One of the perks of living in Louisiana is you don’t have to travel far to find yourself in paradise. After all, you’re already there. And as championed on the iconic state license plate, this rings especially true to sportsmen. Down here you never have to travel far to find a spot to wet a line. But a trip to Sabine Parish means you’ll be casting into water that Bassmaster Magazine named the number-one bass lake in the nation two years in a row. Since receiving this designation, Toledo Bend Lake has remained among the premier bass fishing destinations in the United States.
It’s not surprising when you consider Toledo Bend Lake as the perfect marriage between nature and design. The largest man-made body of water in the South, the massive reservoir straddling the Texas/Louisiana state line was created when The Toledo Bend Dam was constructed on the Sabine River. While the reservoir was envisioned as both a water conservation effort and an opportunity for economic development during its conception in 1949, the latter has overtaken the former over the years.
With a healthy population of fast-growing Florida bass, and underwater topography that includes thousands of acres of flooded forest, Toledo Bend Lake is a paradise for fish and fishermen alike. Each year professional and amateur anglers travel from all over the country to experience the thrill of competition in over a dozen fishing derbys. Currently, the Toledo Bend Lake largemouth bass record is held by a 15.33-pound fish caught in July 2000 by Eric Weems, and 139 ‘lunkers’ (bass weighing 10 pounds or more), have been caught in a single year. These numbers are supported by the efforts of the Lunker Bass Program, which incentivizes the release of trophy fish back into the lake by rewarding anglers with a replica fish to keep as a trophy, free of charge, in exchange for the safe, live release of the original catch.
Fishing may be the favorite pastime for visitors to Toledo Bend Lake, but other aquatic adventure opportunities abound—from thrill-seekers water-skiing behind speedboats, to chill-seekers who’d rather take to the water under their own power—kayaks, pontoon boats, and paddle boats are all available to rent. Beneath the water there’s more to explore, as scuba divers and snorkelers discover the remains of the towns and cemeteries flooded to make way for the reservoir. On the water or off, whether you aim to reel in a record lunker or just unwind, Toledo Bend Lake Country has your lakeside leisure covered. Visit toledobendlakecountry.com/fishing to get started.
