So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[Bass_Fanatic]

Congrats man...thats a great accomplishment! Its been tough out there, so a limit is a good day!! I wish we would have went shallow apparantly, oh well, ill be back in 2 weeks!

[BulletDon]

Great job, wish we would have done better.

[fishingcajun]

Sometime things just go your way, thanks all !!

[BulletDon]

Seems to be quite on the Bend or everyone that posts are to busy catching ifsh to post. LOL

[Bass_Fanatic]

I've been busy working and filing papers for the new boat. Just got a 07 Puma w/ 250 ProXS! Im pumped to get in it so Im heading up that way in the morning with all my rain gear . Ill report back Sunday on how it goes.

[fishingcajun]

Report from 2nd Oilmans.

Well, my fish disappeared from the area I fished for the 1st oilman's. Managed only 1 weighing fish

the first day. Changed stratergy the 2nd day and managed total of 6 Keepers on the day. Best five

weight was only 9.+ lbs. Did not finish in the money. Crank bait pattern really vanished, ended up

flipping grass with creature baits, fished 1215 area. Most productive area was drains or creeks with

10-12 water, fished edges. Like usual someone always finds them for these oilman's tournaments.

I team weighed only 6+ lbs. the first day and after bombing the 2nd day in same area, decided to make

a move somewhere around cypress bend, not sure if they knew of this hole, or stumbled on it. They

weighed a 29+ lbs. stringer the 2nd day and took overall 1st place. Thats a mean stringer.

[six-mile C-Rig]

hmm.. crankbait bite was ON for me, this weekend. Even got my first ever double on a crank.

[Long Mike]

I posted the following in the Boats and Motors forum, but I want you T-Benders to see it also.

A couple of weeks ago I traveled down to Toledo Bend, near Hemphill TX, for a week of fishing with my Cajun buddies. I had been having a hard time getting the Mercury XR-6 started, and kept getting an intermittent Overheat alarm when on the water. The same condition persisted while at The Bend. On the third day out the motor finally gave up. It would not start at all. Luckily I was close enough to the ramp to get back to it on the TM, and loaded the boat back on the trailer.

I was 400 miles from home, halfway through my fishing trip, on a Saturday afternoon, and my motor was dead. As luck would have it, on my way in, I noticed a Mercury dealership in a small community called Six Mile, and it was only seven miles away from my cabin. Down the hill I went and was pleasantly surprised to see that the dealership was open.

The only person on duty at the dealership on a Saturday afternoon was the mechanic. I explained to him the problems I was having, including the intermittent Overheat alarm. I postulated that the motor wasn’t getting any spark. He walked over to my boat and without saying a word, cut a chunk out of fuel line going to the motor. He then had me look through the section that he had cut out. The fuel line has an inner liner in it and it had collapsed on itself, cutting off the fuel flow. So he began to replace the line. While he was at it I told him to replace the “pump-up” bulb (or whatever it’s called) because I suspected the valve was faulty, as it never got firm. His response was to inform me that although the old bulbs used to sell for $11.00, the new ones were $30.00, because they had to be rated for ethanol. So he didn’t replace the bulb, thereby giving up an opportunity to make a few bucks.

After replacing the fuel line, he put the “ear-muffs” on the lower unit, pumped up the bulb (it got firm this time,) and started the motor. It fired up immediately and ran great. To put it mildly, I was ecstatic. My vacation was saved!

But my mechanic wasn’t through with me yet. He then began to address my Overheat issue. He pulled the cowling off the motor and briefly removed the water line leading into the power head. There was a strong stream of water being produced; indicating that my water pump was working well. (That was a great relief to me, because I had replaced the impeller myself about a year ago. It was my first attempt as a DIYer. I’m glad I got it right.) The mechanic, now assured that the overheat issue wasn’t being caused by a lack of water, began to take a close look at a wire that came out of some type of sensor in the power head. Sure enough he found a fray in the wire that was allowing it to short against the power head, setting off the alarm. He fixed that too.

So, here I am, a man far from home and desperate. The mechanic knows it, and he knows he has me by the short and curlys. With not a little trepidation I asked how much I owed him … and he said $20.00. I was dumbfounded, and actually tried to argue with him, saying that he forgot to include the cost of the fuel line he replaced. He said that was included in the price. Now here’s the kicker. I reached into my wallet and started to pull out two twenties, feeling that his price was far too low. He saw what I was doing and said, “If you try to pay me more than $20.00 I won’t take it.”

I truly don’t know what to say about a man of his caliber, but I will be forever grateful for his ability, honesty, and integrity. Those combined traits are very hard to find these days.

[fishingcajun]

I found the attitude at mid-lake marine much the same, they will go out of their way to make sure

you get back on the water, however i believe they are closed most weekends.

[fishnla]

I have a little club tournament coming up on the 27th and 28th, and will not have time to go prefish. If yall get up there in next couple weeks please keep me in mind. Not asking for places or baits used, just what stage they are in. Kinda hoping the deep crank bite is still on, but thinking they gonna start moving up a bit before I get there.

[Bass_Fanatic]

I finally got out there this past Saturday. Launched out of Cypress Bend and was going to run down to White Oak first thing. It was nasty and fogy and I couldnt see the bouys so I was idling at the mouth of Lowes and came across a good school of fish. Didnt throw out hte marker bouy, but did manage to find them with my rod in my hand for a bit and caught one right at 7lbs in em. Once the fog lifted I ran down to White Oak and caught some small fish. Same story in Six Mile and La. Islands. That evening I got on some better fish in Slaughter on a point and caught 6 3lb fish on consecutive casts. After that though all I could catch was smaller fish. Anyway, ended up a pretty good day. Caught fish in all stages, but my better fish came off of points. If the wind didnt blow a million mph I would have hit more main lake points, but oh well, theres always next time I guess. Crankbait and A-rig caught majority of my fish.

[six-mile C-Rig]

dang...... Bass_Fanatic just sore lipped my fish for the weekend.. guess i'll find another spot.

Of course im being sarcastic, and just playing around.... only reason i mentioned it is i found a good group of fish in slaughter this weekend also. I launched out of cypress and went to slaughter first thing in the morning. Fish were hanging in the creek channels just to the side of the particular point i was fishing. And another spot in slaughter that has some hydrilla in 14-15fow was holding good numbers of fish.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Haha...probably the same point I fished. My point had the creek channel running right next to it. I was literally 8 ft from the bank and in 25 fow. They are in there, thats for sure!

[six-mile C-Rig]

there are 2 points in slaughter that fit that discription, both areas are holding LOTS of fish.

You boat wouldn't happen to be a silver and purple basscat would it?

[Bass_Fanatic]

Its a silver and black basscat w/ 250 ProXS

[six-mile C-Rig]

well, guess it was somebody else i saw then... I'll definitly be in there saturday, i got a small club tourney ill be fishing. Hopefully the bite will continue to get better

[bcody]

Seems like yesterday when I found this thread. Although its been like 2 or 3 years.

Sad to hear about Catt. Hope he recovers well and is able to fish and teach again.

Looks like I'll be fishing the Bend from Friday til Sunday this weekend. I was there in March earlier this year and had a pretty good trip. Fished a lot of the Housen area, Indian Mounds and Palo Guacho.

Is it safe for me to assume to hit the backs of coves and creeks by this weekend to target some of the fish moving up? I'm planning on fishing some of the same areas, although I will be staying in Negreet. Doesn't seem like too bad of a boat ride

[six-mile C-Rig]

if your in negreet im assuming your either going to be at shadows or turtle beach? .. The boat ride from there to indian mounds and housen isnt too bad as long as there isn't 20+ mph winds... As for the fish, There are fish everywhere right now, shallow and deep. The shallow bite is become more and more consistant each day The fish that i have been catching "shallow" have all been very close to deep water, and in all stages of the creeks, some near the mouths, some midway back, and some in the way backs of the creeks. so your options are open, but to answer your questions, yes you can catch some fish in the backs of coves right now.

[bcody]

Yep. We'll be staying next to Shadows.

Hopefully, like you said, the wind will cooperate with us and allow us to run the lake.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Went back up there today. Ended the day with 55 fish, big fish right at 5lbs. Caught fish on football jigs, deep cranks, topwater, and a-rig. My fish are still deep...and thats how I like to fish em!

[fishnla]

Good to hear they still deep. I just wish they would stay there till end of month.

[fishingcajun]

Well, back from fishing the FLW on Rayburn. Had two great draws, Dave LeFebre and Brian Thrift.

Accomplished my goal of finishing in top 50 and making a check, finished 46. However considering the

low weights for the most part, and another 5 lbs, i could have been in top 20, but thats how it goes.

Both guys were great to fish with. The day with Dave was tougher, we fished brush piles in 20fow and

not having the electronics to my benefit and fishig the back of the boat, it was tough. 2nd day was better

with Brian, fished shallow. I just never got the bites as he did, thats why he is a pro.

Oh yes, you guys need to stay out of Slaughter creek and MY holes, LOL . I do know exaclty where one of

the points is located, thanks for the tip !! I marked a couple of interesting humps when the water was down in

there.

A couple of my friends caught some quality fish shallow around 1215 the past weekend. shallow bite is on there.

[Bass_Fanatic]

Yeah I got the same report from 1215. Heard a 7 and 8 was caught that way Friday and Saturday punchin grass in 4-8 fow with senkos...

Congrats on makin a check in FLW. Thats a great accomplishment!!

[fishingcajun]

Thanks, its going to be hard to stay away from the lake for a while to go hunting, fall as some great fishing !!

[Bearonthewater]

To all contributors and posters of this tremendously educational thread,

I decided to finally jump in and express true appreciation for all of the tips, seasonal knowledge, and experiences that have been shared here.

it's a shame we haven't seen any writings or postings from CATT......the true gentleman, sportsman, and teacher who began and contributed so much to this amazing thread.

I will be heading to the Bend tomorrow for a week and will be staying at Fin-n-Feather.

Fishing the Housen / Six Mile / Indian Mound areas for the first time, I feel that I'm more prepared than I've ever been for this trip, and I have all the confidence that it will surely pay off.

So thanks again to all of you out there that have provided me with better confidence and inspiration.

Wind, weather, and God permitting.......I look forward to a memorable trip.