Located on the Texas and Louisiana state line on the Sabine River you will find the Toledo Bend River. It has a surface area of 186,000 acres and a depth of 110 feet making it the fifth largest man made lake found in the United Sates. Toledo Bend is also the largest and one of the most beautiful lakes found in the south. Its shoreline stretches approximately 1200 miles long.



The water is usually very clear in the middle and then it becomes murky as you go into the upper parts and near the edges of the water. Crappies are present in this area all year round, which is why it is considered an excellent place to go fishing.

Since Texas is on one side of the River and Louisiana is on the other it is important to know the fishing regulations of both states to ensure that you are abiding by all the rules. The regulations for catching crappie are different in both states and you will be expected to obey them completely.

Fishing Tips for This Area

Fishing at Toledo Bend is a great opportunity for anyone that loves to fish for and catch crappie. As mentioned above they can be found in this river all year long and the best way to fish year round for crappie is with jigs and minnows.

As with most species of fish the spawning season for the crappie is during the spring. They will be the most aggressive during this time than at any other time of the year.

During the spring you can find the crappie located throughout the grass lines in this lake. They are also found in the creeks and in the deep water near the coves. Look for them under brush and around similar structures found in the water. Vertical fishing with jigs and shiners is recommended when fishing for crappie in and around brush piles in the spring.

In the summer focus your efforts in the creek channels and fish in depths ranging between ten to fifteen feet deep. Shiners and jigs will still work very well when vertical fishing in and around the brush piles during the summer months.

During the fall the crappie will be moving out into the deeper water of the main river and leaving the creeks. In the early part of the fall you will get more action when crappie fishing along the northern end of the Toledo Bend River. The crappie will begin moving along the river channel southward as fall turns into winter and it starts to get colder.

In cold weather you get the best results fishing around the ledges and brush piles using shiners and jigs. However, the colder it gets you will have more luck with the jigs. The crappie will normally be between twelve to twenty feet deep during this time of year.

Anglers are drawn to the Toledo Bend River for the great crappie fishing it provides. You can find a huge population of black and white crappie in this water. Another thing that draws in the anglers is the limit of crappie you are allowed to keep.

Each person fishing for crappie in this area is allowed to catch up to fifty fish per trip. With the great success you will have fishing here it is not hard to reach your limit.