Toledo Bend | TexAgs

1990AG

2:10p, 4/29/24

Live in GA now for 15 years, but headed back to East Texas to see my Mom and meet some buddies at TB for the weekend.

Wondering if anyone has any guidance on colors for plastics. I'll throw a crank bait for a minute but I'll spend most of the time throwing the C-Rig, Texas Rig or Wacky.

Found one report on TPWD that said lake water was stained so that helps a bit but hoping there are some fishermen on here.

CS78

3:12p, 4/29/24

Watermelon red is always the answer.

Gunny456

12:26a, 4/30/24

In reply to 1990AG

They had the TEXAS Oilmans Bass Invitation at Cypress Bend a couple of weeks ago. Guys did well with a white 3/8 oz. Berkeley Sloberknocker. Also dark blue flake Texas rig.
Lake was way down so be careful of timber. Stay in boat lanes to run.

1990AG

5:31a, 4/30/24

In reply to Gunny456

Thanks Gunny! Haven't fished it in 20 years so looking forward to being back

Gunny456

8:22a, 4/30/24

In reply to 1990AG

Hope you have lots of fun and catch lots of fish!

mandevilleag

1:56p, 4/30/24

My brother lives right on the lake. His report is a little different than Gunny's. I just talked to him, and the lake is way up - right at the bottom of his boat house, which is a little higher than full pool, and means they likely have all the gates open at the dam.

He fished last week and several in the 3-4lb range on an unweighted senko, "straight-hooked". He was using a watermelon red.

1990AG

2:25p, 4/30/24

In reply to mandevilleag

mandevilleag said:
My brother lives right on the lake. His report is a little different than Gunny's. I just talked to him, and the lake is way up - right at the bottom of his boat house, which is a little higher than full pool, and means they likely have all the gates open at the dam.

He fished last week and several in the 3-4lb range on an unweighted senko, "straight-hooked". He was using a watermelon red.

Thanks for that. I've never heard the term "straight hooked". Is that Texas Rigged versus wacky?

Gunny456

2:36p, 4/30/24

In reply to mandevilleag

The TOBI was March 14th. I guess they have had a lot of rain if it's full. OP sorry for the inaccurate info on lake levels.

mandevilleag

4:30p, 4/30/24

In reply to 1990AG

Yes, but with no weight.

Gunny, they have had a lot of rain. I was there the last weekend in March, and it was already coming up. April has had some pretty significant rain events.

Furlock Bones

4:32p, 4/30/24

watermelon red and Toledo Bend go together like peas and carrots.

Gunny456

4:33p, 4/30/24

Sgt. Hartman

7:31p, 4/30/24

Green pumpkin mag trick worm with chartreuse tail dip. Fish it on a c rig or on a shaky head.

Try a junebug fluke on the c rig also.

Rex Racer

8:20a, 5/1/24

My uncle used to take me to Toledo Bend fishing all the time. Man, I haven't been there in 30 years, I'll bet. Good memories!

Sgt. Hartman

8:52a, 5/1/24

I would also be on the lake early looking for white birds since it is the right time of the year for the shad spawn. You can throw anything at them (but white swim jig or white spinner bait probably best) if the shad spawn is on.

1990AG

10:06a, 5/1/24

Thanks everyone! $220 later, I have left Bass Pro Shops!!

I'll report back next week on the results

1990AG

10:06a, 5/1/24

Any tips for how to adjust targeting when the water is rising like it is now?

Sgt. Hartman

10:39a, 5/1/24

In reply to 1990AG

I am thinking the bass are spawned out and are transitioning to a summer pattern. Look for them on or near main lake points. If you can find a hump offshore near a spawning area I would drag a c rig across it. If you don't like muddy water I would fish the south end. 6 mile and Housen are supposed to have grass which would improve water clarity. But check for shad spawn at first light near the shoreline then fish offshore once the sun is up. Good luck and definitely report back. I will be fishing the McDonalds tournament on it in two weeks so any intel you could share would be appreciated.

