Reservation Number : 47728
Property Name : Toby Lake
Reservation Date : 08/02/2026 AM -
Total Fish/Sizes : 0
Lures Used : None

We found Toby lake about 6;30am. Our Private Fishing Sign that we were looking for hanging by one piece of bailing wire and not readable ffrom the road. We rehung the sign. We made our way to the ramp without a problem. I made one trip here I think in 2023 and vagely remembered the layout. The lake appears to be several feet dow. The is a wide area to the south of the ramp that is out of the water. Having not been here recently, I am only guessing. There was dead calm  this moring and it was easy to see where the water had receeded.

I fish from a 12’ Sun Dolphin boat with 2 trolling motors one front and back.I launch it from a trailer and the ramp was easily accessible. Our problems began when we tried to board the boat. With the water level down, there was several feet of wet mud that needed to be crossed to step into the boat. I took two steps and immediately began to sink 6-7 inches and continue deeper.into the mud. The ramp dropped off into deeper water as they all do.. When I pulled my my feet out of the mud holes. I was without my wading shoes. There was no solid ground to step on and I continued to sink and slip downhill. I ended up in chest deep water holding onto the boat. That was not a graceful position. Fortuneately, my brother had not started into the water and was holding the launch rope connected to boat to steady it as I planned to board.. To further the problem, the mud is filled with chunks of old asphalt that in the past was part of the launch ramp. It was sharp and  not possible to walk on iwith bare feet..Having tried several methods, it was soon apparent that I could not walk back up the bank.as i was making no headway with each step. We moved the boat to the the south edge of the ramp, and backed the trailer in..I sat down on the back trailer, and John drove the trailer up on the ramp. If I had been fishing alone, which I never do at age 80, I am not sure how I would have climbed out. I guess swimming to a flat area of shoreline was the other option.

All of this is to say, if other members are going to fish there in trailer launced or hand launnced small  boats they need to be aware of the current mud problem. I was hoping Toby might be a secondary closer option than Coalgate where I will again fish tomorrow. I will pray for “fair skies and a following wind”!

I do have one question. I reserved the morning slot today and the pricing I saw on line for a half day is different from the amount charged. Perhaps the fee schedule has changed. I am not complaining, only asking. I will file another report after fishing Acker Lake tomorrow. Thank you.😎🎣