Caddo

I haven't been in over a year, thinking of making a trip out there. Has all the rain got it off? How is the fishing?

Fitting post. I just booked a cabin for the weekend of June 9-11 for the wife and I. Only been once and rented a canoe with the kids. This will be the first time with my boat. Staying near Johnson’s.

Could also use some tips.

End of May will be my first trip to Caddo. Any insight would be appreciated.

I have been out there the past 3 weekends and the water levels are back to normal, seems like they have came down a foot. We were out there cruising, but my 5 year old son did catch 3 bass on one of the sandbars we stopped at where 2 currents met.

Mostly shallow, heavily vegetated "lake" with more Cypress trees than you can possibly pitch to in a lifetime. Get a lake map from the little store next to the state park entrance. Caddo has wooden, numbered poles that mark "lanes". These lanes are shown on the lake map. We have had good luck on top waters early in the morning and late in the evening.

For relaxation, go for a ride on the Graceful Ghost, a small, steam powered boat. The Shady Glade has great cheeseburgers.

I agree with Rayzor's comment on Shady Glade although we had breakfast instead of burgers and it was outstanding. Great little place on the water. Fun watching boats come and go. My wife and I stayed in a cabin in Uncertain about 5 minutes from Shady Glade. Our first trip to Caddo and it was great. As advertised. Got a guide for a half day-we didn't catch any big fish but we caught plenty up to 2lbs.

It's a beautiful lake, enjoy.
That said, write down the main boat road number you start out on just in case you get lost. Remember after a few turns on some of the smaller boat roads they all start to look the same. I have been fishing there for over 50 years and still get turned around in some places. Either purchase a Caddo Lake map or down load one to your phone. Also if you have map tracking on your depth finder, use it as it is very helpful in finding your way back home. If you are fishing, remember the rules are different for the lake and the bayou. Above the Highway 43 bridge is considered the River and if you cross under it you are considered back in the lake and there are different rules.

One last thing, be sure to clean off your boat and trailer to remove ALL of the Giant Salvinia. It is a very nasty plant that you don't want to move into any other lake or get caught with it on your boat or trailer. When you get home, wash the boat and trailer down as a precaution along with a good rinse of your live well.
Not trying to be a downer, there are lots of big Bass there, good Crappie and Catfishing also. Good luck.

Did you use Paul Keith? He is a good guy.

I fish it pretty much every week a couple of days. Most on here know me out there. Water is typically low for this time of year already. The rain hasn’t really done much lately. Lake is steadily falling. Don’t go by the online websites saying the lake is high cause that is false info.

Far as lake conditions it’s been fishing rather tough. There in a transition period currently. Also the last rain storms over a week ago turned the Texas side into chocolate milk in areas. Now the good part is there is a lot of grass topped out and a bunch of pads already coming in. At this rate we will be completely covered in pads this year unlike the last many years. A little bit of current is still coming in the lake but not much. Depending on rain fall the next 6 days will determine a lot also.

Fish have been biting on flukes, chatter and frogs. I’ve still been fishing my trap and won’t put it down due to the fish size I’ve been catching on it. Not many bites but size is right. I had around 25lbs yesterday out there. Sunday I had boated over 30 big white bass with my son. Key is to cover water as normal.

Yes, we got Paul for a 1/2 day. He was great. The fishing wasn't fantastic (not Paul's fault) so his knowledge of the lake, history, etc kept us entertained in between bites. Wife appreciated it.

The Graceful Ghost was cool, but it's been out of commission for several years. Replaced with a pontoon boat tour.

Thanks for the insight. It has been quite a few years since I have fished a lake like Caddo. I had a really good conversation with Paul Keith and Vince Richards. I'm definitely looking forward to our trip.

You guys coming to Caddo Lake, feel free to check out my website and look at the "Fishing Report" page. I try to keep this updated on a weekly basis with some basic information. If you have any questions just give me a call. www.caddolakeguideservice.com. "Mark Allen's Guide Service on Caddo Lake".

I was out a couple weeks ago. Caught a bunch of fish under 2 lbs fishing a floating worm. Used white and watermelon red flake. Got bit about the same. Killed it by cover and let it sit sometimes for 20 seconds. Many times I would see the line twitch and had a fish.

Be sure to include a dinner at Big Pine Lodge on your trip.

Caddo is the only lake where my wife & I will actually spend a lot of our boating stay sightseeing. “Other world” scenery. We stay around Uncertain so our standard “itinerary” will be breakfast and boat launch @ Shady Glade(as said above they do have good burgers too). Head up Government Ditch & sightsee and fish up Big Cypress Bayou often way past the State Park on Big Cypress. Tie up at the boat dock on Big Cypress @ Big Pines Lodge for a late lunch/early dinner w/a cold beer and really good catfish. FYI: the map everyone is talking about is real handy but my older Navionics South mapping card has everything I need to navigate the entire lake from the dam to well past the state park including some of the smaller boat lanes around the Uncertain area. Enjoy!

This sounds perfect for us.

Been on Caddo since Monday. Fishing has been tough for us
, mostly because we’re not used to fishing this type lake. Everything is either giant flat full of vegetation or bayous with muddy current. All that being said we hve a blast early in morning catching whites on top water. After about an hour of that we have been ablef to locate a few black bass. Then sight seeing for an hour or so.

Don't waste your time at Big Pines, it is garbage now. They changed ownership a while back... head up river and go to Y'alls Place Catering & Concessions for the fried fish. They have a dock to tie off too. We are heading out there today, and staying till Monday. Y'alls Place is going to be our Sunday evening dinner.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Yall's+Place+Catering+%26+Concession/@32.7151111,-94.2491941,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x86368de0262d7f9d:0xf0ac260dfc20ad2!8m2!3d32.7151103!4d-94.2365861!16s%2Fg%2F11g0hp76mk?entry=ttu

I appreciate that. We will be on the water all day June 10th so will definitely be looking for a place to tie up and have dinner.

That looks like a hell of a run by boat from shady glade. How far is that?

Also if we put in at shady glade, where would y’all start fishing at?

It is only 4.8 miles past Big Pines lodge... 7-9 minute boat ride.

Fishing, I will have a better update for you after this weekend. Heading out there in about 2 hours. But i am probably going to hit north and west side of the big lake

Thank you sir.

How’d It go? Anything work good?

Everything we found that had good slot fish, was around current... You have to find the bait also. The bass we kept and cleaned had shad and crawfish in their bellies. There was several good areas that looked amazing, but there was no current, so we didn't catch much. so pretty much don't adventure too far from the boat lanes.