The Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) awarded 39 lunker bass replicas to anglers at Cypress Bend Resort on July 25, 2020. Dinah Medine, coordinator of the TBLA Lunker Bass Program, and TBLA President Ricky Yeldell presented the replicas to the deserving anglers. The largest fish was caught by Billy Maricle of Pitkin, LA, weighing in at 11.85 pounds.
The goal of the Program is to encourage the return of trophy fish to the lake by rewarding anglers a replica bass for catching and releasing their Toledo Bend Lunker back to the lake. TBLA hopes it will spawn and produce more potential lunkers and continue to grow and be caught again by another angler.
To qualify for a Lunker Bass replica, the fish must be weighed, registered, and released alive by TBLA or its representative. TBLA provides an angler a free fiberglass replica for any bass weighing 10 pounds or more, provided the following rules are met:
• The bass must be caught in Toledo Bend Lake and weigh a minimum of 10.00 lbs.
• Fish must be caught by sporting means, i.e. a fishing pole, rod, reel and line, or other form of sport fishing tackle.
• Fish must be weighed on an ASGS approved scale at a TBLA Official Weigh Station
• At weigh-in, the angler must present a valid fishing license or approved exemption.
• A designated witness at the weigh station must attest to the weight and sign the registration form.
• Angler must release the live fish to a weigh station employee.
• A weigh station employee or TBLA representative must witness the live release of the fish into Toledo Bend Lake and attest to such by signing the registration form.
TBLA Official Weigh Stations
Louisiana side:
Toledo Town and Tackle, Hwy. 191 and LA 6
(318) 256-5613
Buckeye Landing, 268 Buckeye Lane, Many, La.
24Hr# (318) 586-4757 or (318) 508-2971)
Texas side:
Fin & Feather Resort, South Lake- 245 Fin & Feather Drive., Hemphill, TX. (409) 579-2056
Fairmount General Store, South Lake- 2419 Fairdale Rd., Hemphill, TX.
(409) 579-9080
Keith’s Toledo Bend Tackle, Mid Lake- 6302 State Hwy 21 E, Hemphill, TX. (409) 625-0181
Holly Park Mid-lake, 3000 E Carter’s Ferry Rd, Milam, TX.
(409) 625-4424, 24Hr# (936) 596-5343
Huxley Bay Marina, North Lake, 13200 FM Rd 2694, Shelbyville, TX.
(866) 733-8193
The TBLA Lunker Bass Program is the signature conservation program among many projects sponsored by the Association to meet its mission: “to improve the quality of Toledo Bend Lake and the amenities surrounding it.”
Photo courtesy TBLA