Late Fall/Winter Trip from Michigan

[jessemyers]

I am planning a Mid-December fishing trip from Michigan. Considering a bunch of different locations, including Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and of course Texas. The Sam Rayburn/Toledo Bend area specifically in Texas.

How are those lakes typically that time of year?

We are considering staying at a Marriott hotel in Lufkin, to use up award points to cover the room. I will be towing my boat down. I have never had a chance to fish for bass south of Tennessee, so this trip will be all new to me in that respect.

All advise appreciated.

[txbass1]

I've stayed at the Marriott for the exact same reason, but fished Naconiche that weekend. It's a decent haul (25-40 minutes to Sam and Naconiche), but easy driving. There is also Lake Nacogdoches nearby. It's about an hour and 45 minutes to the North end of Toledo from there. All of the lakes near there are healthy and fishing decent to excellent, but in December you are just rolling the dice on Mother Nature. I can assume you are accustomed to cold by your location, so that won't be an issue- hell, there's always the possibility it could be 75-80 degrees mid December- but the waves on Sam Rayburn and especially Toledo Bend can get nasty with a Northern front. If you make it down, shoot me a pm and I'll help as much as I can. I'll be on Rayburn a lot the next couple of months.

[jessemyers]

I've stayed at the Marriott for the exact same reason, but fished Naconiche that weekend. It's a decent haul (25-40 minutes to Sam and Naconiche), but easy driving. There is also Lake Nacogdoches nearby. It's about an hour and 45 minutes to the North end of Toledo from there. All of the lakes near there are healthy and fishing decent to excellent, but in December you are just rolling the dice on Mother Nature. I can assume you are accustomed to cold by your location, so that won't be an issue- hell, there's always the possibility it could be 75-80 degrees mid December- but the waves on Sam Rayburn and especially Toledo Bend can get nasty with a Northern front. If you make it down, shoot me a pm and I'll help as much as I can. I'll be on Rayburn a lot the next couple of months.

Good to know. Did the Marriott in Lufkin have a place to plug in your boat? I saw Lake Nacogdoches on MLF earlier this year. Looked like a nice little place to fish. The cold won't be an issue for me. Do the Texas bass shut down with a coldfront like FL bass?

Once things get solidified, I will for sure shoot you a PM.

Also, I could use some recommendations for BBQ. This being my first time in Texas, I need to take a BBQ tour if I can.

[Thefisherman64]

PM Sent

[txbass1]

To be honest, I do not know about the charging situation. I stayed the rest of the trip at https://www.lakenaconicheretreat.com/cabins and he let me take my boat there the first day and leave it in his gated place. I only stayed at the Marriott the one night because the cabins were booked. Cold front effect on the bass seems as if it depends on severity of front and how many have actually come through. Thanks to TPWD, we have a large amount of Florida genes in our reservoirs (especially the ones you're looking to fish) and it just varies. And on the BBQ, tbh it is all opinion, but there is only one place that I would truly recommend that far East and it would require a little jog from your most likely route. If you go west on I20 and go through Kilgore there is a place called Country Tavern that has been around a long time and does an awesome job on ribs with the best sauce I've ever had. It would add about 15 minutes to the drive, so i'd do it. What's 15 minutes on 18+ hours? I'll help you all I can as I'm planning a smallmouth trip up your direction next year and would love reciprocation.

[jessemyers]

To be honest, I do not know about the charging situation. I stayed the rest of the trip at https://www.lakenaconicheretreat.com/cabins and he let me take my boat there the first day and leave it in his gated place. I only stayed at the Marriott the one night because the cabins were booked. Cold front effect on the bass seems as if it depends on severity of front and how many have actually come through. Thanks to TPWD, we have a large amount of Florida genes in our reservoirs (especially the ones you're looking to fish) and it just varies. And on the BBQ, tbh it is all opinion, but there is only one place that I would truly recommend that far East and it would require a little jog from your most likely route. If you go west on I20 and go through Kilgore there is a place called Country Tavern that has been around a long time and does an awesome job on ribs with the best sauce I've ever had. It would add about 15 minutes to the drive, so i'd do it. What's 15 minutes on 18+ hours? I'll help you all I can as I'm planning a smallmouth trip up your direction next year and would love reciprocation.

Thanks for the info. I live on a canal to Lake St. Clair, and spend every chance I get on the lake fishing from April through November. Drop me a PM if you have any questions...

[jessemyers]

What about good boat ramps on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. There seems to be a lot of choices, and from what I have read, some dont provide access in low water situations. Does that mean winter draw down, or like the extreme low water levels you guys experienced during the drought?

I am used to fishing a lake that doesnt have flooded timber, or really anything as far us underwater hazards, so I figure I should play it safe around the launch, and then trolling motor around if I get in areas where I could have an issue.

[KutTail71]

Umphreys is probably your best bet. It's down by the dam. You're close to a lot of good areas.

