MANY, La. — It’s a giant lake full of giant bass and Toledo Bend Reservoir is set to host the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops.
Competition days will be October 21-23 with daily takeoffs from Cypress Bend Park at 7 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the park at 3 p.m.
This event is the second in a three-tournament series comprising top finishers from two Turtlebox Bassmaster Opens presented by Battery Tender divisions, along with current Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series anglers. The EQ series began in late-September at Norfork Lake and concludes November 11-13 at Lake Guntersville. The Top 10 anglers in the points standings will qualify to compete on the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
En route to that goal, EQ anglers will test their skills on this 185,000-acre Sabine River reservoir straddling the Louisiana/Texas border. Consistently ranking high on the Bassmaster Magazine 100 Best Bass Lakes list, Toledo Bend presents an ideal tournament fishery, as its size allows anglers to spread out, while its habitat diversity offers something for everyone.
From shallow grass and wood, to standing timber, stumps and offshore structure, Toledo Bend indulges a range of tactics. Elite Series pro Caleb Sumrall, who resides in New Iberia, La., expects a mix of extended summer and early fall conditions.
“There will be a lot to offer and I think it’s gonna be the best of both worlds,” Sumrall said. “Toledo Bend is a great offshore fishery, so do not count out the possibility of someone finding a deep offshore school and catching them on a deep-diving crankbait or a football jig.
“I think with forward facing sonar being allowed in this event, somebody finding a school in standing timber could play.”
The local forecast calls for a mild cold front that will bring daytime highs down from the low-90s to the mid 70s, with overnight lows into the mid-40s by the weekend. Warmer weather will return by tournament week, but these spurts of cooler conditions, coupled with shortening days typically spur the bass to feed up for winter’s approach.
One factor that could significantly impact the event is Toledo Bend’s water level. Recent weeks have seen minimal rain across Western Louisiana and days before the event’s beginning, the lake stood about four feet below full pool.
“With the lower lake level, there won’t be much bank cover in the water other than docks, but I expect the hydrilla to be a big player,” Sumrall said. “The last few years have seen really good hydrilla growth in the lower end, like Housen Bay and Six Mile Creek. I expect those two areas to get a lot of pressure, but I can see someone getting on something off the beaten path in the north end.”
In the deeper grass scenario, Sumrall’s looking for deep flipping tactics to play, along with bladed jigs and urchin baits. Additionally, he believes hunting individual big fish or small wolf packs in 10 feet or less could hold fireworks potential.
Toledo Bend holds a solid population of spotted bass, but those fish rarely top the 2-pound mark. While spots might help fill a limit on a tough day, most anglers will focus their efforts on the lake’s abundant population of chunky largemouth bass.
Complementing these native fish, formerly called “northern largemouth,” Toledo Bend also holds huge numbers of stocked Florida bass (renamed from the long-standing “Florida-strain largemouth” title in July 2024). Furthering the diversity, F1 hybrids bring the Florida bass growth potential with the native largemouth’s aggression and cold tolerance.
During the 2026 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier presented by Lowrance, April 22-24, Andrew Rickman won with a three-day total weight of 95 pounds, 15 ounces, while Tyler Gautreaux took big-bass honors with a 10-2. The upcoming EQ event will find bass in different seasonal patterns, but the big-bag and big-fish potential still exists.
Sumrall said he’s expecting an exciting fall tournament that showcases Toledo Bend’s potential. The key to success, he said, will be dialing in the big-fish areas, but maintaining the flexibility to make the numbers work.
“You have to be around the right quality, but you can’t write off a (spot with 3-pounders),” he said. “If you catch two 6-pounders and a 7-pounder, and you need some 3 pounders, that kinda spot can finish out your limit.”
Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Toledo Bend Reservoir presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com. Bassmaster LIVE will be available on Friday, Oct. 23 from 8-11 a.m. ET and Noon-3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com and Roku Sports Channel.
Toledo Bend Lake Country is hosting this event.