Thread: Chicken Coop

Does anybody have any theories as to why the fish are not biting on the river this year?

Maybe some new ideas would help me figure out where they may be.

Maybe they are there and not biting, which I think is not likely. Somebody would have caught some if they were there.

I wonder if they are in the creeks very shallow and hardly anybody thought to try there.

I'd guess they all died but I have not seen any crappie floating around.

Maybe the pelicans ate them.

I think that the lake being up higher than it has been the last several years has a lot to do with it. The fish have places to get that they have not had. It's a new lake to them. High water scatters the fish.

Jigster

Its a new lake Earl. Water is higher than usual for this time of year due to the new 168 foot rule. I can't remember water this high (edited 1-30-08, "THIS TIME OF YEAR") in the last 15 years. Nothing on the Bend has been normal as far as Crappie fishing goes this year,,,,,, or last year after the rapid rise. When things are good you don't have to drive half as far as the Coop anyway. South of Huxley bay, or Ragtown are as good or better when the lake is acting normal. I think your beating a dead horse unless your putting out brush tops on each trip. Call me sometime and maybe I can help ya. Don

They are biting on the river above Circle Drive. Fished the last 7 days. Best day caught 31. Worst day caught 4 due to weather. A friend of mine and her partner have had several 50+ crappie days.

Randall, that's a great report. Where is that, I'm by Pendleton Bridge.

How deep was the water and the fish.

circle drive is the northernmost launch ( next to oak ridge state park ) on l the LA side before you go into the river itself. the store at the private launch sells shiners and the launch fee is $3. i got out of there a lot to hunt and fish

Originally Posted by EarlG

Randall, that's a great report. Where is that, I'm by Pendleton Bridge.

How deep was the water and the fish.

I have a camp about 3 mi below Logansport, La. I'ts about 8 to 9 mi from the bridge at Logansport to the old Circle Drive Marina on the La. side. There is a State Park and launch there. People launch at the Texas Rec. Site about 3 mi below Joaquin. Its off hy 139 and at the end of hy 2572. Some people launch at Williams Landing and go out the gov ditch. Fish the blow down tops near 20+ ft water. Fish have been holding around 10 to 14 ft. Below the gov. ditch the saliva is so bad you have to rake a hole to get your jig down in some places. Sometimes you can get 25 to 30 in one spot and sometimes its one or two. I caught 17 this morning with all this wind.

Its really tough fishing with the wind at 20 mph. All these fronts don't help either. I've been using a red, purple, chartreuse hair jig. I guess most jigs work as long as there is a little charteuse.

Good luck.

Percher, You are saying Toledo hasn't been above 169 in 15 years???? Maybe I misunderstood what you wrote.

Here is the average monthly level for Toledo Bend for the last several years.

http://www.sratx.org/basin/toledo_bend_monthly.asp

I'm surprised it only says 172.9 for the highest last year. It seemed higher than that but I guess not.