• Fishing Tips, The Lead

• Southern anglers can capitalize now as crappies are aggregating and settling in for the winter.

By Noel Vick

Muskegon, MI – Boats are fewer and farther between. The oftentimes obnoxious manmade waves produced by recreational boaters are largely gone. Some sun on your back feels good again. And above all, crappies can be easy to pattern and catchable in the right zones with precision presentations.

A crappie’s preferred temperature range is 55- to 75-degree, give or take a few points. And if you’re launching in the southeast, south, or south central states, you’re in that window right now.  

A clutch of southern crappies often consists of blacks and whites – white crappies usually being predominant. To that, especially in fall and winter, they’re intermixed with bream – bluegills, greens, longears, and redears, so it can be a busy bite.

The south is reservoir country – largely, rivers dammed from the 1940’s through the 70’s to produce hydroelectric power. The bountiful byproduct being the creation of expansive reservoirs numbering in the hundreds.

Crappies flourish in many of these reservoirs. The flooding of valleys, even farms and towns, via the damming produced astonishing and varied habitat. Left on the bottom were standing trees, brush, buildings, rock formations, and roads. Over the years, much of the standing timber and brush have broken down, but the rock structure and some roadbeds remain. Moreover, replacement brushpiles are continuously being added by local fishing organizations and ambitious anglers. And these brushpiles are the linchpin for fall and winter crappies.

Historically, the best brushpiles are associated with creek channels. Creeks became submerged channels when the reservoirs were formed. Their beginnings are easily spied on a terrestrial topographical map, too, areas where valleys taper into what’s now an arm of the reservoir. Switch to a topographical reservoir/lake map – paper or digital, and you’ll see the deeper, carved out creek channels meander into the basin.

These arms and associated creek channels are the best areas to begin your quest. For one, you have a natural edge, a break, that fish and forage of all stripes utilize. Secondly, if the original brush has deteriorated, oftentimes the replacement brushpile build-ups have been placed within or along the creek channels.

An inside-out exploration of the arm and creek channel is recommended. Start by checking brushpiles in the 10- to 20-foot range nearest the back of the arm. If you have previously pinpointed and logged brushpiles, approach slowly and make long casts. Motoring over them and probing with electronics can blow fish out or send them deep into the brush. But rest assured, they’ll reposition if it’s a favored haunt. Just give it a rest.

Said resting period is also important when you discover a new brushpile. In shallower water, there’s a strong chance the crappies bugged out before you passed overhead. So, log it in your electronics and come back later. Old-school markers still work, too. Chuck out a jug and let things resolve a bit before fishing. Multiple markers are effective for physically mapping a larger brushpile. Toss a few around the perimeter so you don’t inadvertently cross back over the top. Having a visual reference of a brushpile’s shape and size lets you maximize every cast.  

If the shallower brushpiles aren’t producing, continue searching deeper along the creek channel. Finding fish in 30- and 40-feet of water in the fall and winter isn’t rare. Plus, deeper crappies are less easily spooked. And as a rule of thumb, the higher crappies stage on a given brushpile, the more active they are. In the best case scenario, they’re milling overtop it. 

The last word on brushpiles associated with creek channels is locating ones on channel turns. These curves are natural fish aggregators. Typically, too, they’re associated with a steeper break, which as mentioned earlier, is preferred by panfish. 

Note, too, that we’re in drawdown season. The water levels in most reservoirs are lowered in the fall. One reason is to expose overgrown aquatic vegetation – especially invasives – and kill or reduce them. Drawdowns also afford wintertime shoreline cleanups and give operators an opportunity to make dam repairs. But the most consequential reason is to prepare for spring thaws and rains to reduce the chance of flooding.  

Why are drawdowns important to you as an angler? Because a brushpile you marked in 20-feet over the summer might be sticking out of the water in November. 

TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

Finding fish is first, followed by weaponizing yourself with jigs for casting and vertical fishing lures, and maybe live bait and slip-bobbers. (More on floats in a bit.)

Jigs are to crappies what popcorn is to movies. Any crappie angler worth a salt carries an armory of them. And for brushpile maneuvers, you want a mix of slow fallers and depth charges. And, when fish are high above the wood or working the flanks, nothing beats a naked feathered jig.  

