Posted By: Lee in Texas
Bucket List Trip: Toledo Bend and Fin n' Feather Resort !! - 05/02/15 06:22 PM
Man, all I can tell you all is the trip was fantastic. Many, so many thanks to ALL the wonderful people at Fin n' Feather Resort, especially owner Tom Sistrunk! He and Kim Hill (resort manager), wife Retha Sistrunk, Kristy Davis (restaurant manager), Crissy Jordan, Daron Caun, Danny Rogers, Breanna Reeves, Natalie Gaby, Melanie and everyone else!
ALL, and I do mean all went out of their way to make sure we had a great time and as we were Texas Fishing Forum members treated us like VIP's!!
The rooms were fantastic, service outstanding and even after a HUGE storm which we just missed, had the resort on the repairs quickly underway.
Darold Gleason Guide is nothing short of outstanding! Put us on the fish the very first afternoon we were there (after a huge storm now mind you - water wave action, cloudy and very dirty water) boated over 40 black bass in just a few hours!
Caught my PB (ya'll don't laugh to hard now - still learning this fishing stuff) of 3 1/2 to 4lbs!!
Caught numbers of smaller fish and on the way back in, Darold saw something across the bay (Houesn sp) on the east side, we stopped and my neighbor who went with me boated a 4 1/2lb besting me....LOL.
Here are the three of us on the return of the biggest fish..Darold in the center:
The second day, without Darold we didn't do so well, the wind was blowing like crazy and few EXCEPT for Darold and his two clients who came in and we met for lunch, caught over 100 !! That was before lunch!!
The next day was blue bird skies and tough...so not much.
Did get one REALLY strong bite on a Strike King square bill 1 1/2" in about 3 feet of water. I had that rigged using 20lb braid and something (I can't honestly say how big or what) hit and BROKE THE DARN BRAID, almost dragging me and rod/reel off the boat! I just wish I had at least got to see the fish.
Oh, BTW, seems our best bites and the best rig was a Carolina rig, 1 oz slip weight and a small watermelon colored lizard.
Seems a Carolina rig and whatever your favorite bait (smaller) catches the best bite (for now anyhow)
Ok the where, north of Fin n' Feather in 25' of water throwing in towards the south shore up in to 15' to 18' of water.
Tom and the crew lost he crappie house, walkway and pier due to the storm before we got there. I am told the crappie bite even there is/was fantastic! They are rebuilding it as we speak, should be back this week. The walkway is already repaired and access to all the boat stalls is again possible.
I caught a picture of the owner Tom Sistrunk, helping clean up the place for a big tourney going on this weekend.
There were a number of fishermen there from Sam Rayburn, Tawokani(sp), Lake Fork and several guides fishing as well.
One of the best guides, along with Darold Gleason, is David Truax. These two come HIGHLY recommended by the owner Tom.
Our trip was fantastic! If Toledo Bend is not on your 'bucket list to fish', I recomend you add it. When you go, even for a day trip, make sure you launch, lunch and meet the folks now own and running Fin n' Feather Resort....you will be glad you did!
This coming week, if not raining, will be cloudy and good wave action and probably great fishing again.
If I can give you any information on Darold Gleason or David Traux, guides, PM me here and be happy to do so. BOOK NOW, they are both very, very filling with clients for both 1/2 and full day trips.
If you go, make a point of looking up Tom. Big guy usually driving around in a blue golf cart...let him know your from/on the Texas Fishing Forum!!!
God Bless...........(and thanks to Tom, Darold and all the Fin n' Feather crew)
Fred aka Lee in Texas
ALL, and I do mean all went out of their way to make sure we had a great time and as we were Texas Fishing Forum members treated us like VIP's!!
The rooms were fantastic, service outstanding and even after a HUGE storm which we just missed, had the resort on the repairs quickly underway.
Darold Gleason Guide is nothing short of outstanding! Put us on the fish the very first afternoon we were there (after a huge storm now mind you - water wave action, cloudy and very dirty water) boated over 40 black bass in just a few hours!
Caught my PB (ya'll don't laugh to hard now - still learning this fishing stuff) of 3 1/2 to 4lbs!!
Caught numbers of smaller fish and on the way back in, Darold saw something across the bay (Houesn sp) on the east side, we stopped and my neighbor who went with me boated a 4 1/2lb besting me....LOL.
Here are the three of us on the return of the biggest fish..Darold in the center:
The second day, without Darold we didn't do so well, the wind was blowing like crazy and few EXCEPT for Darold and his two clients who came in and we met for lunch, caught over 100 !! That was before lunch!!
The next day was blue bird skies and tough...so not much.
Did get one REALLY strong bite on a Strike King square bill 1 1/2" in about 3 feet of water. I had that rigged using 20lb braid and something (I can't honestly say how big or what) hit and BROKE THE DARN BRAID, almost dragging me and rod/reel off the boat! I just wish I had at least got to see the fish.
Oh, BTW, seems our best bites and the best rig was a Carolina rig, 1 oz slip weight and a small watermelon colored lizard.
Seems a Carolina rig and whatever your favorite bait (smaller) catches the best bite (for now anyhow)
Ok the where, north of Fin n' Feather in 25' of water throwing in towards the south shore up in to 15' to 18' of water.
Tom and the crew lost he crappie house, walkway and pier due to the storm before we got there. I am told the crappie bite even there is/was fantastic! They are rebuilding it as we speak, should be back this week. The walkway is already repaired and access to all the boat stalls is again possible.
I caught a picture of the owner Tom Sistrunk, helping clean up the place for a big tourney going on this weekend.
There were a number of fishermen there from Sam Rayburn, Tawokani(sp), Lake Fork and several guides fishing as well.
One of the best guides, along with Darold Gleason, is David Truax. These two come HIGHLY recommended by the owner Tom.
Our trip was fantastic! If Toledo Bend is not on your 'bucket list to fish', I recomend you add it. When you go, even for a day trip, make sure you launch, lunch and meet the folks now own and running Fin n' Feather Resort....you will be glad you did!
This coming week, if not raining, will be cloudy and good wave action and probably great fishing again.
If I can give you any information on Darold Gleason or David Traux, guides, PM me here and be happy to do so. BOOK NOW, they are both very, very filling with clients for both 1/2 and full day trips.
If you go, make a point of looking up Tom. Big guy usually driving around in a blue golf cart...let him know your from/on the Texas Fishing Forum!!!
God Bless...........(and thanks to Tom, Darold and all the Fin n' Feather crew)
Fred aka Lee in Texas
. Make sure ya'll say hi to Tom when you get there and go by for lunch/supper. 
Just hope it's the beginning of a much larger catch. 
Fin n' Feather Resort - TOP NOTCH in anyone's book!!