Need Some Bistineau Help

[J.W.]

No fishing info please, just looking for general lay of the lake info. Mostly navigational stuff. Where it's safe to run, where not to, names of some places, any good navigational markers/landmarks to use, etc.

As a kid we had a camp on the south end of the lake, but I think I've been on Bistineau once in the last 30 years. Of course I remember where the dam is, and where the different bayous are that make pockets. I remember where Peggy's Island and Hog Island are, and Little Red Chute runs right in front of our old camp, so I know where it is. I cannot remember where a lot of the other named sloughs run, where exactly the Hay Meadow is, where the Rock is, and a lot of other places whose names I remember from when I was young. I was a kid back when we used to really fish that lake a lot, and I guess too many years have passed. I know some of it will only come from getting out there and refamiliarizing myself with the lake, but if any of you guys that are familiar with Bistineau can help me out making a mental map of things, that would be awesome.

[Mike Cork]

I wrote a book and lost it... I'll re do it shortly, in the mean time do you know where Plum Orchard is on the lake?

[J.W.]

I wrote a book and lost it... I'll re do it shortly, in the mean time do you know where Plum Orchard is on the lake?

Dang. Thanks Mike. Yes, I remember where Plum Orchard is. I think I know where all the main launches are at. 

[Mike Cork]

Okay, starting from Plum Orchard, if you head north quickly you'll follow the channel to the other side of the lake. The channel straightens out, the first small creek is Little Tulan's, it's not very big but when it's right it's right. The next creek is right as the channel takes a hard left. This is Big Tulan's, you can spend a whole day in here and I've won many tournaments in there this time of year.

When you hook the hard left at Big Tulan's the lake flattens out and it's kind of hard to tell where the channel is, just stay in the middle until you hit the next tree line. There will be a hole in it that you drive through but you'll have to make another immediate left. I go slow through here just in case someone is coming from the other direction. However if you shut down and idle into the woods across the channel you're now going into Tydas Arm, it's really three small fingers. I've done very well in there as well. Even caught one a little over nine.

If you get back in the channel and head north every creek to your left will lead you into various parts of the Hay Meadow. Not to much farther north, if you watch the point trees on your left you'll see a sign that say state park, you can follow that creek to the state park.

Back at Plum Orchard, heading north again, you take the right to go across the lake. If you shut down anywhere through the middle of the lake and idle north you'll again be going into various parts of Hay Meadow. Mud Slough runs right up the middle and you can see it from a Google Earth picture.

Running south out of Plum, quickly you'll have to head across the lake again. If you go all the way to the other side and follow the main channel south, the Painted Rock isn't too far and very easy to see. However about half way to the other side of the lake there is a slough in the middle called Bossier Slough. It's very easy to run and very obvious. There are creeks that run to the bank on your right as you are running south, this take you to places like Wilson's Camp, all have great fishing. If you continue down Bossier Slough when nearing the end you'll see an obvious break in the trees, head south through this and you're in open water and you can run all the way to Peggy's Island.

There is a large arm on the west side of the lake that is called Spring Branch and I have had great results in there.

Now for the juice. Gar Slough, working it from the dam to Hog Island, stay in the slough and fish the edge trees all day long with a frog or black blue jig. I say it here because the competition I fish against won't read this  But I've lost track of the money and fish my partner and I have caught and won doing this, one fish a frog one fish a jig. We've caught some of our best fish between 10-2. It can get frustrating and feel weird pitching a frog to the shady side of an 8 foot tree all day but it will pay off at some point.

[J.W.]

Thanks a million, Mike! I appreciate you typing that up. That helps a lot. I'm going to try to get out there this weekend and do some looking. I think when I see some of these places I might remember them if they don't look too different. As a kid I didn't pay much attention to where things were, and I wish now that I had.

[Mike Cork]

Without the salvania being a problem right now, things will look the same and a few bass will jog the memory 

[J.W.]

Without the salvania being a problem right now, things will look the same and a few bass will jog the memory 

Right on the money. We went for a little while yesterday, but didn't get to stay long. Man I was shocked at how good the lake looked, and things did start coming back to me. I haven't seen it that clear in a long time.

We put in at Plum Orchard and went north to Toulan then over to the Hay Meadow.

After that my batteries started dying (long story), and we had to get back so we could charge 'em before a tournament on Cypress yesterday evening.

Anyway, we did more looking than fishing but did manage a few bites. Weather permitting I'll be back out there Saturday (with charged batteries  ) to do some more looking. I'll probably put in at Plum Orchard again but head south next time.