[woody1331]

Umphrey Pavilion will be about your best boat ramp with several stores and Tackle Addict also right around the corner. As for BBQ, download the Texas Monthly BBQ finder app on your phone and go from there.But do not, I repeat, DO NOT go to Smitty's BBQ in Jasper. It is awful! And as far as running the Lake, Rayburn is fairly open except for Buck Bay and above the HWY 147 bridge.

[ring fry]

If you want good BBQ you better stop in Kansas City on your way down.

SE Kansas grass grower

[BoatBuggy]

What about good boat ramps on Sam Rayburn and Toledo Bend. There seems to be a lot of choices, and from what I have read, some dont provide access in low water situations. Does that mean winter draw down, or like the extreme low water levels you guys experienced during the drought?

I am used to fishing a lake that doesnt have flooded timber, or really anything as far us underwater hazards, so I figure I should play it safe around the launch, and then trolling motor around if I get in areas where I could have an issue.

If you go to Toledo Bend, there are good launches in pretty much every major creek on both sides of the lake. Seems to me every launch was $5. On the Texas side Fin and Feather is a very popular place to launch from and Cypress Bend park on the Louisiana side will have no problem handling your 522D. Lots of parking at both places.

On Toledo Bend the only time you can do anything but idle is when in the boat lanes. It can take a while to idle to some good fishing area areas and it's not a matter of if you will bump into any trees it's how many you will bump into. I stopped caring after about the 300th bump.....

It's nothing short of awesome down there and the waters are nothing like we see up here in the north. It can be a little overwhelming at first but you'll get into some and you'll have a blast. 98 more sleeps for us.....

[txbass1]

If you're fishing both Rayburn and Toledo, do yourself a favor and download Lance Vick Boatlanes. It's not perfect depending on lake level, but it's pretty cheap insurance (@$50) to keep you from running on pad through a submerged forest. There are also some random widow makers marked on the lower half of SR that are good to know about. We don't have draw downs per say like a lot of the country. Electricity making, drought, and storms provide the bulk of our changes. But Ma Nature has been pretty good this year for the lakes.

[champ210]

From where your staying you can be at the Cassel Boykin ramp or Caney Creek Ramp on Rayburn in about 45 minutes. Both have good access to lots of good water. Check out the Stump resturaunt down by the dam. Thurs thru sat they have steaks cooked on the pit. Its worth the drive. We go down every March. Id love to do a mid Nov to Dec trip some day. Friends of mine have a house down there and they always go down about this time of yr. They always catch fish and I wouldn't consider them great fisherman. They live and die on spinnerbaits and AC shiners. lol. About the only thing you have to watch for is the black forrest south of the 147 bridge and trying to go up river from Cassel Boykins.

[jessemyers]

They live and die on spinnerbaits and AC shiners.

That's funny. This describes me exactly in the early 90's - fishing for largemouth in Ohio farmponds.

[champ210]

Everyones got a go to confidence bait. Mines a Dinger of all sizes rigged everyway possible. Lol In their defense the bass are usually schooled up or in the jumps so anything mimicking a shad is money.

[C130]

I’d hire a guide for for a day on Rayburn, use an app such as the Hummingbird FishSmart and record the tracks. There are some large random stumps, one just north of the 147 bridge, maybe 1/3 across the bridge from Cassells Boykin. My point is you need to be careful. I was told areas that were clear and the first thing I see is a huge stump sticking out. Definitely recommend the boatlanes by Lance Vick.

[Ratltrap]

One thing about going to Sam Rayburn or T-Bend in December is you have to make plans on the winds to blow, plenty of ramps at both lakes that will get you out of the wind but some of the ramps may not be around some of the prime area's of the lakes that will be producing next month. Our weather has been really warm so far but that can change week to week, best thing I can tell you is pull out your maps on each lake and get familiar with all the locations of each ramp and how the direction of the wind blows, we get some serious waves and rollers on both of these big lakes, little 1/4 mile runs from the south end of a cove to the north end of a cove can be hairy especially if you are in a stump field. Several good smaller fish-able lakes which have been mentioned around the area both south and north of Lufkin that if the wind blows hard you can get launched and at least get some fishing in.

[jessemyers]

Thanks for all the information guys. Looks like I am going to have a few mor months to research. I am going to have to push the trip out to maybe February next year.

Jesse

[BoatBuggy]

Thanks for all the information guys. Looks like I am going to have a few mor months to research. I am going to have to push the trip out to maybe February next year.

Jesse

I'll be at Toledo Bend for most of Feb and all of March. PM me if you make it down there and I can show you what little I know.....

[champ210]

If your waiting till Feb then you better just wait till March. I guess it just depends on what kind of bite you want. Fish are early prespawn in feb. Lots of trapping. Deeper water fishing. If you can wait till March youll have a lot more shallow water fish biting. We always go in March and sometimes we are still a little early for the bite we like. That time of yr you need warm stable weather for a good trip. A cold front will kill the bite. Texas seems like its far enough south that they would have 70 degree weather all the time but its really not much further south than Guntersville. Def not as warm as Florida that time of yr.