1990AG

10:50a, 5/1/24

In reply to Sgt. Hartman

Will do Sarge! Thanks for the intel. We'll be there fri to mon

docb

2:48p, 5/1/24

In reply to CS78

CS78 said:
Watermelon red is always the answer.

Only if you can't find any blue fleck power worms

Rex Racer

2:55p, 5/1/24

My uncle always had good luck with "Plum Crazy".

1990AG

3:11p, 5/6/24

Ok gents…thanks for the intel! Im at IAH headed back to ATL so here goes!

4 boats 2 per boat

Stayed on the water just outside of Zwolle La and fished mostly North just above the bridge except for all day Saturday in Housin and 6 Mile.

Watermelon and Green Pumpkin Texas, C Rig both produced. Caught a few on white chatterbaits. Didn't fish cranks at all.

Caught a bunch of small fish. Big fish for the trip was 5.5. I lost one at the boat about that big also. Heard the FOM tourney was won with 12lbs on Saturday

Fished mostly main lake points into secondary points. Threw some docks and walls. Both gave up some fish but again nothing of size.

Found most fish in 12-18'.

Let the questions fly!

5-7-24 edit...went to find the tournament results from 5-4 on TB and cannot verify the above intel except to say the FOM tourney was on Rayburn that day...so...

Junction71

3:38p, 5/6/24

I fished and worked (TPWD) on TB for 31 years. If water stained consider purple, blue flake wacky large Zoom worm with a little chartreus dye on tip of worm. Also Baby or Magnum brush hog in same colors. But I always had the watermelom red flake worm or brush hog on another rod. The first tournament I fished on TB (with Jasper Bass Club in 1974-75 or so) was a cold (38-40 degrees), overcast January day and we tore the bass up in Hurricane Creek across from Housen Bay Marina using chrome, black back Bill Norman "Little N's". Man, living in Junction I've sure missed my big lake fishing but the South Llano River for Guadalupe Bass is sure nice.

Sgt. Hartman

5:30p, 5/6/24

In reply to 1990AG

No shad spawn early up shallow?

How was water clarity between north of bridge and south end?

1990AG

5:41p, 5/6/24

In reply to Sgt. Hartman

Shad were everywhere. We never had trouble finding shad. Heavy action shallow and many of the fish we caught were stuffed with them.

Water was stained.

Found a couple coves up north that were protected from the wind that were actually pretty clear

Wind was HOWLING both yesterday and today

Sgt. Hartman

9:01p, 5/6/24

In reply to 1990AG

Glad you caught a few. Funny thing about the wind is that it seems to howl every time I get a chance to fish. Makes it tough to fish off shore. I have fished while running the bilge because of waves coming over the bow but I am getting a little too old for that.

mandevilleag

9:44p, 5/6/24

In reply to 1990AG

My brother doesn't get out fishing much unless the weather's good. He sat on his boat dock Friday night and caught these.

eta Glad you had a good time despite the wind. I've caught quite a few fish in the back of Hurricane.

1990AG

6:56a, 5/7/24

Failed to mention that it looked like a Crappie festival out there. On one point I could have walked across the crappie guide boats. All of them killing it with 6 customers each crammed around the live scope!!

1990AG

8:48a, 5/7/24

In reply to Sgt. Hartman

Sgt. Hartman said:
Glad you caught a few. Funny thing about the wind is that it seems to howl every time I get a chance to fish. Makes it tough to fish off shore. I have fished while running the bilge because of waves coming over the bow but I am getting a little too old for that.

forgot to answer your grass question.

We found grass and shad in both Housin and 6 mile. Water was a bit clearer but still stained(remember, the wind was howling). Boats were stacked up doing just what we were, sitting in 20-30' of water and throwing back into 18-25' on points and humps. Again, we caught fish, but nothing of any size. I was throwing a Texas rig watermelon red Culprit and my BIL was throwing a C rig with an assortment of trick worms. he's better than me, but I was probably caught 2x his this trip.

on another note...we were on the dock Friday night and a local was fishing by using a Watermelon split tail fluke with no weight. He said he has been hammering em South on all sorts of baits but that he had just lost a good one in the front of our cove. He has a place on the North end.

hope some of that helps. Good luck in your tourney