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

Great post, good report Lee! Glad to see you rippin some lips!

Nice fish, I would like to have a trip like that.

There were MANY guides and experienced fishermen all fishing there on TB. MANY. On the walls of the office at Fin n' Feather, there were just covered with pictures of double digit fish!!
You really would enjoy it.
The folks there are all great, more than willing to give you information on what is and what is not biting and generally where on the lake but, if you want to boat something on the order of 100+, you better contact one of the two guides I mentioned above.
They KNOW that lake and they KNOW the bass there!!
God Bless

Sounds like you had a blast, Lee. Happy for you!

Great report and glad you crossed one off your bucket list. Nice fish and congrats on the PB!

Great report Lee. My wife and I will be at Fin & Feather this coming Friday for 10 days. Going out with Darold on Monday. Hope we do as well as ya'll did.

If your going out with Darold, you WILL . Make sure ya'll say hi to Tom when you get there and go by for lunch/supper.
The food is FANTASTIC, LOL, BE HUNGRY!
God Bless

Sounds like a good trip Lee. Glad you got to scratch that lake off your bucket list. I plan to retire on TB in a very few short years. It's a good lake.

Cheering for you Lee!

Cool Deal Fred, glad you had fun!

Glad you got to go what a cool deal! Glad you caught 'em and congrats on the PB!

Sounds like y'all had a blast. Glad y'all caught some fish. I was there a week or so ago, but it was tough. I may have to go back soon.

Glad your trip to TB was pretty much what you'd hoped it would be. The downside, of course, is that you'll just want to go back, over and over.

WTG Lee. Glad you enjoyed your trip. My parents live about 2 miles past Fin N Feather. I try and go to TB as much as possible. The fishing there is awesome. I have 2 tournys this month on TB and will be headed back that way next week. Have never used either of the guides you spoke highly of due to the fact that my dad is an above average fisherman and knows the lake very well. He almost always puts me on some nice fish when I'm there. Hope he can put us on some bigguns come May 15th-17th for the Sealy Big Bass Splash that we will be fishing. That tourny alone gives out over $660,000 in cash and prizes.