I'm planning our next trip to Toledobend and was wondering when is the best time to plan to go during the Crappie spawn. Last year we went on March 30th but it was way after the spawn and almost no crappie in less then 10ft of water. What do you guys recommend?

Last year the spawn was way off...some went early, and then nothing...what part are you going to?...it makes a difference on a lake that big.

We will either stay on Gibson point or right next to 6 mile bayou or 6 mile bridge whichever it is called.

6 mile is great place.

So should I plan on going back on March 30th?

I usually watch the water temp at Rayburn and TB and Rayburn seems to be close. From March thru early April lots of factors to watch. Might as well go and fish it pre-spawn and see what is up. The TPWD reports are at least good for water temps.

I would do that but I live 5 hours away and have to book a place to stay on AirBNB before all the spots are gone. I will keep an eye on the water temp from TPWD.

in my opinion it will be over by the March the 30th...I go the week of spring break and a lot of it is over...but last year it was colder and everything was off...The folks I know down there said the crappie were hard to pattern and would come up one day and be gone the next...six mile has good grass, and that will change the Dynamics compared to other parts of the lake, they like to spawn in cover...the locals like to slow troll roadrunners over the grass untill they find them.

Unfortunately things are variable. I would schedule early and pre-spawn is just good spots leading into the good spawning areas. So you will have better luck in my opinion versus post spawn.

I fish Toledo Bend mostly, I catch them year round, you can find them starting at the end of February headed to the creeks and grass beds, if you have decent brush piles you can catch them year around even in 18 to 25 ft. of water, we caught a couple of thousand there last year.

GUNS UP!

Plan your trip around full moons and new moons. Fish spawn because of moon light and sun light volumes. Water temp has nothing to do with it. If every crappie had to have 65 degree water then the fish up north would never spawn. It's just like the rut for deer. The moon controls tides and many more things on this big ole rock. Not wanting to argue with anyone but its science.

Fin And Feather has cabins and is near 6 Mile. Have you checked it out?

I would concur, also would add, THEY DONT ALWAYS SPAWN SHALLOW. Last year I whacked them in 15 to 17 feet,and yes, they were spawning, males with milt and females full of eggs. Think of it this way, logically, there just isnt enough running linear feet of suitable banklines for them to all go shallow, plankton concentrations also have a large part in the area they spawn, and baitfish concentrations, where shad spawn is a great place to look. The bigger more mature fish spawn deeper as well. I start deeper and work shallow during spawn, I learned after fishing 140 miles of bankline and not catching one crappie one year. If you asked me what the biggest secret of crappie spawn is, its that they wont spawn deep is a huge myth. Your brain will tell you, that your just not in the right 3 feet of water, so you go from spot to spot to spot, and dont catch squat, so you tell yourself, the temp must not be right. Many of the " legends" of crappie fishing just swore by that old temp myth, they were repeating what they had heard for so long, but it is simply not true. Start at 17 FOW fishing brush, rockpiles, stumps, ledges, ect, and work shallower from there. Ive caught crappie spawning as early as late february in central tx. if u do some recons, go before daybreak, and look for banklines with shad spawning, they usually spawn 6 to 8 weeks in spring, and sometimes in fall. right at daybreak, they stop, before daybreak, it looks and sounds like thousands of shrimp popping along the bank. try to find structure near the spawning bank. remember , everything is eating something else in a lake.

By the looks of some of the roe from crappie that I cleaned yesterday, some may spawn next month around the full moon. The roe had heavy blood lines already and was as big as my pinky finger!

What did you decide on Toledo...my sources tell me its on from the north end to the South end...catching them in fresh flooded areas as shallow as 12".