Toledo Bend March 2011

It was classic "you should'a been here the last two weeks; we killed 'em". We spoke to several locals on the water and this was the consistent story.

Eight of us left Memphis on Sunday, March 7 for Toledo Bend Lake on the border of Louisiana and Texas. We arrived around 2:30 pm and were on the lake by 3. My partner, Doyal Brown, and I fished in an area called Clear Creek after idling through a dense stump field for about 1/2 a mile. Doyal had 3 and I had 2.  Before I continue, let me say that Doyal smoked me this week and it was not voluntary on my part.

Monday was cold (28*) and dreary after a front. Doyal had 6 mostly on lizards and I had 2, on a fluke and Excalibur One Knocker. Doyal had a 3lb, I had a 2 1/2.

Phil with 6.15

Doyal with a 3 lb

Alligator in Hogpen Branch

Tuesday dawned a rainy morning. We donned our storm clothes and slogged on. Today looked grim but turned out to be our best day of the trip. Doyal wound up with 23 while I scratched out 10, D on lizards and flukes and I with flukes.

The strong front came in that night leaving Wednesday cold with high blue skies. D continued with the lizard, still C rigged and had 8. I think he had a couple on a spinner bait. I had 2 on a fluke with a 3 1/4 which turned out to be our big fish. Thursday, same cold morning and blue bird sky. Same song, second verse. D had 8 and I had 3.

Friday morning, 29 degrees on the way to the launch. We have fished every day in an area called Indian Mounds. It is an usual area with humps, flats, ditches with a few creeks coming in. We have fished mostly in a creek called Hogpen Branch, a stump filled slough 4 to 7 feet deep with the creek channel a few feet deeper winding side to side with some humps with a few inches of water on them. We went to the very back every day and caught a few fish in very shallow water, 6" to 3 feet.

Did I mention the alligators? We saw 3 in this creek, one huge 10-12 feet, one about 6 feet and one about 3 feet. I as estimating because I couldn't get Doyal to measure them up close. We also had at least 3 bald eagles soaring and fishing in our area every day. Of course we saw the usual great blue herons, white herons, king fishers, buzzards and other birds. Also, there were large numbers of Nutrias all over this area. I suppose the alligators appreciate their presence. Anyway, Friday morning we explored a different area in Houchens Creek with little luck. Half a day later we went back to Hogpen. Did I mention the wind blew 20 mph with gusts to 30. I spanked Doyal this day 5 to 3. I switched to a SpeedWorm for this impressive performance.

Four of our crew returned to Memphis on Saturday, while four remained for more abuse from the wind. Instead of gusts of 30 mph it just came steady that way. Doyal returned to his unrelenting dominance reeling in 5 to my 4. Doyal had approximately 5-6 3 pounders for the week but I did have the 3 1/4 and these were weighed fish. Of course we lost, or broke off several fish most of them 6-9 pounds. One of our cabin mates did have a 6#15. he said he bounced the scale vigorously but it just would not register 7. One other of our crew caught a 5#14 and there were several other 4s caught. The 8 of us caught 317 fish in 5 1/2 days all returned to grow larger for next year.

We did have a great trip, good fellowship, good food and fair fishing considering the 2 fronts, cold nights and very high winds. Doyal, Phil, Maurice, Calvin, Mike, Jim, Roger and Bill enjoyed our trip.