Toledo Bend is the largest man-made lake in the South. It was the largest in the world when it was originally constructed in the late sixties. It covers over 186,000 square acres, and is over 80 miles long. If you stretched the shoreline out it would run from New Orleans to New York. I operate out of Huxley Bay Marina on the North end of the Texas side of the lake, which is approximately 20 miles east of Center, Texas and 20 miles south of Logansport, La. It is one hour from Shreveport, La., three and half from Dallas or Houston. Huxley Bay Marina has a deep-water boat ramp for accessing the lake during low water conditions. Many feel the north end of the lake is the premiere fishing area and the majority of the tournaments are won with fish coming from the north end of the lake.

I have fished Toledo Bend since its inception in the early sixties. I live on the lake and have been a full-time licensed guide since 1993 spending over 200 days a year fishing Toledo Bend.  I specialize in fishing for black bass year round. The limit is eight bass per person with a 14 inch minimum length. I also fish for crappie, white bass, and bream and maintain over 100 brush tops on the old river channel for crappie. The crappie season begins in the middle of October and runs through January. We have a creel limit of 50 crappie per person per day with two pounders not being unusual. The white bass run starts in late February and runs through April with plenty of schooling action in the summer. The creel is 25 per person per day. The bream spawn starts in April and runs through June with catches of 700 to 1000 per day not being unusual. I also conduct guided trips for bow hunters seeking that 100 pound plus alligator gar in the spring and summer.  I operate a 20 ft. Skeeter Bay Boat that can accommodate up to four people. It is able to run the lake in rough water conditions and fish the main lake when other boats are sitting on their trailer. I also operate a 22 ft. Crest center console pontoon boat with a covered top for shade that can accommodate eight guests, complete with private toilet facilities. It’s great for Crappie, White Bass, and Bream fishing, touring the lake, or towing the kids on a raft.

A Typical Day: To begin our day we'll meet for breakfast either at Toledo Bend Cottage or Huxley Bay marina's Restaurant to initialize our plan of attack. Departing at safe light, we'll be on our way to the first fishing hole of the day and will usually witness a spectacular sunrise. Depending upon the time of year and weather, we may trailer to our destination; remember, Toledo Bend Lake is over 80 miles long! After a morning of fishing, we normally return to the cottage or marina for lunch, to stretch our legs, and prepare for the afternoon's fish. However, sometimes we may prefer to carry a packed lunch and stop at any number of shore sites along the lakeside. At the end of the afternoon of fishing, I'll dress and package your fish for you. Although I strongly recommend practicing catch-and-release for black bass, I'll be happy to dress the fish you wish to keep. So, while you plan your trip, remember this - I'll always be "checking out the situation" to insure that your trip is a memorable one. Contact us: 936-368-7151, gregcrafts@yahoo.com, www.toledobendguide.com.