Bait shop shelves are juiced with options, from locally tied nuggets to universally loved offerings. Fishing what the locals use is a sagely start. Nearby tyers know what sizes and colors trip triggers. And, running a few local makes through the cash register is good for small businesses and can open the door to insider information.

From the widely available realm, consider Northland Fishing Tackle’s Fire-Fly Jig and the original Flu Flu feathered jig. Both are reliable fish catching machines and available in an array of colors. With Northland Fire-Fly Jigs, proven patterns include Parakeet – especially if bream are in the mix – and the ‘ol reliable Pink/White.  

The magic of a feathered jig is its seductively slow fall and natural looks. Aggressive jigging is not required, either. Fling it out there and let the jig fall on a somewhat tight line, telegraphing any interceptions, which can range from a slight tick to a pull, or even stopping in its tracks – a fish rising to gobble. Line management is required or risk missing bites.  

1/16^th-ounce jigs are the benchmark in most brushpile situations. Lighter, and casting distance suffers. Heavier, and it drops too rapidly. 

Tungsten is timely, too. The dense, eco-friendly metal lets you fish smaller sizes with the equivalent weight of lead. Meaning, a 1/16^th-ounce tungsten jig is smaller than its lead counterpart. Northland’s Tungsten Crappie King Fly sets the bar in tungsten hair jigs. Crappie craving colors include Super-Glo Pinky and Olive, which is one of the coolest panfish producers to come around in a long time.  

Vertical swimming jigs are crackerjack in 20-ish feet and beyond, or anytime you can hover over the fish without disturbing them. These are the baitfish-shaped, horizontal aquanauts that are widely employed in the north for walleyes and multispecies through the ice. They are lights-out on reservoir crappies, too, and should be part of your assortment. 

The gold standard for decades has been Rapala’s Jigging Rap. The W2 (1 ¼-inch) and W3 (1 ½-inch) sizes being ideal for panfish. In clear conditions, consider the Bluegill and Rainbow Trout patterns. Go to Glow Green Tiger and Green Tiger UV when it’s murkier. Northland’s 1/8-ounce Puppet Minnow is another contender. 

Working a swimming jig is simple and highly entertaining with electronics, you monitoring the action in real-time. Drop it down a couple feet above marked fish and start popping. The lure’s shape and fins cause it to swing and swim with each motion. Crappies tend to take it on the fall. Sometimes, tiny twitches or even a full stall will do the trick. These are best fished on light braided line with a fluorocarbon leader to get the full feel. 

Seldom is live bait necessary if you’re sporting hair jigs and swimming jigs. But if bait breeds confidence, carry a scoop of local run minnows, sized as suggested by bait shop staffers.

Now, it’s slip-bobber time. A fixed cork won’t cut it at these depths. A slip-bobber with its line-tie/knot lets you adjust to any depth. There are plenty of videos on YouTube if you’ve never worked one. Also, most online tackle sources sell kits that come with the slip-bobber, beads, and knots. A #6 or #4 hook and split-shot (bobber straight and balanced but not submerged by the weight) is all you need on the business end.

For southern anglers, there’s no reason to mothball your boat like they do to the north. Take advantage of those warmer and calmer times to chase crappies. The ducks and bucks likely took the day off anyway. 

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About Whitewater

Whitewater performance fishing apparel gives anglers distinct advantages whenever Mother Nature’s unpredictability conspires to ruin angling adventures. Whether faced with wind, rain, snow, sun, or extreme temperatures, Whitewater apparel equips anglers with the ability and confidence to overcome the elements, so they apply their focus and energies on fighting fish, not the conditions. Whitewater is a brand by Nexus Outdoors, headquartered in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. Learn more and order at whitewaterfish.com.

• GEAR, THE LEAD

Get Your Hands On The Best New Rod & Reel Systems For Bass

• By The Fishing Wire

Voted Best Rod & Reel Combo at ICAST 2024 just two weeks ago, all-new St. Croix GXR Bass Systems are available to elevate bass-fishing experiences starting August 1. St Croix rods are my favorite rods.

Park Falls, WI – St. Croix Rod exists to give every angler the upper hand on the water with over 800 fishing rod models, engineered and handcrafted to deliver excellence in any fishing technique or presentation.

One year ago, the 76-year-old privately-owned American company introduced SEVIIN Reels, a new brand established with the goal of creating the most dependable reels available, so anglers can enjoy fishing more and worry less.
 
