pounds was the largest.

Spinner Baits, Traps Chrome, Brush Hog and Rogue.

Had at least 50 short fish.

Heading Back Thursday have a club tournament this weekend.

[six-mile C-Rig]

saturday afternoon between 2-4

25 fish, only fish that were shorter than 15 inches were kentucky's.... biggest was 4.8.... these fish were SCHOOLING in 8-11 fow, on the edge of a large secondary point.. fish were literaly jumping out of the water chasing the shad. Fish were so fully of shad they were spitting them up when we boated them. there was soo many shad that several times i hooked the shad on the trebles of my trap.

i weighed the fish, and threw back everything over 3. only kept 1 over three because i was sure it was male, but i sure was wrong. lol.. in all it turned out only 2 i kept were female. all of their stomachs were FULL of shad

1st pic, a sample of the throwbacks, + the largest

2nd pic, multiple shad in the mouth of a fish

3rd pic, smaller fish for the fryin pan...

4th pic, shad on my trap

[Catt]

[Bass_Fanatic]

Im excited about all these GREAT reports.  I will be up there next wednesday, friday, and saturday...so yall better catch em now because when I come, the whole lake will probably turn off lol.

[JBF]

Question  thinking about buying a Z521 Ranger any comments? 

[fishingcajun]

Now you'll really killing me with all the great reports. Two more days of work to go, then swapping salt water for some fresh water bucket mouth madness.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Question thinking about buying a Z521 Ranger any comments?

If I could afford it...I would...great looking boat and plenty big enough to do whatever you want out of it.  Heck, you could catch Tuna out of that thing!

[TBendBassin]

Question thinking about buying a Z521 Ranger any comments?

My first boat was a 20ft nitro, second boat was a 20ft skeeter, third boat is a 21ft ranger commanche, there won't be a fourth!!! well there might be but it sure as hell will be another ranger!!! Best boat i have ever owned or rode in for that matter..

[JBF]

Thanks guys. You have sealed the deal Z521 it is.

[TBendBassin]

you won't be disappointed!!

[TxGator]

Ive been sitting here reading old posts and I just want to again thank the guys for all of the priceless information. I know that I will never have the knowledge that these guys posses. Well, maybe i can hope to. Im looking forward to my first trip to the bend this weekend.

Tight lines yall

Gator

[Catt]

I'm getting phone calls from off the lake & it's on  

[Who Dat?]

I'm getting phone calls from off the lake & it's on

Wish I was up there!!! :'(

[Catt]

You & me both

11.11 back of 6-Mile on a wacky worm!!

[Ranger 251]

LIkewise, I am ready to wet a line.  I was out of the country on business this week and will be out of town this coming weekend on business.  Hopefully things will slow down so I can get back to fishing.

I am fishing the LOBI the end of March and really looking forward to it.  I need to do some preventative maintenance on the boat before then. 

JBF, you won't regret getting the Z521.  I have a 2005 521DVX and really like it.  Plenty of storage and able to take the rough water in the Bend.  It is not too big to fish the Atchafalaya basin either.

[JBF]

Fished a club tournament yesterday. Tough day wind was howling. Caught fish on rogue and brush hog.

Weighed 11 pounds. Came in third.

[Catt]

Fished a club tournament yesterday. Tough day wind was howling. Caught fish on rogue and brush hog.

Weighed 11 pounds. Came in third.

3rd sweet

[Shanon]

Fished all of the last Spawns at Toledo Bend for last 20 something years minus 1 (2006?) when the water was super low also. Catt and others can you give us some shallow water spawn patterns that's unique at the 165 level. I guess I understand that the fish just move to set depth to get ready, but all of the grass that we had been finding in 2-6 water will now be dry. Are there a lot of deeper grassy flats that are now in 2-6 feet of water?

In short does the lake fish the same - just further away from natural bank or should we concentrate on more on hard structure if there is a lack of visible grass?

With all the warm weather and the great fishing reports the last few weeks it seems like people are catching a lot of quantity & quality this year. Is this as hot as it's been and is it because of the weather or lake level?

Last one of the Day: This prolong low water level would leave me to believe that certain bank lines are now exposed to potentially driving rain which may have more dirty runoff than normal. Is the lake dirtier now after a hard rain than normal lake level?

Shanon

[Catt]

First don't worry about the grass, solid bottom: Bass avoid soft, muck bottoms; instead they prefer to spawn on hard sandy bottoms, gravel or rocky banks, large boulders or even a fallen log or lily pad root.

Are there a lot of deeper grassy flats that are now in 2-6 feet of water? Yes

North Toledo is usually stained, mid lake is usually slightly stained to clear and south usually remains clear. Recent rain will stained back portions of major creeks.

We are having April weather in late February & early March but regardless the bass this time of year will be in pre-spawn to spawn to post spawn all at the same time.