Both Rayburn and T bend have been high during the spawn so more of the fry are making it hopefully. Rayburn was high last year too during the spring. I can only see the fish population grow, but taking a few fish out here and there won't affect the fishery, it'll help it if you take out small ones, say 12-16 inchers to eat

Go for it! Based off the information below that would be one dink/month for adults and a half a dink/month for the kiddos

Big Cypress Creek in Marion County; Caddo Lake in Harrison and Marion counties; and Toledo Bend Reservoir in Newton, Panola, Sabine and Shelby counties

Chemical of Concern:Mercury
All Locations: For largemouth bass and freshwater drum, adults should limit consumption to no more than two, 8-ounce meals per month, and children should limit consumption to no more than two, 4-ounce meals per month.

Ha if you saw the numbers of 2-4lb fish taken from that lake you would be surprised....I've even seen pics of coolers of 4-6lbers. Lots of people with mercury I guess.

yep, this ^^^^^^^. It is quite a bit more than a "dink" here and there. Fork, with its protective slot, it certainly not a numbers lake. TB doesn't get high like Rayburn and the fish aren't protected with water back in the woods/bushes like it either. BTW, even with the high water Rayburn is a tougher lake to fish than it was 20 years ago.

Woa now big boys I just came back from a 10 day stay @ Fin's and Feathers and seen plenty of Texas plates at the skinning shed and not cutting small ones. I also seen a 140 boat tournament with people walking up fish in hand to weigh station and bags with no water. The biggest fish I seen cleaned at falcon was 15 fish all over 6#'s by some Latino boys from Houston. I know us Cajuns get a bad wrap but dont act like Big Texans aint eating bass. I cleaned 13 bass in 10 days all under 2.5 #'s

You are right- the reason the fish got big was of the drought that restricted it's use for several years and gave then a chance to grow and not die after being released from a live well.

I was just razzing ya'll. You guys are awesome.

I agree with you on live well fish. My 2 cent opinion is that delayed mortality is a big deal compared to published tournament live release percentages. Especially during the Summer months. I do not like it but in some ways I think that tournament anglers are more likely to practice catch & release during their other days on the water.

There are couple of TPWD employees on TFF - maybe they can/will chime in on TB.

My old man tells stories about guiding out of Fin n Feathers in the 1970s and 1980s. They would race to catch 45 bass (3man limit) drop the clients off and take out another group for 45 fish. If they were lucky, They could get a 3rd trip that evening fishing into the dark. The fillet house was working wide open threw the evening/night. I've concluded the problem with fishing was the introduction of Florida Bass..

It is getting a bunch of pressure for sure, and I would imagine that it will go through its cycle like all lakes do. But it will always take 20+ pounds to win on any day.
One thing is for sure , my lake front property is going up for sure. 😜😜

The problem is that everyone has a boat nowadays. It's not like it was. The numbers of fisherman back then on a new lake compared to now is huge

To Jaret's point, not only does everybody have a boat.............we got a lot more humans now days. Rayburn'Toledo where a long way off from major cites back in the day. More people now wiliing to drive longer distances with better transportation.

Boats cover a lot more water than the 85 HP Foron a 16 ft Bayliner bassboat I started out with.

No matter what the reason, it all adds up. I agree on the Florida bass statement above too.

Somehow I think the locals in Zapata and Del Rio have had this discussion in the past?

Fishing sucks there now too. BUT I really have a feeling it was that low lake levels they had. Something was up with the Rio....too much fertilizers or something. Shared river with Mexico, you never know.

Well, with the precipitation the lake has recieved, I would imagine the the bait population is in good shape. Cry wolf on the interwebz, watch people panic, lol.