Friday morning I met up with one of my ole tournament buddies who I hadn't fished with since 1978. We spent the morning hauling limbs, raking leaves, burning them & until around 3:00. Around 4:30 we decided it was to hot to fishing but we could take a boat ride so Charlie could get acquainted with the boat lane from the camp to we I wanted to fish. So we headed out from Little Lowe's Creek, we made it to the mouth of 6-mile some 1 1/2 from the camp when the lower unit went out. We were lucky to see another boat heading into 6-mile so we flagged the do and they agreed to tow us back to the camp.

Once back at the camp and call Charlie's nephew Brandon who owns the camp but lives over on big Lowe's Creek.  Brandon said no problem we could fish with him since his girl friend couldn't make it. Well after about 45 minutes we were at Brandon's house every thing loaded in his Tr21 Triton when the wind kicks up. To say the wind kicked up is putting it mildly because it was 15-20 mph straight out of the south and gusting.

Here's a little history note about our years of experience fishing Toledo Bend; Charlie: 39 years, Tommy: 35 years, & Brandon: 30 years. So that's 104 combined years experience of fishing this lake in every conceivable condition. I'm making this note to say between the 3 of us we could only manage 3 under size bass on Carolina Rigs in 4 ½ hours.

Here's the Miracle for the first time in 12+ years the Catt was skunked  :-[

Here's the Miracle for the first time in 12+ years the Catt was skunked :-[

Hey Catt, I could say it........but it'd be a lie........

Next time buddy, next time........

You can say it I'm a big boy  

What surprises me is that you don't have more days without a fish. I know you're after better bass which, for most guys, means fishless days. As long as I find a big one now and then, missing out on some smaller fish doesn't even come into play in my mind.

Still, one day every twelve years is remarkable. I guess you should have stayed out a little longer.   :

I do target big fish structure but there are small fish still present, if I had been in control of the boat I would have approached the windy condition but I was happy just to be out. While Charlie was upset about his motor breaking down I on the other hand was glad it broke where it did because it could have very easily waited until we were on my big fish spots which would have resulted in us possibly spending the night stuck in high winds on the main lake.

I am glad you got back safe. It is better to go fishless than CATTLESS ;D

12 years.......no skunks .  Very impressive.

Man you are one hell of a fisherman.

Keep in mind while I haven't been skunked on the Bend in 12 years I have been skunked on other lakes, not getting skunked on the Bend aint a big feat.

Look at the bright side, now you're really due!

Catt,  

    Any time I go out for a short day after work, its for relaxation, and any fish are bonuses.    Hard to call that a trip.

Hookem

Matt

Actually I conformed what I had thought all along, I was given the back set for a reason, so I could be front ended.  

Actually I conformed what I had thought all along, I was given the back set for a reason, so I could be front ended.  

In all honesty Catt I was really enjoying this thread right up until the last post.  You started off my saying how tough things were and showing some sympathy for an old friend.  being humbled once every 12 years should be viewed as a remarkable achievement and cause for celebration.  It would not have been beneath a large number of the members to actually have expressed gratitude for the experience. We need to remember that a lake is like a casino.  We play by it's rules.

a 12 year "winning" streak is incredible.  

To spoil a humbling yet ultimately gratifying experience with bitter conclusion of being "front ended" was a comment that surprised me Catt.  If I misread your intent then I sincerely apologize but the comment, as it appeared at face value, was completely beneath your usual level of integrity.  

You got skunked.  It happens.

There is no bitter conclusion; what you don't understand is the Lowe's Creek to Spring Hill area of the Bend is very target oriented and if your casts are not on target you'll have very little chance of getting bit. While there were 2 guys in the bow only 1 was getting the bites and that was the 1 running the trolling motor while positioning the boat. Had the weather permitted the boat to be positioned in a manner where all 3 anglers had access to the targets being fished the out come may have very well been different. Am I making excuses for being skunked absolutely not but I do understand this area of the lake and what is required to catch bass there and I also understand the odds were slightly stacked against me.

Avid I didn't mean I was intentionally front ended but rather for a lack of paying attention, while Brandon has 30 years experience on the Bend the majority has been alone. There are two ways to approach deep water structure during windy conditions; one is to approach from the down wind side and to stay on the trolling motor keeping the boat in position but this allows only the person in the bow access to the target area. The other approach is from the up wind side and to anchor in a position allowing greater access to the target area.

In Brandon's defense he is a tugboat captain so he is use to doing every things routinely (the same way every time), this and the fact he fishes alone is why he positioned the boat the way he did. At the time I didn't say any thing but days later it was realized the boat could have been positioned differently.