B.A.S.S. announced today that Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Louisiana-Texas border will be one of the stops on the 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series. The organization announced the selection in conjunction with the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission’s celebration of the lake earning the top spot on Bassmaster’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list.
“We are thrilled to have been selected for a Bassmaster Elite tournament in 2016,” said Linda Curtis Sparks, director of the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission. “Toledo Bend’s designation as the No. 1 bass fishing lake in the nation by Bassmaster Magazine will have lots of eyes focused on what the pros can produce from Toledo Bend. It will be exciting to see.”
The event will take place May 12-15, 2016.
“When you combine the best fishery in the country and a host community that has always rolled out the red carpet for our anglers, fans and sponsors, you are certain to have a fantastic event,” said Michael Mulone, B.A.S.S. director of event partnerships. “We are grateful for our continued partnership with Many, Louisiana, and look forward to another successful tournament.”
The 185,000-acre fishery earned the top spot on Bassmaster’s 2015 100 Best Bass Lakes list based on current fishing reports and input from state fisheries departments, the B.A.S.S. Nation leadership and a panel of judges.
“When a lake certifies 80 bass that weigh over 10 pounds in a 12-month time frame, it’s pretty easy to name it the best bass lake in the nation,” said Bassmaster Magazine editor James Hall. “That’s exactly what happened at Toledo Bend. Plus, it typically takes well over 25 pounds to win a tournament there during any season.
“The lake is simply full of big bass. And to put an exclamation point on the lake’s ranking, an event held there just after Bassmaster’s 100 Best Bass Lakes were announced saw a 38.22-pound five-fish winning limit. The lake is simply on fire right now.”
Last month, it was announced by New York officials that the Elite Series would return to Cayuga Lake in 2016, but the exact dates of that event are not yet known.
