Hey folks, new here. Been reading the forums for a long time though!

I'll be heading up to Sam Rayburn for a few days pretty soon and will also be fishing Toledo Bend. I'm more of a saltwater fisherman, so I've never really been to theses lakes. What do I need to look at for on these 2 lakes as far running the boat? At Rayburn I'll be putting in at Twin Dikes Campground and Toledo Bend I'll probably be putting in at Paradise Point Marina (unless there is another place you folks would recommend.) I'd rather not whack a stump/shallow water running 60mph! Thanks, and looking forward to posting on here!

I recently saw one of my buddy's lake maps of Rayburn that Tommy Martin had something to do with (maybe just promoted it?). It was river/creek channels, some cemeteries, lily pad areas, that sort of thing. Here's some preliminary info I found about it:

http://www.tb-guide.com/electronics/new-mapping-software/

However, as far as the navigation goes, if you already have something like a Navionics or LakeMaster chip, it's pretty much the same info as far as navigation is concerned.

I think that Tommy Martin chip was $99 when it was purchased, so if you're gonna spend the money and don't already have something like a Navionics or LakeMaster map, might as well buy one of them since it'll have lots of lakes.

If you have a map of the Sam Rayburn then the southern end is relatively stump free. That would be south from an east west line of Veach (West bank of West Arm) to Caney Creek (West bank of West Arm) south to the Dam and up the East Arm south From a line from Powell Park (West Bank of East Arm) to South of Buck Bay (East Side of East Arm). There is plenty of good fishing in those areas of the lake. IF you decide to venture out many of the forested areas are marked on the GPS maps. That is a simplistic reference. There are other areas up northern around HWY 147 bridge that are open but there is also forested areas and as the lake is dropping significantly each week there are LOTS of stumps that are starting to appear "JUST AT THE WATERLINE". There is NOOOOOO WAY we could give you GPS of all the ROGUE Stumps. Just be cautious.

I have 7 videos posted showing how to get around Rayburn. They are all on my video page, I think the first one starts about 10-11 videos down. I put them in order, so video #1 starts at the dam and they go up the lake from there. The lake is about 2 feet low, so it is dangerous to run some places that might not look dangerous to the eye, specifically the Black Forest, mouth of Veach, anything up the Ayish arm, the Canyons, or anything more than a mile north of the 147 bridge. And per Texas Bass Dude, I bought the same chip he references and I have found it to be dead accurate in most areas, but not up the Attoyac, his lane above the powelines up there is pretty sketchy.

Rayburn Map Videos link

These are really good

Thanks...sorry some aren't in great focus, i need Santa to bring me a better camera!

Thanks guys! I run a Garmin 74sv with a LakeVu map card by the way

Study Kens videos then if you had Lowrance or Humminbird you could get Lance Vick�s Boat Lanes chip but you are limited with the Garmin on that kinda stuff.

U

Is there really a lane past the powerlines on the attoyac. To me it's an idea, not a reality.

Thanks for the info on Rayburn guys!

Input on navigating Toledo Bend out of Paradise Point Marina?

Also, I need a better understanding.. Do I have to have a Louisiana fishing license to fish the LA side even if I put in at Texas and stay in the boat?

Depending on your on board electronics I would definitely recommend the Boat Lanes add on maps for both lakes.

http://www.boatlanes.com/

There's a lane all the way up attoyac but obviously not marked and not too wide. Lower the lake the easier to see. I don't advise it right now

On toledo, stay in the boat lanes to run, idle ANY time you get out of the lanes. You don't need a LA license

Bryan JL above is correct, and it�s solid for the first few miles, if you know it just before the Townsend ramp it veers left, then out at the river back right. I will tell you, and it�s in my notes exactly what level it was when I was there, but at 160 or 161 where it veers back right there are about 5 big ones right there, there is no way to run that corner. It�s not ten feet wide and Does a zig, you see anybody running that they either don�t know that, or like me they are trimed AND puckered up!

No your Texas license will cover you on both sides.