Big weights could be on tap for Cowboy Division at Toledo Bend
MANY, La. — The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Cowboy Division starts hot right out the gate with a Jan. 4 derby on Sam Rayburn to kick off the 2025 season. Two weeks later, it’s another stellar southern fishery that few bass anglers need an introduction to: Toledo Bend Reservoir.
Toledo Bend has been pumping out huge bass and massive bags over the last handful of years, and Jan. 18 is one of those perfect times of year to find a few. Provided conditions line up correctly, mid-January can be an ideal window for 30-plus-pound bags.
Of note for the Cowboy Division, especially (because the season starts with two events in the first three weeks of the year); in 2025, the BFLs will feature an expanded slate of Regional events, which will give anglers more chances to qualify for the All-American and further minimize travel costs. This expansion ensures that grassroots anglers can fish closer to home on lakes they know and love for a chance to win a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard as a boater and a new $20,000 cash award as a co-angler, plus qualification into the BFL All-American.
What to expect
Bass Pro Tour pro Nick LeBrun of Bossier City, Louisiana, has a long history on Toledo Bend. He’s seen the lake in nearly every phase and season, and he’s expecting big weights when the Cowboy Division takes off from Cypress Bend Park.
“Toledo’s been on the upswing the last couple years and it’s putting out quality,” he said. “There’s going to be some 25-pound bags in that tournament and maybe one closer to 30. If the wind blows too hard and guys can’t get offshore and utilize all that stuff, you may see 23 pounds win it, but if it’s the right conditions for fishing out in the middle of the lake, you might see someone get dirty.”
Over the last several weeks, Toledo Bend’s water level has risen steadily, jumping as much as a foot in the last week prior to publication of this article. According to LeBrun, it’s still about 2 feet below normal, though he expects the water level to tick up a touch more before Jan. 18. If that’s the case, targeting fish all over the lake is going to be very much in play.
“The fish always move up with the water, whether that’s in 5-foot of water or 35-foot of water,” he said. “The fish are going to want to be moved up in the water column, and if you can find some water in the bushes and trees up north, I don’t care if there’s ice on the water, there’s going to be fish in the bushes.”
That means all kinds of power-fishing tactics will be in play, though the right conditions will probably make forward-facing sonar the winning play. Offshore hard spots in 12 to 20 feet of water are always hot spots this time of year on Toledo Bend, and everything from big crankbaits to small jighead minnows can do some serious damage.
Tournament history for mid-January on Toledo Bend is scattered considering the Cowboy Division hasn’t fished there prior to February in a decade. Even so, last year’s Feb. 4 barnburner saw Cody Pitt put 39-15 on the scale with Tater Reynolds also cracking 30 pounds (31-14). There’s huge potential for crazy weights this time of year if everything lines up correctly.