Louisiana Sportsman

“Hawgs” such as this giant bass can be caught despite the arrival of the dog days of summer. This happy angler was fishing with Living the Dream Guide Service guide Matthew Loetscher when the bass bit.

Midsummer fishing at Toledo Bend

July 1, 2025 Matthew Loetscher

There’s nothing like schooling bass fishing action to spice up a July summer day on the water at Toledo Bend.[…]

The Calcasieu River system surrounds Sam Houston Jones State Park on three sides, giving visitors and locals great opportunities for fishing, kayaking, wildlife watching and many other water sports. (Photo courtesy Louisiana Office of State Parks)

Sam Houston Jones State Park provides great outdoors opportunities

June 26, 2025 John N. Felsher

Sam Houston Jones State Park provides visitors with opportunities for hiking, bird watching, fishing, camping and other outdoors activities.[…]

Crappie and other fish that bit made these youngsters happy after a trip with Living the Dream Guide Service at Toledo Bend.

Add Toledo Bend to your summer fishing plans

June 1, 2025 Jack Hains

There’s good reason for anglers to be excited about fishing for bass, crappie and bream in June at Toledo Bend.[…]

Fish brush piles 15- to 22-feet deep to catch crappie like these in May. (Photo courtesy Kobe Cartinez)

Easy pickings at Toledo Bend

May 1, 2025 Kobe Cartinez

May is an easy fishing month at Toledo Bend as bass and crappie enter the post-spawn period and bream start bedding up in the shallows.[…]

Kobe Cartinez, a fishing guide with Tightline Guide Service, holds up a big Toledo Bend bass.

Spring is special at Toledo Bend

March 30, 2025 Kobe Cartinez

If it’s a warm spring, the spawn won’t drag out as long at Toledo Bend. Otherwise, more cool spells will keep the bass spawn going.[…]

Catch and cook: Load up on crappie in a jungle of cypress

March 27, 2025 Todd Masson

This time of year, crappie are irresistible, as the fish move shallow to make next year’s crop of crappie.[…]

Henderson Lake fishermen who target shallow-water cypress trees like those in the background usually get their hands on sac-a-lait like this one.

Hit the cypress trees at Henderson Lake for sac-a-lait

March 6, 2025 Don Shoopman

If you’re hoping to get your hands on a mess of sac-a-lait this month, there are some hotspots to check out at Henderson Lake.[…]

Ron Blackwell of Leesville with the 10.49-pound lunker bass he caught on Feb. 11 at Toledo Bend. (Photo courtesy Toledo Bend Lunker Bass Association)

Toledo Bend anglers prepare for the spawn

February 28, 2025 John Dean

Anybody ready to go bass or sac-a-lait fishing in March, it’s looking like good times are ahead on Toledo Bend.[…]

This technique pulls crappie out of laydowns!

February 23, 2025 Todd Masson

Marsh Man Masson and Jeff Bruhl hit a local lake to see how many crappie they could catch. One technique really shined above the rest![…]

This hungry slab fell for Laitin Gauley’s Bobby Garland jig in the bone white color.

The return of the Tickfaw River

February 21, 2025 Keith Lusher Jr.

The Tickfaw River is home to anglers who target bass, bream, and catfish. But its most prized possession may be the loyal sac-a-lait anglers.[…]

Catch and cook: Crappie already crushing this technique

February 6, 2025 Todd Masson

Marsh Man Masson went out this week to see if the annual crappie season has kicked off. What he found made him really happy.[…]

Work your baits slow. Generally bass with spawning on their mind won’t be chasing.

Toledo Bend bass are poised for the spawn

February 3, 2025 John Dean

If you’re going after bass on Toledo Bend as the calendar turns from January to February, here are some tips to help.[…]

The late Harold Ensley, center, host of “The Sportsman’s Friend” fishing show, and his friends show off two ice chests stuffed with crappie following a trip four decades ago with the author at Toledo Bend.

Crappie time at Toledo Bend

January 2, 2025 John Dean

There have been some extraordinary crappie catchin’ days on Toledo Bend, where huge balls of shad congregate when the water temperature drops.[…]

Graduation trip to Toledo Bend

December 27, 2024 Cajuncoonaus

Jim Bates and his grandson, Austin, went to Toledo Bend for Austin’s 8th grade graduation trip instead of Disney World. It was a wise choice, as they smoked the sac-a-lait with the help of good

No trees in sight! Metzger shows off a big sac-a-lait he caught in the marsh in a patch of submerged eel grass.

Shrimp for sac-a-lait

December 20, 2024 Keith Lusher Jr.

Kyle Metzger of Pearl River is an admitted artificial shrimp fanatic. He targets sac-a-lait on a regular basis fishing the East Pearl.[…]

Travis Brown of Woodworth with a beautiful pair of Red River crappie.

The Red River is a winter crappie hotspot

December 8, 2024 Justin Adkins

The Red River offers some of the best opportunities for winter fishing, and Travis Brown has mastered the art of catching these crappie.[…]