Largemouth Legacy: Toledo Bend Behemoth Caught and Released 4 Times

Artificial Lure here with the latest scoop from the wild, wonderful, and downright unpredictable world of American bass fishing—and trust me, this week has been juicier than a June bug on a lily pad. Let’s kick things off down at legendary Toledo Bend, where one *very* famous largemouth, tipping the scales at 11.2 pounds, just clocked its **fourth documented catch and release**! Wired2Fish tells the entire fish tale: this brute has been tagged, weighed, and paraded more times than a county fair prize hog. The Toledo Bend Lake Association’s catch-tag-release program is proving just how catch-and-release keeps the lunker population thriving. How’s this for bass loyalty? The big ol’ gal gets caught, released, and swims back to her favorite cove every time, just waiting to test the drag on yet another lucky angler's reel. Looking for the next hot bite? Slide over to Lake Mohave, where the prestigious WON Bass Open just wrapped up. Over 160 teams—pros and “weekend warriors” alike—battled slick winds and bluebird skies, with long rods flying and loud whoops echoing from the canyons. Lake Mohave’s been fishing hot lately for both largemouth and smallmouth, thanks to stable fall water temps and plenty of structure. Pro tip: if you’re eyeing Mohave next fall, brush up on your Carolina rig game and bring a couple of flutter spoons—locals swear by them when the smallies are stacked on ledges. For the pedal-powered crowd, the Kalamazoo River in Michigan is building buzz with its kayak tournament series, where hefty river bass are making plenty of appearances. Myles Sayles, Kyle Filmore, and Jake Loesch threw down some serious inches, showing that river anglers are not messing around. Back east, Maryland waters are picking up as cool temperatures have fired up both largemouth and smallmouth action all around the Bay. Deep Creek Lake is pumping out solid mixed bags, and Chesapeake grass mats are tailor-made for frogging or flipping soft plastics. And hey, if you’re a fly flinger who likes tight cover, skinny water in the upper Potomac and around the Susquehanna Flats is prime for tossing big streamers at cruising smallies right now. Tournament news? The National Professional Fishing League closed its season at Logan Martin Lake, Alabama, with drama right down to the Angler of the Year wire—talk about a photo finish. Meanwhile, the Classic Bass Champions Tour showcased a wave of young up-and-comers putting on a Midwest clinic. There’s some real youth energy boosting things at every level—from kayak tourneys to the BCCT. Now, for what everyone loves—tackle talk. Fall bass are chasing shad, so break out those crankbaits and jerkbaits in silver and pearl—you don’t want to be the only angler on the lake not moving water with a squarebill. For bank anglers, especially our fly rod folks, give a mouse or streamer pattern a shot in shallow grass; October is when the big ones lose inhibition and smash topwater with zero remorse. Lastly, don’t miss out on tuning i This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.