Toledo Bend Telemetry Tracking Study Update Todd Driscoll TP&W Biologist 1-15-22 Part 1

This is the January 2022 Update on the Toledo Bend Telemetry tracking study with Todd Driscoll fisheries biologist that is heading up the team that are tracking bass in Toledo that they have placed radio transmitters in since early in 2020. Fascinating stuff, fish swimming 5+ miles over two week periods, and some that never move.
Todd is updating us on the study they are currently doing using telemetry, or basically a radio transmitter implanted in large mouth bass from 3 to 8 pounds in Toledo Bend and Lake Fork in Texas. Specifically today he talks about what fish do after they are caught and released and ,what they have discovered about how far fish travel on a daily basis, all things they have discovered roughly 20 months into the study.
They are tracking both shallow and deep bass, every other week and observing what those fish do, how they react to boat noise, where they rest, where they feed, how they react to baits, survival rates, every thing we tournament bass fisherman want to know. This is the first part of our conversation in January of 2022.
To see our original conversation from the fall of 2020 see • Toledo Bend & Lake For...
#toledobendfishtracking #lakeforkfishtracking #texasparksandwildlifishtrackingstudy
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[@juleswinnfield826]

Great info

[@1961fireguy]

I would like to ask Mr. Driscoll why cant we get the spraying of grass in the lake stopped? Anyone that has fished Sam Rayburn for 40 years can tell that the fishing has not improved with the lack of grass. The south end is almost complete devoid of grass so it is almost a waste of time to fish anywhere south of Five Fingers. I would like to hear his thoughts on the situation.

[@KenSmithFishing]

I spent an hour today talking to John who works with Todd and is actually the guy in charge of spraying, they have ZERO interest in killing hydrilla in Rayburn or Toledo. They do spray and will continue to spray the upper reaches for giant salvania and hyacinth, but only spotty, I think he told me they sprayed 1700 acres of Rayburn last year, which is less than 2%. The lack of grass is due to the high water, remember Rayburn was 10 feet high for more than 6 months straight, so anywhere that the water wasn’t crystal clear that grass acted like your yard would if you put a tarp over it for 6 months. He and I are going to talk on camera in the next few weeks, but they ARE NOT killing or trying to kill the hydrilla in Rayburn

[@kellymiller3136]

I am not from Texas but are private companies allowed to spray for weeds in Texas or spread tables to kill weeds?

[@chrislafleur2163]

@@KenSmithFishing all I have to say is, when they spray, they kill everything. Brown crunchy grass means zero bass. I agree with the high water but the bottom of Housen is a fairway at Cypress Bend. Years ago the hydrilla was topping out and the bass were thick.

[@everydayfrc]

Thanks Ken....interested to hear your thought on Rayburn pattern for upcoming MLF event. Jokingly I realize it will include a Newberry red trap. Thanks for all the posts!!

[@KenSmithFishing]

Nate, based on what I saw in the Champs results today the water cooling off 10 degrees pushed the fish off the banks, some will move back up as we have some sun and 50's this week, but it'll be won off shore, i won't say "deep", but offshore. Possibly using a livescope or 360, either way electronics play a HUGE role in this one

[@richpro7122]

This is an EXCELLENT series ! Ken, Y'all do a great job in presenting the content. I kept a copy of In-Fisherman magazine (book#108 June/July/August 1992) that has a very interesting article on radio tracking bass by John Hope. I loved that article and this study by Todd Driscoll. Todd has a great on camera persona, and its apparent that he loves what he does. Ken your questions and clarifications are key to what makes this a hit. My wife doesn't fish but she watches with me and asks questions, and before I can answer you fill in the blanks. We look forward to the next video on this subject. We love this in depth (no pun) study !

[@KenSmithFishing]

Rich if you don't have it John wrote a book about his studies, its a short read but worth tracking down. It's had a couple of names, I think it was called The Lost Bass

[@robertlane370]

Wait 2 years for it then we get a rehash of the old info and 5 minutes of new. Come on man. Just make a video with all the new info and post it so we can watch it.

[@KenSmithFishing]

Harsh man…

[@isaacanderson56]

Great video! Listening about the fish behavior is fascinating!

[@KenSmithFishing]

agreed, fun to hear about all the ones we can't catch!

[@billroberts9385]

Great job Todd and Ken, EMAW Every Man a Wildcat go K State!

[@KenSmithFishing]

Come on man, go HAWGS!

[@Cloteal_Cast]

Is Todd part of the Grass project on Toledo? Does he think loss of grass/structure is a reason for those fish that did go out to the middle of nowhere? The fishing pressure after the elites/number one ranking has slacked off drastically, why does the fishing still remain to be difficult outside of the spawn?

[@KenSmithFishing]

Not sure there is a “grass project”, although from talking to another of the TP&W biologist today the LA side is starting to do some re-seeding/caging and i think TP&W are kicking around the same. He told me they actually just pulled some soil from other there to analyze and the soil had hydrilla tubers in it, but that they wouldn’t sprout, so they are trying to ascertain why. As to the fishing, I think a big part of it can be laid at the feet of Bassmaster magazine naming it #1 bass lake in the country. It brought unbelievable pressure to the lake and it seems, at least to me, that it hasn’t been the same since.

[@Cloteal_Cast]

@@KenSmithFishing that’s the grass project I was referring to, the Louisiana one, didn’t know if they were talking back and forth between La and Tx biologist. That is awesome news that the tubers for the Hydrilla is still there. Can’t wait for the lake to bounce back.

[@Bootlegtresix]

How do they know if it was caught for a tournament then released is why it’s moving?

[@KenSmithFishing]

Wesley not sure I understand your question, ask that again?

[@Bootlegtresix]

@@KenSmithFishing well when he says for no reason the fish moved like 6 miles how do we know that someone hasn’t caught and released the fish somewhere else. I’ve heard before that fish will come back to the area they were caught in no matter where they were released

[@leeclack4121]

This is very interesting info thanks a bunch

[@KenSmithFishing]

It gets better, and more confusing

[@andreoliverlaoutdoors290]

These types of things are sooooo fascinating to me I could listen to it everyday if they reported their finds lol

[@KenSmithFishing]

I edited all these in two days I was so into watching them

[@derrickhouse7063]

Very interesting stuff here

[@KenSmithFishing]

Just wait

[@jjohnston6645]

Interesting info. Thanks

[@KenSmithFishing]

your welcome

[@steveparker7240]

Okay, ready for Part 2. 👍

[@KenSmithFishing]

Steve my original plan was to drop one a week…but I’m going to drop part 2 Thursday and post the video I had for Thursday later

[@clayfarmer2160]

✨✝️🇺🇸🎣🚂✨

[@KenSmithFishing]

thanks...I think?

[@tomgates5696]

Good stuff Ken. Keep it coming.

[@KenSmithFishing]

Thanks Tom