Today, St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels announce the availability of St. Croix GXR Bass Systems – a carefully curated collection of eight high-performance technique-focused St. Croix rods, precision-matched and balanced with smooth and dependable complimentary SEVIIN GXR casting and spinning reels. Voted best new rod and reel combo by fishing tackle retailers and media members at ICAST 2024, GXR is the first and only off-the-rack precision-matched rod and reel system to combine St. Croix performance and SEVIIN reliability. Four casting models and four spinning models are available at an angler-friendly retail price of $200 to $225. Two-piece GXR models are also available.

GXR begins with a proven St. Croix performance platform – crisp, strong, and responsive SCII carbon-fiber blanks mated to lightweight and durable hybrid stainless-steel guide trains that promote exceptional balance and reliable performance with all line types. Handles are an angler-preferred traditional split-grip design with premium cork grips, blank-through nylon reel seats, and black stainless-steel and nylon hoods. “GXR casting and spinning rod share DNA with several of our most popular bass series, including Bass X and our retired (previous generation) Mojo Bass rods,” says St. Croix Brand Manager, Ryan Teach. “These are proven, technique-optimized rod platforms that fish light with surprising power and exceptional balance.”
 
A 7’1” medium-heavy power, fast action ALL AROUND model is available in both GXR casting (GXRC71MHF) and spinning (GXRS71MHF). It’s a rod that can do about anything well, from skipping docks to swimbaits to jigs, flukes, topwaters, and more.

On the casting side, a 7’2” heavy power, moderate action REACTION BAIT model (GXRC72HM) provides a parabolic design optimized for crankbaits, chatterbaits, and other swimming lures, while a 7’4” heavy power, fast action FROG & FLIP (GXRC74HF) is the GXR model anglers will want to have in their hands when pitching, flipping, frogging, or fishing other lures in and around heavy cover.

Two additional spinning models round out GXR’s technique-optimized lineup. A 6’10” medium-light power, extra-fast action FINESSE (GXRS610MLXF) is optimized for light-line applications such as drop-shotting, as well as presenting Ned rigs, downsized creature baits, and smaller hair jigs. An additional 7’1” medium power, fast action STICK BAIT spinning model (GXRS71MF) excels in presenting wacky rigs, light Texas rigs, shaking minnows, heavier Ned rigs, and more.
 
Finally, Teach says GXR’s appeal is further widened by the availability of a pair of two-piece models. “Because not every bass rod lives on the deck of a bass boat full time, two-piece bass rods are trending,” Teach says. “GXR gives bass anglers two-piece convenience for travel and storage and one-piece performance in the unique GXRC71MHF2-C (ALL AROUND) and GXRS71MF2-C (STICK BAIT) models.”
 
SEVIIN designed complimentary GXR casting and GXR spinning reels from a blank canvas to balance and enhance the performance of these technique-optimized GXR rods. “The goal was to create a new series of bass-fishing systems for anglers of all levels that are ready to fish with heightened St. Croix performance and SEVIIN castability and reliability,” says SEVIIN Reels Product Manager, Robert Woods. The SEVIIN and St. Croix Product Teams worked together to create a series of hard-core bass rod-and-reel combinations with wide appeal and performance that exceeds their retail price, fully backed by St. Croix and SEVIIN warranties and customer service.”

SEVIIN GXR casting reels are crafted on a compact, 100-size lightweight graphite frame. Castability and operation are enhanced by anodized aluminum spools with Japanese stainless-steel spool bearings, magnetic cast control, and 6+1 stainless-steel bearings that support key moving parts. Strong and exceptionally smooth drag comes from a carbon fiber and stainless-steel drag stack, while a versatile 7.3:1 retrieve ratio provides optimal performance in a wide variety of bass presentations.

Lightweight and strong SEVIIN GXR spinning reels feature 3000-size carbon fiber bodies and rotors with anodized and ported aluminum spools. 8+1 stainless steel bearings yield silky-smooth operation, while a carbon fiber and stainless-steel drag stack ensures slick, consistent, and reliable drag performance in all conditions at all settings.
 
