So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[ealex]

thanks for the updat Catt sounds like you guys had a fun trip!!!!!!

[TxGator]

Well Catt, i fish from indian creek, out of a 16ft xpress. Im just a little skittish about running too far in it. Ive been up as far as Mill Creek so far and I will venture farther eventually. But so far this year due to the wind ive been staying pretty close in.

I guess i could trailer around to try different areas.

Gator

[Catt]

I fish out of a ’96 Stratos 258V which is only 15’ 5” with a 70 hp before that it was a Weldbilt 16’ x 52” modified V with a 40 hp Tohatsu & before that a Alweld 15’ x 42” flat with a Suzuki 25 hp.

What small boats will teach you is to learn where all the public ramps are & to trailer instead of running the lake. My place is in 6-Mile so if I want to fish Housen’ bayou I launch at Fin-&-Feather, Jack’s 944, or White Oak.

Believe me I know where you are coming from, I’ve ran from the 6-Mile public ramp all the around to the Community Flats in Housen’ and back at night in the Alweld.

The name for this thread is “So Y’all Want To Learn Toledo Bend?”, if you will ask myself or others can tell you how to get to most every launch on the lake.

[BulletDon]

Catt,

Any particular are of 1215 you are concentrating on?

[BulletDon]

Catt,

What about this area in front of Arnold Bay, provided the wind will let you stay out there?

N 31.35554 W 93.65192

Currently this should be about 13ft, your primary deptth where you keep the boat, can throw deep and shallow

Thanks,

Donnie

[TxGator]

Sounds good, next time I head up ill see what yall suggest.

Thanks

Gator

[Catt]

Donnie, that whole area in front of Arnold Bay provided the wind will let you stay out there, is excellent!

Also give try N 31.35446 W 93.65903!

Any particular are of 1215 you are concentrating on?

It’s summer, consecrate on deep water drop-offs near river/creek channels

Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, & DD22s

[BulletDon]

Any particular are of 1215 you are concentrating on?

It’s summer, consecrate on deep water drop-offs near river/creek channels

Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, & DD22s

No particular area, was really looking to see what areas you would concentrate on?

Thanks for you help.

[Catt]

Look @ where Bayou San Miguel runs from the river through the 1215 area

[alwayslooking]

fished out of six-mile yesterday,,,oh man, want to talk about HOT,,no wind to speak of and 100degrees,,,water was 91 in some areas,,,but the fish were biting,,used a topwater all day, put 14lbs in the boat, fishing 8 to 10 fow, of course i've got a one got away story as well,,would have been a nice kicker,,my brother did use a stickworm and caught a couple of 15inchers,,, on a side note, Catt, are you coaching again this year? flag football

[Catt]

Good report Paul

Yea I’ll be coaching again, football & slow pitch softball!

FYI (for y’all information) I’ll be @ the lake on the 10th through when ever but I’ll be fishing nights.

[Catt]

06/06/2011 6:30 AM

Lake Level: 163.62

Generator 1: Currently shut down

Generator 2: Currently shut down

Spillway Gates: Closed

Current Water flow: 204 CFS

Area: South bank of Housen’ Bayou

Cover: Hydrilla, Milfoil, Coontail Moss

Structure: Points

Weather: HOT

Time: 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm & 2:00 am - 8:00 am

Lure: Megastrike Cavitron ½ oz Buzz Bait. Black Skirt/Red Blade

Total: 27

Keepers: 17

[Bass_Fanatic]

Catt, I have tried night fishing out there a few times, but havent caught anything until daybreak. Is it better to fish in the evening through dark, lets say 5 p.m. - 12 a.m. or start early and fish through daybreak, like 12 a.m. - 7 a.m.? Thanks for the help. It just gets too hot this time of year to fish all day, but its frustrating not catching at night!

[Catt]

To say one time period is better than another is impossible because other conditions influence the bass as well & change nightly, so the bite can happen at any time.

