We topped 164' for 2 days in a row

Catt does Ann's still carry Reaction Lures? I haven't been to Ann's in years since i always go up 87 instead of 96 and i mainly do all my shopping online now.. Anyways i am giving away all my old plano 3700 boxes and replacing them with new ones and as i was going through them and i found an old box that had a few reaction lure baits in them and i forgot how great they were! Remember the old Gator dogs, gator pups, gator tubes ah those were great

Yea I still throw Gator Pups on occasion; I can remember is Ann's has them but Toledo Tackle might. 

Gator pup caught my personal best at the time TB bass, 8.5. It sure looked like a small snack for her in that big mouth!! The centipedes carolina rigged used to put fish in the boat too!!

Catt, when do the bass start their migration toward shallower water? Is it dependent on water temp, longer days, or some other factor like moon phase? Or all of the above?

Thanks,

Ronnie

When do the bass start their migration toward shallower water?

It's started already

Is it dependent on water temp, longer days, or some other factor like moon phase?

If I were to pick one trigger for pre-spawn/spawn it would be the gestation cycle of the eggs.

Alright im calling out all you "lurkers" out there!! i purposely put the views up to 128,300 earlier today to see how many would look at this thread but not interact! 92 of you! this is a great thread that Catt has done for us. Catt and Fishfordollars(R.I.P Jack you will be missed dearly around here) have shared so much info with us on this thread lets keep it going..

Okay im done ranting, Catt i also have to tell you that I am moving to my camp on The Bend and will be there everyday so we must go fishing sometime!

So ill start by asking will the staging areas differ a little bit this year going into the spawn with the lake down so much from last year? Some of the staging areas i did great on last year are only like a foot deep right now lol

report for the weekend.

Saturday, braved the cold to fish a club touney.  At launch  the temp was 26 degrees and water temp was 47.

Fishing was tuff and cold. Me and my fishing partner only  managed 3 keepers, weighing just under 8 pounds. Fish were caught on Jigs in 16-25 ft of water on ridges.

Sunday we headed out for a quick fish before heading home, and with the warmer weather, 38 at 7am, the fish were much more active.  We picked up 3 keepers before quitting at  930.  All fish were caught on a Main lake point.  Two keepers on traps, one on jig.  Biggest was 4lb.

Welcome C Rig glad to have you join the thread!! good report ill be moving to my camp this thursday hopefully ill have a report by sunday.. last time i was there which was about 3 weeks ago i did pretty well on traps and big worms, i tried dragging the jig around but they wanted the big worm instead

The timing your trips will be extremely important right now, bass can be up in 8' in the morning & 18' by evening or the other way around.

TBendBassin: Will the staging areas differ a little bit this year going into the spawn with the lake down so much from last year?

They would certainly have to, the questions are how far? How deep? Which way?

I havent been to Toledo since late September, but I hear the water level is as low or lower than it was then.  With all this low water, bass will definatly have to stage and spawn in different places than a normal year unless we get alot of rain for the next couple months.  With that being said, my question is what will fish spawn by this spring in low water?  I always catch spawners in the buckbrush and shallow grass and cypress trees, but these are all out of the equation this year.  Will they spawn on deeper flats, deeper grass, just old stick ups or what? 

Of coarse this low water would come a year after I found some prime spawning grounds for those big females.  I killed em last year, but am lost once again!

Catt,

The Acme Mapper has 5 (N 00.00000) numbers after the decimal in the lat/lon. On my handheld and boat mounted gps, the numbers are N 00 00 000/W 000 00 000.

Do you know the name of or how to change my hand held to correspond to the Acme Mapper?

Thanks,

Ronnie

Ronnie, look at Acme Mapper under options & you can change this setting

Bass_Fanatic, look at the same areas as last year & start you search at the same depths as last year. 

Catt and Fishfordollars(R.I.P Jack you will be missed dearly around here) have shared so much info with us on this thread lets keep it going..

Can someone tell me did I miss something with this line?  I haven't seen or heard anything to this regard, please advise.  piercedl910@comcast.net (txfisherman)

TBendBassin,

Sent you an IM

did something happen to jack?

did something happen to jack?

I was wondering the same thing.

Ronnie

:'( :'(

Jack pased away on Jan 18th

http://www.lairdfh.net/index.cfm

What a shocker.  Jack was a true gentleman.  I had the opportunity to meet him this past spring at the Toledo Bend get together.  He will be truly missed by all.  Our prayers and thoughts go out to his family.  :'(

Thank you Catt. I wasn't aware of this option.

I appreciate the help.

Ronnie

Thats sad about Jack. He will be missed. Never met him, but have read a lot of his posts.

G

What's how right now

New Vibra-Wedge by Stanley Jigs

½ oz - #303 Chart white w blue flash

DW - Double Willow

Blade combos: Nickel (N) Gold (G)

Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap ½ oz Red Chrome or Toledo Gold

Strike King Rage Lizard Watermelon Neon Texas rigged

Terry Oldham's Trailer Hitch Jig 3/8 oz #01 Black Blue

Trailer: Gene Larew 5 Biffle Craw Black Blue Sapphire; 1 cut off the tail

Catt,

Any reports north of the bridge?

Thanks for all the help.

Catt,

Any reports north of the bridge?

Thanks for all the help.

North end of the lake has been kind of quite which usually means their catching!

Rat-L-Traps & Spinner Baits for numbers and deeper water for size 

Forecast: Hemphill TX

Today: Sunny Hi 69 °F

Tonight: Mostly Clear Lo 41 °F

Saturday: Partly Sunny Hi 70 °F

Saturday: Night Showers Likely 60% Lo 50 °F

Sunday: Showers Likely 70% Hi 68 °F

Sunday Night: Slight Chance Rain 20% Lo 50 °F

Monday: Slight Chance Rain 20% Hi 66 °F

Monday Night: Showers Likely 60% Lo 48 °F

Tuesday: Showers Likely 60% Hi 58

Get ya rain coat & Rat-L-Traps out

Alright im calling out all you "lurkers" out there!! i purposely put the views up to 128,300 earlier today to see how many would look at this thread but not interact! 92 of you! this is a great thread that Catt has done for us. Catt and Fishfordollars(R.I.P Jack you will be missed dearly around here) have shared so much info with us on this thread lets keep it going..

Okay im done ranting, Catt i also have to tell you that I am moving to my camp on The Bend and will be there everyday so we must go fishing sometime!

So ill start by asking will the staging areas differ a little bit this year going into the spawn with the lake down so much from last year? Some of the staging areas i did great on last year are only like a foot deep right now lol

OK I have been gone for a little while while my boat has been down. What is up with Jack? Don't tell me he has passed. We were gonna go fishing together now that my boat will be up. We talked on the phone several times and he hooked me up with a very reputable engine guy in Houston area. VERY helpful guy.

After furthe r reading in this thread I see he has passed. That is a shocker and sure does put me in a diffeent mood. Dam. Godspeed Jack. RIP. I am picking up my motor today and when I go out I am gonna do what you told me to do.