Big Ones Have Been Biting At Toledo Bend

By MLF Communications Staff

MANY, La. – Major League Fishing (MLF) will kick off the sixth season of the MLF Bass Pro Tour in Many, La., this week. Competition days are Tuesday through Sunday.

The six-day tournament will feature a field of 80 professional anglers competing for a purse of $659,000, including a top payout of $100,000.

The tournament will feature the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release format, in which anglers catch as much weight as they can each day, while also feeling the pressure and intensity of the ScoreTracker leaderboard.

The event will mark the first time that the BPT has visited the venue. Although there is no prior history on the books in the MLF format, Justin Cooper – a Bass Pro Tour rookie and local pro – said it has the potential to be a record-breaking event.

“I think the weights are going to be phenomenal,” said Cooper, a resident of Zwolle, La.. “The fishing was impressive before it went off limits and I anticipate it will be just as good once we get back out on the water. I wouldn’t be surprised if the winner has over 100 pounds per day, and I figure Championship Round may take 150 pounds to take home the trophy.”

While the event will feature typical prespawn/winter fishing, Cooper said the fishery offers excellent diversity this time of year.

“Toledo Bend is a little unique,” Cooper said. “Other fisheries may only have opportunities out deep in the winter, but that’s not necessarily the case on Toledo Bend. I think we’re going to see a few different techniques come into play. We’ll definitely see guys fishing out deep with forward-facing sonar, but the grass is really healthy on the lake. Anytime you have hydrilla and milfoil in the winter in Louisiana, grass is a big player. I could also see deep brush piles being key players as well, so there will be a variety of ways to catch a bass.

“I think a jerkbait, jig and some type of Texas-rigged bait will be key for fishing brush piles. I’m sure we’ll see a swimbait or Damiki rig being thrown with forward-facing sonar and in the grass, I’d expect to see a lipless crankbait, ChatterBait and a bladed jig being utilized as well.”

Cooper said anglers will have to be on guard while running their boats across the fishery and be mindful of high winds.

“The lake is currently 4 feet low,and it’s full of timber, so guys will really need to stay in the boat lanes during this event,” Cooper said. “If you get out of the lanes, it’s best just to idle. There are some places you can run outside the boat lane, but if you aren’t familiar with the lake and haven’t been there several times, the stumps and timber may not be obvious to the naked eye. Just because you don’t see them, that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

“Hopefully we won’t contend with much wind, but if it picks up during the event, it can be treacherous. If the wind blows out of the north or south, it can get really rough and dangerous, really quick.”

Cooper said the biggest tournament he’s fished on Toledo Bend was a Southwestern Division Toyota Series in January of 2020, where he finished fifth. The Louisiana pro finished second in points that same year, qualifying him for the Pro Circuit (now known as the Invitationals), where he eventually qualified for the 2024 Bass Pro Tour.

“It’s phenomenal that my first Bass Pro Tour event is taking place on my home lake,” Cooper said. “There’re definitely some nerves, and it’s a double-edged sword sometimes. You know a lot, but that can be a hindrance at times as well. There are so many different spots and techniques running through your mind, especially if you get behind the 8-ball. So, I’m just going to have to trust myself, fish free and not fish based on history alone.”

At the end of the day, Cooper said he’s just excited and happy to be in this place, at this time.

“This is what I’ve worked so hard for, to get the opportunity to fish at the highest level of professional bass fishing,” Cooper said. “That’s been a dream and goal of mine my entire life, so to finally get that opportunity is the biggest blessing. I just want to seize the moment and make my family, friends and sponsors proud.

“I feel like I’m going into the event with a lot of confidence, versus if we were starting off on a body of water that I’d never been to. It’s a big confidence-booster starting out, and I just plan to use that to my advantage.”

Anglers will launch at 7:30 a.m. CT each day from Cypress Bend Park, located at 3462 Cypress Bend Drive in Many. Each day’s takeout will be held at the park beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW! livestream and ScoreTracker coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.

The 40 Anglers in Group A compete in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday, with the 40 anglers in Group B competing on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers who finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the Top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the Championship Round, weights are zeroed and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.

The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on the final four days of competition from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! will be live-streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

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