[Bass_Fanatic]

What are some conditions that affect the bass at night? I know moon phase, but not really sure how that works, but what about high pressure, cloud cover, wind direction? I know how these affect bass during daylight hours, but do they affect them the same at night?

Thanks,

Josh

[Catt]

That is the #1 most asked question I hear about night fishing and despite what you may have heard bass do not morph into a new creature when the sun sets.

High pressure, cloud cover, wind direction etc have the same effects they do during the day so I fish the same baits, same locations, and same techniques I would during the day. The only thing different I add to my repertoire at night is a Q-Beam!

One exception; night lighted areas, lighted docks, lighted boat ramps, a row of camps with lights along the bank or a single camp with a light near the water. I know a killer spot on Toledo Bend where a road parallels the water’s edge with several streetlights within 10 yards of the water. These lighted areas are very productive during a new moon and should be fished thoroughly.

Shallow verses deep water: I have not noticed a distinct advantage one way or the other. I will normally fish both areas thoroughly staying with the one that produces the best results. However shallow water does offer a greater opportunity to use different baits.

Darkness covers up an angler’s presence and most of all his mistakes.

[Catt]

Toledo Bend 6/10 – 6/14 2011

Lake Level: stuck @ 163

Area: Housen’ Bayou & 6-Mile

Structure: points, ridges, humps, creek channels

Cover: Hydrilla, Milfoil, Coontail Moss

Weather: HOT, DRY & WINDY

Time: 5:15 am – 8:00 am & 6:30 pm – 2:00 am

Lure: Stanley Vibra-Wedge 3/8 or 1/2 oz & various Texas rigged plastics

Total: 91

Keepers: 79

Kicker: 6.1 lbs

[Bass_Fanatic]

Good Job Catt!! Thats a great trip.

[Catt]

The ratio of numbers vs. keepers was pretty much even morning vs. night.

The morning bite lasted only a couple hrs; the extreme heat killed the morning bite quickly.

The evening bite was good but the wind died between 6-7 pm making the heat unreal, about dark thirty the wind would kick up to 12-17 mph making it difficult to feel the Texas rig.

The morning bite was shallow 1-3’ & the night bite was deep 11-18’

This may sound unbelievable but had the wind been below 10 mph I feel confident we could have easily caught 25-30 bass a night. I know two guys who throw spinner bait all night Friday-Sunday in Housen’ & averaged 26-28 a night with decent kickers.

The lake is low, the weather is hot, but the bite is on

[ealex]

awesome report catt!!!!! sounds like a fun trip! I only have about 45 days to go on my turnaround then i will be up there to help you out!!!! keep up the good work

[Catt]

awesome report catt!!!!! sounds like a fun trip! I only have about 45 days to go on my turnaround then i will be up there to help you out!!!! keep up the good work

Come on! I left a couple for ya!

[Catt]

NOAA radar looks wonderful with rain covering the entire state of Louisiana & East Texas

[Bass_Fanatic]

Well I tried my luck last night. Launched out of Pirates Cove at 7:00 p.m. and ran to Six Mile. Fished back in Sandy Creek and caught 10 shorts on topwater before dark. When it got dark, I ran to Housen Community Flats and fished until 1:00 a.m. and didnt get a bite. On the way out of Housen I saw four lighted piers, so I stopped and fished em. Had 3 short strike a topwater and caught a 5 1/2lber on a spinnerbait. At 2:30 a.m. I tied up to a stump and slept until 5:00 a.m. Then I ran to the area between North Housen bouys and White Oak and caught 13 more by 7:30 a.m. with the biggest pushing 4lbs. I caught fish on everything from a buzzbait, spinnerbait, pop-r, chug bug, shallow crank, medium crank, DD22, and a T-Rig...good pattern . Had to leave at 7:30 cuz my buddy had to go back to work. All in all, 23 fish, top 5 weighing in at 16lbs. It was fast and furious right before dark and right at daylight, but was rough at night.

[Catt]

Sweet Bass_Fanatic, I’ve been honey doing

[Bass_Fanatic]

I'll be out there again Saturday hopefully...