St. Croix GXR Bass Systems Features
 
•  Precision-matched high-performance rod and reel systems (4 casting and 4 spinning), optimized for popular, technique-specific bass presentations
•  Premium SCII carbon fiber blanks with FRS (Fortified Resin System) for increased flexural strength with reduced weight
•  Lightweight, black stainless-steel guides with aluminum-oxide rings for reliable performance with all line types
•  Traditional split-grip premium-grade cork handles with premium EVA accents
•  Nylon reel seat with black stainless-steel hood and nylon and stainless-steel locking nut
•  5-year rod warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
•  100-size SEVIIN GXR casting reels feature 6+1 bearings, durable and lightweight graphite frames, aluminum spools and accents, high-performance carbon fiber + stainless-steel drag stacks, soft-touch rubber paddles, and versatile 7.3:1 gearing.
•  3000-size SEVIIN GXR spinning  reels feature 8+1 bearings, lightweight and rigid carbon fiber bodies and rotors, ported aluminum spools, high-performance carbon fiber + stainless-steel drag stacks, premium EVA paddle, and versatile 5.1:1 gearing.
•  1-year reel warranty backed by SEVIIN
•  Designed in Park Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
•  Retail price $200 to $220

St. Croix GXR Bass Systems Models
 
•  GXRC71MHF-C / ALL AROUND – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action, casting / Retail $210
•  GXRC71MHF2-C / ALL AROUND 2 – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action, 2-piece casting / Retail $225
•  GXRC72HM-C / REACTION BAIT – 7’2”, heavy power, moderate action, casting / Retail $210
•  GXRC74HF-C / FROG & FLIP – 7’4”, heavy power, fast action, casting / Retail $210
•  GXRS610MLXF-C / FINESSE – 6’10”, medium-light power, extra-fast action, spinning / Retail $200
•  GXRS71MF-C / STICK BAIT – 7’1”, medium power, fast action, spinning / Retail $200
•  GXRS71MF2-C / STICK BAIT 2 – 7’1”, medium power, fast action, 2-piece spinning / Retail $220
•  GXRS71MHF-C / ALL AROUND – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action, spinning / Retail $200

Put simply, GXR Bass Systems are the right tools for the job – a collection of premium, technique-optimized rod-and-reel combinations designed and crafted to give bass anglers of all levels a series of synergized tools that move them forward towards new wins on the water, including more and bigger bass, and more exceptional fishing moments and memories. Embodying trusted St. Croix performance and SEVIIN reliability… right off the rack… all-new GXR Bass Systems are available at St. Croix dealers and online at stcroixrods.com starting today, August 1, 2024.

Interested in becoming a St. Croix Dealer? Email dealersupport@stcroixrods.com.

#stcroixrods

About St. Croix Rod

Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Best Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST CAD DETAILSHave a Great Weekend! We Hope to See You Next Saturday, June 22 at Customer Appreciation Day!In-person or online, CAD is a win for anglers and fishing families2024 CAD Rod & Combo Deals – Available In-Person & OnlineOver 40% off original retail pricing on Tundra Series ice rods!40% of original retail pricing on select retired Avid spinning rods!Flat $75 pricing on all retired Mojo Bass and Mojo Bass Glass rods!Flat $60 pricing on all Retired Bass X rods!50% off original retail pricing on retired Avid Inshore VIC70MHF casting rods!50% off original retail pricing on limited quantities of Legend Xtreme International rods!50% off original retail pricing on special 75th Anniversary Edition Legend Elite casting rods!25% off already discounted in-stock B-Stock rods!Flat $125 pricing on select Retired Mojo Bass casting combos!Flat $150 pricing on select Retired Mojo Bass spinning combos!Flat $175-$195 pricing on select retired Avid Inshore spinning combos!Buy a SEVIIN GF casting reel at original retail price and get a select retired Mojo Bass B-Stock casting rod for $50!Buy a select Panfish Series spinning rod (current series) at original retail price and get a FREE Daiwa QC750 spinning reel! 2024 CAD Apparel Deals – Available In-Person & OnlineLimited-Edition CAD Caps just $10Limited-Edition CAD Tees $10 and $20Limited-Edition CAD Hoodies under $40Other St. Croix and Stormy Kromer Apparel 20% to 50% off2024 CAD Tackle and Lure Deals – Available In-Person & OnlineIncredible deals on a wide variety of luresFree line and line winding on all reel and combo purchasesNew CAD deals are being added daily! FREE shipping for orders over $50 inside the Continental US. Special additional deals are available for in-person CAD attendees.CAD Fishing Seminars – Available In-Person and OnlineAll seminars livestreamed on Facebook and YouTubeFREE Johnsonville Lunch!We’re always working to deliver our anglers the upper hand, and a full stomach! Our friends from Johnsonville will be here to help celebrate our anglers with premium Johnsonville brats and hot dogs! In-person only.Plan Your Trip and Stay Up to Date Anglers can learn more and stay up to date with St. Croix’s 2024 Customer Appreciation Day event by following St. Croix on Facebook and Instagram, or by checking back regularly at stcroixrods.com.Let us know you are coming in person! Pre-Register HERE. For all kinds of great ideas, information, and assistance in planning your travel to Northern Wisconsin, visit the Travel Wisconsin website.

