I’m settling back in and getting in the groove for late summer bass fishing and crappie fishing after July’s highly successful Youth Bass Camps hosted by Living the Dream Guide Service and held here at Toledo Bend and over on Lake Sam Rayburn.
As I write this the second week of a very hot August, I’m also still thrilled about a recent trip to Florida, where I caught snook, redfish and, even, tarpon on topwaters in the shallow waters of the Everglades. It wasn’t my first time and it won’t be my last.
As for September on Toledo Bend, weather conditions dictate bass fishing trends. Sure, it’s a transitional month because cooler weather hastens the transition of many bass from deep to shallow, i.e. 5- to 15-feet, while continued hot weather keeps the bass out in 15- to 25-foot depths. Historically, it can be and has been “summer” most of the month, with bass staying mainly in the mid-lake areas, although some still begin moving into drains and creeks in 5- to 15-foot depths.
Top bait choices
The cooler the September days, the more and more bass push into drains and creek channel bends across the lake. Threadfin shad are a major food source for those bass in the shallower water where anglers successfully target them around wood or in the grass. Find the baitfish and schooling bass while idling around and using your marine electronics.
About those deeper bass out in the main lake, I’ll look for big gizzard shad and bluegill as well as threadfin shad. Crankbaits and Texas-rigged soft plastics still dominate for me whether they’re way out deep or shallow. I just adjust the weight on the Texas-rigged soft plastic to keep it touching the bottom wherever I’m at. (Anything from a 1/16-ounce to a ½-ounce … whatever it takes.) My favorite soft plastics are a June bug or red bug Bass Assassin Tapout Worm or a watermelon/red Bass Assassin Bang Bug.
I also rely on a Berkley Dredger crankbait in chameleon/pearl out deep while a Berkley Square Bull — also in chameleon/pearl or, if the water’s dirty, chartreuse/black — usually produces in the shallower water.
Topwaters like the chrome Berkley Jaywalker can be very effective, particularly when bass come up schoolin’ a bit, and, of course, a Carolina rig always is a major player. I prefer to put a Bass Assassin Bang Bug on the business end of C-rigs, which produce both deep and shallow as long as there isn’t an excessive amount of heavy wood, which can lead to hangups.
Hit or miss crappie
Crappie fishing success has slowed some since early summer and midsummer. We’ll have some good days here and there. There are plenty of fish around because we’re looking at a bunch of them. Catching them can be a different story at times.
If there is sustained cooler weather in September, crappie are just like the bass and move up into the creeks. Otherwise, if the temps remain high, stay in 15- to 30-foot depths and fish around wood and bridge pilings.
The old go-to crappie baits are pretty much the same as always as far as putting slabs in the boat. You can catch on minnows or monkey milk or bluegrass Panfish Assassin Jigs.
Call Living the Dream Guide Service at (318) 256-8991 to make a dream fishing trip come true at Toledo Bend.
