So Yall Want To Learn Toledo Bend?

[fishfordollars]

Beats me. I was 5800 rpm and everything began to shake. I shut off and restarted and everything seemed fine until I put it in gear. I trimed up and 2/3 of one blade was completely gone. I am sure I did not hit anything but maybe I damaged it on the last trip. That is the second time I have ever seen it happen. Had a friend in a Champion lose one on a 4 blade once back in the early 90s. Never thought I wouold see it again.

This prop had just come out of the prop shop and had been extensively repitched. It's over there now so they can take a look at it and see if it was stressed when they repitched it. It was a 22P and was now a 24.

[Catt]

I've seen one bent at a 90 degree from being pounded during a storm while we held on the boat as the waves lifted an 18' Champion over our heads and slammed it down.

That's a trip I surely not forget  

Ok guys any questions or suggestions?

[fishfordollars]

Catt, PM sent.

[Catt]

So I'll assume everyone understands the above perfectly since no one has asked a single question?  

[MARSH MASTER]

I wish this information could be more helpful to me here in the swampland. I did save this so I can use this on my road trips to toledo bend or any other lake that I might visit. It just sucks that everything I read on this site or on any magazine realy doesn't help me but I take it all in anyway. Thanx for the amazing thread.

[Catt]

I can talk marsh fishing since I grew up and still make a few trips a year to the marshes of Southwest Louisiana. This one along with 2 others over 10 pounds can out of Lacassine Wildlife Refuge.

[MARSH MASTER]

I usualy fish about 2 days a week trying to get better. I've been fishing since I was 4-5 with my father. I now fish alot of tournements down here. I'm trying to learn these fish but they seem to be the hardess to figure out. They are very unpredictable, they can be found in the strangest places at the strangest time.

I'm now coming upon the (to me) hardess part of the year and my tournament series is starting.

I can't cancel out any water right now becouse I have no idea were they could be.

It seems at times I can catch 100 fish in a day but right now they're very hard to come by.

[Catt]

Marshes are the most unpredictable bodies of water to fish bar none; due to their shallow nature they are affected by everything.

[fishfordollars]

I'm all for restarting this thread if anyone is interested.

[Catt]

I be ready  

[txbass1]

I'm in for this round!

[Wesley]

I have been away a while but I just read through the post and its all great information.

[fishfordollars]

We probably should wait for Ike to pass this weekend if we are going to revive this thread. Catt and I both may be on the move.

[Wesley]

I plan on hitting Toledo up this evening and tomorrow morning!

[Catt]

You can catch bass from 2' to 25' and you should try the following baits:

Spooks or Frogs

Spinner baits

Medium crank bait 8'-12'

Light Texas rig 12'-20'

Heavy Carolina rig for 18'-25'

DD22 for deep cranking

A drop shot 18' -25'  

[Wesley]

I got out yesterday and only caught a couple and those all shallow on frogs and a shakey head.

[Catt]

You gave us the what now how about the when and where?  

[Wesley]

Well if you take your Hook N line map and locate the pendleton Bridge.  Follow the west Bank north to Clear creek.   That whole area  is a shallow flat with grass and lilly pads.  There were some bass in the back of the creek chasing shad.  there were also some out on the point  of the creek.  

[Catt]

Ok guys fall is on the way so let's talk creeks, someone pick one  

[fishfordollars]

Ok guys fall is on the way so let's talk creeks, someone pick one

Negreet,

Six Mile

Tenaha

Any of the above

[Catt]

Negreet excellent choice since that is where I cut my fall & winter teeth but more precisely Salter Creek and the back third of Negreet.

There are a couple of things to me that defines early fall fishing is mouths creek channel coves and the points associated with them. If one were to look at the map of Negreet one thing should pop into mind immediately and that would be the number of mouths creek channel coves and the points associated with them. I count eleven creek channel coves that would give me 2 points for each creek channel or 22 points but try adding the points associated with Negreet Creek itself; staggering isn't it?

Here's the first test! Where would you start and why?

[Pigsticker]

I do not know if I can play but I have been following this thread from the start, it is so interesting to watch you guys dissect this lake.

I have looked at a map and I would fish the most exposed(to wind) points or the downwind points first. That is just my instinct I have always liked fishing the wind blown sections of a lake in fall it seems more productive. I also like the southern side of these coves where there is alot of boat docks and rock croppings(near those two islands), I would spend some time there fishing all those creek mouths then work the offshore croppings/islands.  I hope this is an acceptable approach.

[fishfordollars]

This early in the year I will concentrate on the outter 1/2 of Negreet paying attention to the points on either side of each creek working my way back into the bay. I would target the points on the south side of Tennesse bay as they are the closest to the main river and work my way back. The flat on the south side of the mouth of Negreet has produced some good stringers for me in the past. Just work your way down the side of the flat into the first creek you come to with plastics and cranks. I have fished Salter twice in my liketime and only once did it produce for me. that comes from a lack of knowledge and experience in that area. The better results for me have come fishing the submerged points and creek channels on the northern side. There are a lot of them off the bank in the deeper water up and down that area all the way to Salter. This is the area I would concetrate on.

[Pigsticker]

Oh forgot to say what I would throw

Six inch senko watermelon black flake t-rigged with a 3/16 oz weight

T-rigged fluke 1/8 oz weight

Small White/silver swimbait/swim senko 1/4 oz weight

[Catt]

Excellent choices from someone who doesn't know the lake & someone who does; y'all both make me get my map out.

Anyone else?