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Social media roundup from Toledo Bend

Posted on
Captions by
Shaye Baker
Alabama
The stage is set for the start of the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Toledo Bend. This is the Open #1 for Division 2, and the second stop for the Opens EQ anglers who are fishing all 9 events in an effort to qualify for the 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series. We took a look around social media to roundup some action shots form practice. Hugh Cosculluela departs Houston, Texas on his way to Toledo Bend.
But first, Cosculluela has to get the boat ready. It’s been about a month since the last Bassmaster Open on Lake Eufaula. The anglers have surely fished some since then, a few competing in the Bassmaster Classic, but now it’s time to get back to work in the Opens.
Garrett Paquette with a good public service announcement. There’s lots of standing timber on Toledo. Paquette uses and recommends the Leash from PartsVu to help restrain the motor in the event of hitting an underwater obstruction. This will keep the motor from tearing free from the hull and coming up onto the back deck of the boat, as one sometimes does in an accident.
Bohannon spent time with the Lincoln High School fishing team just prior to heading to Toledo Bend for official practice.
The young anglers enjoyed a little Q&A session with the seasoned pro, and got to taste test one of the best product sponsor options in the business.
Bohannon even posed for a few pics, before hopping in his rig and heading for Toledo Bend.
Official practice began on Saturday. Blake Smith and several other anglers and their families chose to have an Easter service Sunday morning in the boat ramp parking lot.
Time to put the rigs on the water.
James Niggemeyer gives us our first view of Toledo Bend, an expansive 185,000 acre fishery.
Another shot from Niggemeyer’s boat shows how this lake stretches as far as the eye can see, and beyond.
This shot from Brad Leuthner’s social media sums up what we’ve been hearing from many of the anglers. The lake is in a bit of a post-spawn funk, with a few fish still headed to the bed.
Blake Smith shows off a good fish, of the wrong variety. Toledo is also known for it’s crappie.
Matt Pangrac may be having the worst practice of all, putting a massive treble hook through his finger.
But Pangrac’s practice partner is putting the crappie in the boat in the meantime.
And Pangrac gets in on the wrong species contest with this giant carp.
Bill McDonald is not impressed by this small spotted bass. The big ones seem to be few and far between.
But as Joey Nania illustrates, there are definitely big ones in this place.
Here’s Jack Dice with a bug-eyed post-spawn bass on a jerkbait. The anglers that have caught good fish have reported that finding a consistent bite is extremely difficult.
Ish Monroe with a stud from Toledo. The safe assumption here, this one came shallow.
And another big one for Ish. The bass are biting from less than a foot out to 30- feet of water according to reports from anglers.
Brad Leuthner with one that’s too big to fit in the camera.
Blake Smith getting in on the action.
And Smith with another giant.
Things are finally tuning around in Pangrac’s boat.
Here’s Kyle Patrick with a stud. If you’re not watching his videos on social media, you’re really missing out. This guy is a real man of genius.
Texan Hugh Cosculluela with a nice fish.
And we send you off with a monster from Kyle Metzger. The 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Toledo Bend starts tomorrow. Tune in to catch all the action on bassmaster.com.

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