Greg Crafts owns and operates Toledo Bend Guide Service and Lake Cottage on the north end of the lake out of Huxley, Tx. Greg has been fishing Toledo Bend since it's impoundment and has been running his guide service full time since 1993. Whether you're a visiting pro preparing for a tournament, a novice wanting to learn the basics or a businessman wanting to entertain your clients, Greg can accommodate you. Specializing in Black Bass, White Bass, Bream and Crappie. For more information visit Greg's website at http://www.toledo-bend.net/toledobend

Toledo Bend Reservoir Fishing Report
for
February 1, 2012

Going into February the lake level is 163.2 msl, which is a foot lower than last year and nine foot below high pool.

The lake continues to rise but you should still use caution running the north end boat lanes; especially if you are running north out Huxley. For those unfamiliar with this area, the “Red and Greens’ terminate at the Huxley Boat lane and single buoys mark the river channel to the mouth of the Sabine River. If you head north from the Huxley boat lane there are four cuts that cut off the oxbows in the river and they have some huge stumps in them. Now that the lake has risen, these stumps are just under the water. The fourth cut is just north of Myrick Reach Point (Green Willow Point); once you pass the fourth cut, then you can run wide open to the river proper. Watch your depth finder and when you start coming out of 20 ft of water, shut it down. Mark the cuts on your GPS and you won’t have any trouble when running this area.

February is the month the Bass and Crappie will start moving from deep water using the creeks and ditches as their highways heading to the shallow spawning flats. Shallow water warms faster and the bass will move into the shallows when the water temp approaches 55 degrees. This is what we refer to as “staging” before they move on the beds. The bass will go on a feeding frenzy bulking up for the spawn. If the water temperature drops the bass will drop back into deeper water. All sorts of baits can be productive at this time, jigs, spinner baits, traps, soft plastics, finesse baits, cranks and jerk baits.

The Crappie will also start moving into the deep creek channels in anticipation to their spawn. Work the bends and points of the channel with jigs and shiners especially areas that have brush or cover. When the Crappie move into the shallows to spawn work the flats with a shiner or jig on a slip cork with an eighteen to twenty-four inch leader around grass lines, stumps and Cypress trees. A Beatle spin or similar lure on an ultra- lite spinning rig can be used to cover a lot of water until you locate the fish.

When you talk about fishing in February you immediately associate fishing the river proper for the annual White Bass river migration. Unless we get a large amount of rain and considering the low lake conditions, most of the Whites will remain on the main lake north end sandbars. Slab spoons and Rat-L-Traps will be the ticket.

If you would like an updated report or a guided trip, please contact me.

Fishing Forecast