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 One of the perks of traveling around Georgia and Alabama doing research for my Map of the Month articles is exploring places to eat.  Many of the places I eat are memorable, most for the good food, some not so much. And a couple literally gave me a stomachache.

    I love to cook and most food I cook at home is better than what I can get in restaurants.  I never look for a steak, pork chops, Italian, or any kind of country cooking since that is what I cook at home.  And my fried bass filets are good enough I won’t eat fried fish in a restaurant. 

But I don’t do fried seafood very well and I love fried scallops, so I seek them out.  My second choice, usually easier to find, is fried shrimp.

    I am seldom in a big city, so I eat in small towns and around the lake.  And after driving several hours to get there, I don’t want to go too far for food the first day. After spending the next day on the water getting information, I really do not want to drive far that night.

Often, small hole-in the-wall type places turn out surprisingly good. And some of them have interesting histories and backgrounds.  A few years ago, when at Logan Martin Lake near Pell City Alabama, I found “The Ark,” a little nothing looking place with a very rustic interior just off the Riverside City exit on I-20.

When I walked in I was greeted by my kind of people, with accents like mine. The wood paneling was dark from years of food frying in the kitchen, and the walls were decorated with racing memorabilia. Riverside is not many miles for Talladega and many famous stock car drivers have eaten at The Ark, most loving the catfish if their autographs are any indication.

The back of the menu tells the story of “The Ark.”  Back in the early 1900s most of the counties in that area were “dry” meaning you could not buy alcohol legally. This was long before the lakes were built and the Coosa River itself was the county line of the two counties there, but they considered the edge of the rive the county line.  So, the river itself was not under the jurisdiction of either counties’ law enforcement.

E. O “Red” Thompson, being an enterprising young man, bought an old barge and anchored it in the river about 30 feet from the bank.  He made a four-foot wide walkway to it and provided tie-ups for locals with boats to access the bar onboard.

A salvaged sign from that old bar said “Beer 15 cents” and “All the catfish and hushpuppies you can eat, 60 cents.”  Apparently, many folks had “fun” there, eating catfish and drinking their favorite beverages that were illegal on the nearby bank, all during prohibition and the roaring 20s.

 The original Ark burned and by then laws were more liberal, so Red build a restaurant on the bank near the road.  It too burned a long time ago, but the current restaurant was built across the highway.  No dates were given, but I would guess sometime in the 1950s.

Catfish is the staple on the menu, but you can get everything from chicken livers to frog legs. The jumbo shrimp I got that first night were exceptional, very lightly battered and fried to perfection.  The cup of gumbo started the meal just right and I loved the hushpuppies served with it.

Every time I am at Logan Martin for an article, I stay at a motel about five minutes from The Ark and have eaten there several times. Last summer the Potato Creek Bass Masters fished our July tournament there and I camped about 15 minutes away for a week, driving up two nights to splurge at The Ark.

Monday I drove over to Childersburg on Lay Lake, the next lake downstream on the Coosa River.  I checked and my GPS said I was 30 miles and 45 minutes from The Ark. After the miserable three hours drive in the rain, I just could not make myself do that, so I went to “La Parrilla,” a Mexican restaurant across the street from my motel.

It was a nice surprise, with bright fresh paint, excellent service and even better food.  I thought it must be new but one of my waiters said they had been there 14 years. I had my favorite, chili rellenos, and they were as good as I have eaten.

After a rainy day of fishing Tuesday, I just had to drive up to The Ark Tuesday night for dinner. As expected, it was well worth the drive and the cup of gumbo and dozen big butterflied shrimp stuffed me just right.

