Friday Big Bass Results
Saturday Big Bass Results
Little Anglers Division Results

May 22, 2011   (Sunday)
Lake Toledo Bend, Louisiana - McDonald's Big Bass Splash

11.60 lbs wins the McDonald’s Big Bass Splash on Toledo Bend - Story & photos by Patty Lenderman / Lakecaster - plenderman@thelakecaster.com,

It’s official! The 25th Anniversary for the Toledo Bend McDonald’s Big Bass Splash is now H-I-S-T-O-R-Y as CEO Bob Sealy would say. This three day tournament is for amateur anglers only, giving them a chance to win big money just like the pro’s. One bite – one hookset – one bass is all it takes to win an event like this, and it is a game where size definitely matters. In the end, the last 30 minutes that the scales were open , it was an 11.60 catch that won the tournament.

The tournament started Friday, May 20th with the ceremonies happening at Cypress Bend Park. Each day in addition to the hourly prizes, two $5,000 checks are up for grabs to the first 3.00 and 4.00 lb exact weight bass brought in. The second fish to hit the scales Friday morning locked in at 4.00 to get the day rolling. Top weights continued to climb hour after hour until Nacogdoches, TX angler Lynn Allen registered the biggest catch of his life during the 10-11:00 hour weighing 9.72 lbs establishing the bar to beat by Sunday afternoon. He caught this brute on a chug bug.
Well before dawn on Saturday morning, a strong frontal system moved into the area, and brought with it gale force winds, dangerous lightening and flooding rain. For those of us in its path it was good practice for hurricane season. It was during the worst of it when Wayne Ebarb of Many, Louisiana caught his double digit sow. “When the weather is really bad like this, that’s when the big ones bite” Ebarb said. He came in with his fish just after 8am, and it tipped the scales at 11.33 lbs. He not only won that hour but took over tournament lead going into the final day. The top five leader board took on three new members before days end, every one of them being over 9 lbs.

Sunday was the final day, and Ebarb’s fish looked like it was going to hold as the biggest bass of the tournament. That is, until the very last minutes. Clay Shipp of Columbia, LA rushed to the scales with a humungous bass that locked in at 11.60 lbs to win the tournament. That is just over four ounces of Ebarb’s bass. “I was fishing shallow,” Shipp stated. “It came on a Spro frog with braided line in about 4’ of water.” Shipp was fishing an area just north of Six Mile. Minutes later, the scales closed and he was declared the champion of the 25th annual Toledo Bend McDonald’s Big Bass Splash.

1st Place
11.60 lbs Clay Ship, Columbia LA caught his fish on a Spro frog and won the Sportsman’s Package: 2011 Dodge Truck plus a Triton Bass Boat powered by Mercury, equipped with MinnKota, Lowrance, Navionics and Power Pole
2nd Place
11.33 lbs Wayne Ebarb, Many LA used a ¾ oz Santone jig w/Strike King trailer to win a Legend Bass Boat powered by Mercury, equipped with MinnKota and Lowrance
3rd Place
9.72 lbs Lynn Allen of Nacogdoches, TX caught his on a Chug Bug and received a Dodge Truck from Weaver Motors of Kirbyville, Texas
4th Place
9.69 lbs Steve Rhea of DeRidder, LA caught his on a Jewell Football Jig and was awarded a Stealth ATV from Stealth Manufacturing
5th Place
9.13 lbs Dallas Cole of Leesville, LA used a 10” worm in deep water for his success, also winning a Stealth ATV from Stealth Manufacturing

There is also a Little Anglers division where any kid 12 years or younger can fish. There are prizes for three age categories for crappie, catfish and bass. The winners in each category were awarded Academy Outdoors gift cards.

32 replicas were presented by Toledo Bend Lake Association (TBLA) for all of the bass caught and turned in to the Toledo Lunker Bass program weighing in excess of 10 pounds over this past season. The program is open to any Toledo Bend Angler, with the fish being brought in to any of four weigh stations including: Newell’s Fishing World, Pirate’s Cove, Huxley Bay Marina and Toledo Town & Tackle.

Scottie’s Taxidermy did the beautiful replicas that were presented to these accomplished anglers. Five of the fish turned in this year was previously caught and turned in to the program. The fact that they are caught and released yet again shows the success of the program. The anglers are not charged to participate or charged for their replicas. This is a year round program. For more information visit their website, www.toledo –bend.com/tbla.

Tournament Pro Gerald Swindle was weigh master throughout the weekend, providing many smiles and a lot of laughs to everyone within earshot. Casey Ashley, winner of his second Bassmaster Elite tournament, was also on hand and performed a few of his songs from his latest album to the crowd on Sunday. A total of 2,072 people entered this years’ event, and Linda Curtis Sparks from the Sabine Parish Tourism thanked the Sealy family and all that have participated in the tournament over the years on behalf of the entire community.

The next Big Bass Splash will be in September on Lake Fork. For more information click to www.SealyOutdoors.com or call 888-698-2591