Low Water Bassin' on Toledo Bend




 

Matthew Loetscher, Toledo Bend fishing guide reports that bass catching is better than ever. Lately, with Toledo Bend experiencing a drawdown he has been able to take his clients on some high number fish catching trips.

Here are three reasons why the fishing has been great.

1. Toledo Bend’s fish population is now in a scaled down version of the reservoir. This makes fish much easier to locate because they have less area to spread out in.

2. The lake being lower allows shoreline vegetation to grow.

3. The most important one is when the water rises in the future, aquatic vegetation can grow in the replenished, nutrient rich soil that was exposed during the drawdown.

As the water level drops fish will make their way closer to a drop off of some sort. They do this for access to deeper water as the lake recedes. Once the water level stabilizes and is no longer dropping at a fast rate these fish that have moved closer to deeper water begin to gang up in schools on the remaining sweet spots.

How do you find these sweet spots?

Consider a few variables: food, cover & water depth. The fish require a food source and on Toledo Bend the primary food source is threadfin shad. So first find an area where there is a conce

This deeper water could be a 5 feet deep ditch or it could be a 20 feet deep creek channel. Deep is relative term. But, there is almost always a deep-water highway nearby. This is the process he goes through every time he looks for fish. "It has served me well, especially when the water level is low," reported Loetscher.

Obviously all boaters need to exercise more caution when navigating Toledo Bend during the drawdown. Don’t run outside the boat lanes,  and pay attention to the depth.

 




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Toledo Bend Lake Current Weather Alerts

There are no active watches, warnings or advisories.

 

Toledo Bend Lake Weather Forecast

Wednesday

Thunderstorms Likely

Hi: 93

Wednesday Night

Chance Thunderstorms

Lo: 73

Thursday

Chance Thunderstorms

Hi: 93

Thursday Night

Slight Chance Thunderstorms

Lo: 73

Friday

Slight Chance Thunderstorms

Hi: 95

Friday Night

Mostly Clear

Lo: 73

Saturday

Chance Thunderstorms

Hi: 93

Saturday Night

Mostly Cloudy

Lo: 75


Toledo Bend Lake Water Level (last 30 days)


Water Level on 7/9: 171.21 (-0.79)



Toledo Bend Lake

Fishing Report from TPWD (Jul. 9)

GOOD. Water stained; 90 degrees; 0.75 feet below pool. It is just the dead of summer time fishing here on Toledo Bend. Bass fishing is tough with a few bites at daylight on topwater and swim jigs. The best bite is coming at night on buzzbaits and spinnerbaits along the edge of bank grass, then Texas rig worms and football jigs on main lake points in 12-18 feet. The bite should improve with the coming full moon. Crappie are hit-and-miss on main lake docks and brush piles. Report by Stephen Johnston, Johnston Fishing.

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