“Baby its cold outside!”  For some reason that song keeps going through my mind.  Temperatures in the low 20s are not usual here, thank goodness! But when they hit, unusual problems pop up.

    The pressure switch on my well will freeze if the temperature stays in the low 20s overnight.  A heat lamp on it solves the problem, if I remember to turn it on!  Outside faucets will freeze.  I have “freeze proof” faucets on the outside of my house, but I found out a couple of years ago they will freeze if you leave a hose attached!

    Many houses are like mine, with heat pumps to warm them.  But a heat pump can’t get enough heat out of air in the low 20s, so they switch to either gas or electric strip to produce heat.  Problem is, the relay that tells it to switch over can go out, and you won’t know it is bad until it doesn’t work on a cold night!

    Farmers have an especially tough time in bad weather like Texas had this week.  Taking care of livestock and other farm animals is miserable for the farmer but can be deadly for the animals if not done.

    Every winter when I was growing up seemed to produce a few days when the temperatures didn’t get above freezing.  Our 11,000 laying hens didn’t stop eating, drinking or laying eggs. 

    We had seven chicken houses.  The older four were wide, open structures with shavings on the floor.  Nests were attached to the inside of the walls and filled with shavings.  Food troughs had to be filled with five-gallon buckets of food brought from the big bin twice a day 

A trough ran the length of each house.  Water ran very slowly into one end. At the other a drain kept it from overflowing. The pipe nipple had to be pulled from the drain and the trough flushed out every day, chickens don’t know not to poop where they drink!

That water trough would sometimes freeze overnight so we would have to break the ice out by hand so fresh water would be available to the birds.  I hated that wet, messy job.

The other three houses were modern, with cages along the inside walls of narrow houses.  A small trough for water ran the length of the house, and it had to be cleaned, too.  A bigger trough was filled with a motorized cart that augured it into the trough, much easier than carrying buckets!

On very cold days and nights, we had to gather the eggs every hour to keep them from freezing.  The caged chickens’ eggs rolled out onto a wire shelf, so they froze fast. Even the ones in the old houses nests would freeze since the chickens didn’t stay on them after laying them.

With that many chickens, gathering the eggs hourly was never-ending. By the time we made a circuit of all the houses, it was time to start over!

Now, the only time I have to go out in miserable weather is to go fishing. But for some reason, eight hours in a boat is not unbearable, no matter how bad it gets!

…

Last Sunday 21 member of the Potato Creek Bassmasters fished our February tournament at West Point. After eight hours of casting we brought 58 keeper bass weighing about 138 pounds to the scales. There were eight five-fish limits and five people didn’t catch a keeper fish.

I won with five weighing 15.50 pounds and Jamie Beasley was an extremely close second with five at 15.48 pounds. Evan Skipper placed third with five weighing 13.31 pounds, fourth was Lee Hancock with five at 12.80 and Buddy Laster had big fish with a 5.97 pound largemouth.

I was very happy to see so many largemouth, and such good size.  There were two over five pounds each, I had a 5.85 pounder for second biggest fish. And there were two more weighing just under five pounds each.

Spotted bass usually make up the majority of our catches at West Point. They are more aggressive and more active, especially in cold water, and tend to displace largemouth.

We took off at 7:00 in the misty rain and it was cold.  I ran about ten minutes to a point I like this time of year and the water was stained but not muddy and 47 degrees there.  Cold but not terrible.

My rule of thumb is if the water is 50 degrees or warmer, I have a good chance of catching a bass.  If it is between 45 and 50 I may catch one. Below 45 degrees is pretty hopeless in my mind, so it was borderline.

I started with a spinnerbait then a crankbait.  As I fished around the point to the next one, I switched between those two and cast a jig and pig to any wood I came to in the water.  At about 8:00 I was going around a sandy point casting my spinnerbait when a two-pound spot hit about halfway to the boat. At least I would not zero.

By now the wind had gotten up on the points I was fishing so I went into a cove that was protected from the wind. My hands were freezing!   

The bank going into the cove looks good and sets up right for this time of year, but although I have fished it several times I have never caught a fish there.  But I caught my three biggest fish there, the five pound largemouth, a three pound largemouth and a 2.5 pound largemouth!

At 10:00 I went to a rocky main lake point and caught another two-pound spot to fill my limit. I did not get a bite after 10:30. Some days everything just seems to work out.

