DECEMBER 2000 TOLEDO BEND FORCAST GREG CRAFTS-GUIDE, HUXLEY BAY MARINA AND LAKE COTTAGES GCrafts@Bigfoot.com www.toledo-bend.net/toledobend When the water temperature starts dropping below 50 degrees the bass’s metabolism starts to slow down conserving energy. Bass will become much less active immobilizing themselves in deep water where the temperature variances remain fairly stable. Typically, the lake is on the rise this time of year. On the north end of the lake, high water means muddy to stained water causing the grass to die off. Subsequently, the bass will move onto the ledges and drops holding close to some type of structure, (brush tops, stumps, lay-downs, or deep- water humps). The key to catching these lethargic bass is to key in on this deep structure and fish slow, trying to antagonize them to bite. This will trip their natural aggressive instinct to attack anything that is moving into their environment. In general, the most productive lures I find for fishing this time of year are the jig and pig, soft plastics, large deep diving crank baits and spoons. I like throwing combos of black/blue and brown/amber jigs in stained to muddy water respectively. In soft plastics, I prefer a craw worm in reds and pumpkins. In deep diving cranks, I like to throw a mud bug in ambers and crawfish colors. Remember, when throwing a large deep diving crank bait, force the lure deep by sweeping your rod back as hard as you can. When the lure gets deep slow up your retrieve and fish it slow trying to glance off the structure you are fishing or bump the bottom. Spoons can be deadly this time of year fished over deep water humps. The fish will gather on top of the hump. A spoon fished vertically and pumped up and down will trigger the fish to strike the spoon.
Water Temp: 50s
