Toledo Bend Lake Association

BASS REPLICA PROGRAM

Bass Lunkers from Toledo Bend

36 Bass Replicas Presented at the 2010 McDonalds Big Bass Splash

A whopping 36 fiberglass replicas for 10 pound bass and over were presented at the Sealy’s McDonald’s Big Bass Splash on Toledo Bend May 21-23rd of 2010. The Toledo Bend Lake Association sponsors the program yearly as a conservation measure for the reservoir.

Dinah Medine, chairperson for the program, thanked Kurt Carver with Toledo Town for their commitment to the program and for being the official weigh in site. Dinah Medine presented 29 replicas ranging in size from 10 pounds to 11.42 pounds. Ricky Yelldell with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries and A. Kell McKinnis, III representing the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation presented seven additional replicas of largemouth bass to those fishermen who caught fish over 12 pounds. Linda Curtis-Sparks, Director of the Sabine Parish Tourist Commission presented certificates and caps to those fishermen who had caught fish large enough to qualify for the Top 100 Biggest Bass Caught on Toledo Bend list. The Top 100 Biggest Bass range in size from 11.48 lbs to 15.30 lbs. The complete listings of all lunkers and the Top 100 Biggest Bass can be seen at www.toledobendlakecountry.com.

Scottie Lucas (left) from Scottie’s Taxidermy & Ned Goodeaux (right) checking the Replicas

The Toledo Bend Lake Association through their yearly Bass Unlimited Banquet is committed to funding projects of this nature to help maintain healthy fisheries on Toledo Bend. One of their projects is to have a yearly release in December of Florida Bass fingerlings. In December 2009 they placed 22,000 fingerlings in coves on the lake.

The Lunker Program was initiated by the Sabine River Authority in 1993, continued by Toledo Town in 1998 and later transferred to the Toledo Bend Lake Association. To date 396 Lunkers have been caught and released. To qualify for the Toledo Bend Lake Association Lunker Program a fish most be released alive. Additional information concerning the Bass Replica Program can be found at www.toledo-bend.com/tbla/replica.asp

About The Bass Replica Program

The Toledo Bend Lake Association believes in helping to preserving the fishing for future generations on Toledo Bend Reservoir. In our effort to support this ideal we participate in the "Bass Replica Program".

The purpose of this program is to reward you a replica bass for the catch and release of your Toledo Bend lunker so it may spawn hundreds of little lunkers.

Young fisherman checking out all of those big fish!

Please note any fish that weighs more than 12.00 pounds are still rewarded with a replica fish but it is supplied by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fishery from January 1st through April 30th.

This was a great year for all that participated in the "Bass Replica Program", as the TBLA paid for 29 replicas of fish that survived and weighed between 10.00 to 11.99 pounds. The replica presentations awards were handed out in May at the McDonalds Big Bass Splash, which was held at the Cypress Bend Pavilion.

The Toledo Bend Lake Association looks forward to completely funding the "Bass Replica Program" for the year 2010-2011, which runs from July 1st through June 30th.