Weights Could Amaze During Bassmaster Elite Series Opener At Toledo Bend Reservoir

• By The Fishing Wire

Many, LA — The Bassmaster Elite Series will make its much-anticipated return to historic Toledo Bend Reservoir at the perfect time of the year to catch giant bass and record-setting bags, according to Louisiana pro Darold Gleason.

“I’d be more surprised if they didn’t break 100 pounds than if they did,” said Gleason, a Toledo Bend guide and a Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite Qualifier. “The fishery is just too good. This time of the year, our fish weigh more and are bigger than they will be all year. They are full prespawn. I personally think it will happen if they get the right weather conditions. There should be several bass over 10 pounds.”

Tournament days for the Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend are scheduled for Feb. 22-25 with daily takeoffs at 7 a.m. CT from Cypress Bend Park and weigh-ins back at the park each day at 3 p.m. All pros will compete the first two days before the field is cut to 50 for Semifinal Saturday. Then, the Top 10 anglers will duke it out on Championship Sunday for a chance at $100,000 and a coveted blue trophy. 

It’s been seven years since the Elite Series last visited the massive reservoir on the Louisiana/Texas border, an event won by John Murray with a four-day total of 77-10. After several perceived down years, the Opens returned to Toledo Bend in April 2023 where Ben Milliken showed the true potential of the lake with a three-day tally of 77-14. 

Throughout 2023, giant bass were caught on Toledo Bend, with multiple 40-pound bags brought to the scales in events, as well as plenty of lunker-class bass. The fishing has remained strong this winter as well, and Gleason noted grass is starting to show up in several areas.

“The fish are good and healthy,” he said. “We are starting to see some grass pop up in popular areas of the lake, and there are tons of baitfish and bream in there right now. Tournament weights have been really good. It should be one of the higher-weight events of the year.” 

Water levels were low most of the winter until a major rainstorm moved through several weeks ago. The lake has since stabilized, and Gleason doesn’t anticipate any drastic changes unless another major weather event rolls through.

Warming temperatures leading up to the tournament will create multiple opportunities for anglers to catch a winning bag. At the time of this writing, water temperatures were already in the high 50s. 

What’s more, Gleason believes the entire lake will play.

“What you end up with is a really interesting tournament on Toledo Bend. They are very diverse,” Gleason said. “With it being such a big fishery and with it being in February, guys can literally fish to their strengths. Guys can catch them out deep with LiveScope, and there will also be lots of activity near the bank.”

Much of the focus will be around prespawn staging areas. Gleason believes there’s a good chance the first wave of spawners will be wanting to make their way to the bank. The key to that bite will be finding the hydrilla that has made a comeback the last two years. ChatterBaits and Rat-L-Traps will be important lures.

“We have some deep grass this year as well. It’s 12 feet deep in places,” Gleason said. “We have some other grass, but deep hydrilla is the deal. It seems to me that a lot of times the grass fish feed on bream and seem a little healthier and bigger.”

There will also be plenty of opportunities for anglers to capitalize on a deep bite. The lake has tons of standing timber and hard bottom around creek channels, and Gleason thinks forward-facing sonar will play a big role in catching those bass. Jerkbaits and Damiki-style rigs will be popular choices, as well as jigs. 

Whether deep or shallow, Gleason believes if someone can get on something and keep it to themselves, they have a chance at having a special tournament. 

“I’m talking about 35-pound bags and stuff like that,” he said. “It is hard to find that special stuff, and you have to be fortunate to fish it effectively for several days in a row.”

As with many tournaments this time of year, the wind speed and direction will determine just how good the fishing will be. If there is a strong north or south wind, Toledo Bend gets rough in a hurry, which will make navigation nearly impossible in some cases.

“All of us who have fished there throughout the years have had tournaments where it was like, ‘If we could have only gotten to where we wanted to fish.’ There are literally some days you can’t fish it,” Gleason said. 

Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com all four days, and coverage will also be available on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday. 

Those wanting to attend will be able to enjoy the “B.A.S.S. on the ’Bend” festival on Saturday and Sunday at Cypress Bend Park before weigh-in. The festival will feature live music and many local vendors.

The event is being hosted by Toledo Bend Lake Country and the Louisiana Office and Tourism.

2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors.