anyone going from the KY OH WV area?

I'm one conformation away from being there. 

Toledo Bend is well 100,000 acres, and is over 60 miles long and runs from north to south.  Depending upon the weather, the spawn can start as early as February on the South end of the lake and as late as May on the North end.  A cold winter will obviously delay the spawn.  I was generalizing when I stated that the fish would be in spawn to post spawn mode.  I don't bed fish, but I fished Housen Bay last March and caught one that went about five pounds, and she hadn't spawned yet.

 

For those of you who haven't noticed, there's a thread in the Central Bass Fishing section titled "So Yall Want to Learn Toledo Bend."  As of this writing, it's 256 pages of very valuable information. It's hosted by Catt, who has been fishing the lake for better than forty years.  I'm very much hoping that he can join us.

 

For those of you who will traveling long distances, there is nothing in the rules (in fact, there are no rules) that say you can't stay longer, to make your trip worthwhile.  I have blocked rooms for only the dates mentioned in my initial post, but it's up to you to make the reservations, and to book them for as long as you like.

 

 

Welcome to my house boys

Ok let's set the house rules!

First bring your rain gear

Second bring your cold gear

Third bring your warm weather gear

Odds are you'll use all three!

The first thing you will notice is the pond is big, 190-200,000 acres, 65 miles long, 10 miles wide, 1,200+ miles of shore line. Extreme structure, heavy timber, various vegetation.

Be warned this lake can be extremely rough during bad weather. I know I've heard all the stories from all over the country on how rough it gets on your home lake. What makes Toledo the worst you will ever run is you must stay in well marked boat lanes. This means you will hit the waves from every possible angle.

Pre-spawn & spawn will start in late January/February & well run into late April. One can start up north & follow the spawn south.

Stay tuned for more!

Welcome to my house boys

Ok let's set the house rules!

First bring your rain gear

Second bring your cold gear

Third bring your warm weather gear

Odds are you'll use all three!

What???

That sounds like typical spring weather!

I can't wait......very excited to fish this lake.

Of you stay in Housen that time of e year you will be targeting more press pawn fish than anything. Mid march the spawn is normally around the bridge area, the south end spawns late march and early April. I'll be there a few of the days hopefully!! I may have an open seat a day or two too.

I can't miss this one since it's so close (5 hrs) but have conflicts.  My son is TX BASS youth and high school director and their state championship is the 21st on Texoma.  I usually set up with him the day before and help during launch and weigh in.  My plan is to head down Tues or Wed and depart Fri morning.  Would any of the locals be willing to throw in with me to provide Wed night fish fry and/or shrimp/crawfish boil?  BTW, this will be my first time on TB and I'm pumped!!  

Welcome to my house boys

Ok let's set the house rules!

First bring your rain gear

Second bring your cold gear

Third bring your warm weather gear

Translation for us northerners; Bring your rain gear.

Welcome to my house boys

Ok let's set the house rules!

First bring your rain gear

Second bring your cold gear

Third bring your warm weather gear

Translation for us northerners; Bring your rain gear.

Us transplanted Northeners from the So side have learned that the hard way!

We never leave home without it

Mike

Alright, I finally got to look over my calendar. Hoping to be there the 19-21st! I'll for sure have an open seat on the 19th, possibly the other two days too.

I wouldn't miss Toledo Bend for the world! Unfortunately, my parents don't share my sentiments .

I made it to the 2008 RoadTrip, and haven't missed one since. I'm gonna have to miss this one. If I were retired, I could do it, but it's just too far for me to go this time.

I made it to the 2008 RoadTrip, and haven't missed one since. I'm gonna have to miss this one. If I were retired, I could do it, but it's just too far for me to go this time.

 

NNNNNOOOOOOOOO..................say it ain't so Gary!

 

You do realize that if you started in 2008.......this would be your 8th roadtrip? The last number in the year you began to attend!

Your not making it could do something bad to the space-time continuum or the fabric of time!

 

We will miss you buddy.......but I will hold out a little bit of hope that you will partake of the party box of wine next week and change your mind.

The Bass Resource RoadTrip is one the things I look forward to every year. Seeing some old friends, and making new ones is, always one the highlights of the year for me. Being unable to attend tho 2015 trip is killing me, but I have no choice.

 

I get a lot of time off. My full time job is a Monday - Thursday, 32 week per year thing, but I have no vacation time. I have two personal days per academic year, and I've used those for the past 7 years during the RoadTrip. I would have to spend two days driving down, one day of fishing, than two days driving home. Not gonna happen.

