January can be one of the toughest months of the year to catch bass on Toledo Bend Lake. I recently talked with Greg Craft (936-368-7151, www.toledo-bend.net/toledobend) about how to fish Toledo Bend next month.
“When that water starts getting down in the low 50s, high 40s it’s going to push the bass down into deeper water,” said Craft, “and they are going to get sluggish.
“Up on the north end of the lake we are going to be fishing the drops that fall off into either the river channel or the creeks that drop off to deep water. The fish can move up and down the vertical plane, depending on the weather fronts.”
In January Craft will primarily be fishing jigs. Good colors are black/blue or brown/gold. A vertically jigged slab spoon can produce fish. Don’t forget to downsize the size of your bait and fish extremely slow.
Craft is keying on structure on the drops. “I’m looking for usually some kind of cover that the fish can relate to. We have a million tree stumps. The fish will typically be in the maze of roots and hunker up in them. We’re not fishing grass or anything like that. I start off on the ledge, maybe 8-10 ft of water, pop the jig, and let it fall down the ledge. I’m not throwing any bait that the fish are going to have to chase.”
Craft likes a 1/2 ounce jig with a soft plastic trailer. “If the water is stained, I will go with the brown/orange color. In the wintertime I’m going more with the dark colors.”
Electronics…
At this time of the year, Electronics are a key tool for the angler. “The side scan on the electronics is probably the best tool you can use. Cruise up and down on the river or creek channel. Use the side scan to locate cover and spot your fish. Typically you won’t find the bass on the straight-aways. You usually are going to find them in a bend or turn. You may be running the river and it looks like a straight run, but if you are watching your electronics, you will see some underwater points, ledges that drop off into the channel. Those are the kind of things you want to concentrate on.”
Artificial scents…
“Anything that you can put on your bait to help the fish hold on to the bait without spitting it out is a great help.” Craft likes the garlic scent best.
At times he will switch off to soft plastics. He prefers the Carolina rig more so than a Texas rig in the colder months. “I can take the Carolina rig with a 3/4 oz weight and move it real slow and feel the structure it is passing through, just move it a little bit where the bait is dropping right down in the middle of the brush and cover.”
Spinnerbaits…
“He likes to use a 3/4 oz. spinner with a #7 blades. “I start off shallow, fishing it real, real slow, just barely feeling the blades turning,” explains Craft. “You can let it fall off the shelf and almost work it like a jig.”