 

I can easily see a bunch of us having a couple of unofficial trips every year. We should keep that idea alive, and see what happens.

 

Chris, on a different note, you need to go trout fishing with us again.

I can easily see a bunch of us having a couple of unofficial trips every year. We should keep that idea alive, and see what happens.

Chris, on a different note, you need to go trout fishing with us again.

ABSOLUTELY! And yes I do......I'd love to go again.

Some up north might consider flying in and finding some empty seats.

Also, as Catt said.  The lake can be tough in windy conditions.  However it has launches just about everywhere around it so you can usually get out of the rough stuff by trailering to a different area.

well... unfortunately I'm not going to be able to attend this year either..  it is just too far for me to travel also.

I made the past 2 and they were the best fishing I've ever had.....not to mention it was great to meet everyone.  I had really looked forward to next year's trip....it is killing me...  Toledo Bend is one of The places I'd like to fish.... I just can't make it happen with the distance.

hopefully some of the guys closer in the Midwest put something together???  I'd be up for that.. heck, I'd make a weekend trip to fish a few times this summer if the offer is there...

well... unfortunately I'm not going to be able to attend this year either..  it is just too far for me to travel also.

I made the past 2 and they were the best fishing I've ever had.....not to mention it was great to meet everyone.  I had really looked forward to next year's trip....it is killing me...  Toledo Bend is one of The places I'd like to fish.... I just can't make it happen with the distance.

hopefully some of the guys closer in the Midwest put something together???  I'd be up for that.. heck, I'd make a weekend trip to fish a few times this summer if the offer is there...

Yeah, I'm in Indy, and that drive would destroy me.  It would be great to have an unofficial road trip here in the midwest sometime!  I think there are a lot of people here on B.R. that live in the midwest and would like to get together and fish!

Gonna miss the folks that can't make it.......but I understand.

 

We have kind of settled on not traveling anywhere on trip like this that we are unable to make in a day's drive. Unless there is another lake that we want to fish that would break the drive up (ie drive 7 hours to lake 1 and fish for a day....then proceed 12 hrs to lake b for destination fishing)

 

And with that being said......there will always be the possibility of an exception!

Gonna miss the folks that can't make it.......but I understand.

 

We have kind of settled on not traveling anywhere on trip like this that we are unable to make in a day's drive. Unless there is another lake that we want to fish that would break the drive up (ie drive 7 hours to lake 1 and fish for a day....then proceed 12 hrs to lake b for destination fishing)

 

And with that being said......there will always be the possibility of an exception!

 

 

 

I agree, wouldn't want to travel any farther than the Pickwick RT a couple years ago. That drive was a beating. That said, I have always wanted to do a southeastern tour and hit lakes from TX to FL and back. Figure I would need a few weeks off and a pretty good gas card to do this but I'll keep wishing!

Let me wet your whistle!

Wednesday 12/17/14

Lake level: 168.39' (172' normal pool)

Lake level over the last 15 days has been a constant 168.3'.

Surface temperatures 56-58 degrees

December finds most tournament trails in full swing on the Bend.

Top 5 stringers are running in the upper 20'

Winning stringers are running 30 to 45 lbs

Hands down the #1 lure for these big stringers is the Jig-N-Craw.

Texas Rigged Straight Tail Worm for numbers

Next comes Bill Norman's DLN & NXS

Housen'/6-Mile areas; outside grassline,, 12-20'

And pre-spawn aint here yet!

Geez...

 

Winning stringers are running 30 to 45 lbs

 

 

 

 

Let me wet your whistle!

Wednesday 12/17/14

Lake level: 168.39' (172' normal pool)

Lake level over the last 15 days has been a constant 168.3'.

Surface temperatures 56-58 degrees

December finds most tournament trails in full swing on the Bend.

Top 5 stringers are running in the upper 20'

Winning stringers are running 30 to 45 lbs

Hands down the #1 lure for these big stringers is the Jig-N-Craw.

Texas Rigged Straight Tail Worm for numbers

Next comes Bill Norman's DLN & NXS

Housen'/6-Mile areas; outside grassline,, 12-20'

And pre-spawn aint here yet!

I am getting excited !

Yeah, I'm in Indy, and that drive would destroy me.  It would be great to have an unofficial road trip here in the midwest sometime!  I think there are a lot of people here on B.R. that live in the midwest and would like to get together and fish!

Im from southwest ohio and would definitely be interested in this.