Converse, LA Fishing: Quaint Entrypoint to Toledo Bend Lake Country

Converse is a small and peaceful village situated in the northernmost part of Sabine Parish in Central Louisiana. At the turn of the century, Converse, located along the Kansas City Southern Railroad, benefited greatly from the oil boom. The area was severely affected when the boom collapsed and the Great Depression hit. Many of its big institutions closed down, while its hospital and school were destroyed by fire.

Today, the village is a rural-suburban residential area with amazing access to Sabine Parish’s most popular attractions concentrated on the Sabine River. Often referred to as the Toledo Bend Lake Country, the region surrounding the parish is a well-trodden tourist destination for individuals and families looking for a well-rounded place with something for everyone. Culturally rich with influences from the Indians, Spanish, French, and English, Sabine Parish is part of No Man’s Land. Likewise known as the Neutral Strip or Louisiana’s Wild West, No Man’s Land is fascinating for its tumultuous history and natural beauty, an off-the-beaten destination that travelers often overlook.

Anglers looking to fill their Louisiana fishing vacations should include this area in their itinerary to enjoy full access to the Toledo Bend. Anglers can devote days just fishing this rich bass lake alone.

Converse Fishing

Converse is not a fishing destination itself. Instead, it is a convenient home base for the various freshwater fishing trips around Toledo Bend Lake Country. Toledo Bend Lake is a 186,000-acre impoundment along the Sabine River, which forms the border between Louisiana and Texas. It is 65 miles in length with 1,200 shoreline miles, making it the biggest man-made waterbody in the south and the fifth biggest in the United States in terms of its surface acres. Apart from being a major fishing destination and a hub for many excellent Louisiana inshore fishing charters, Toledo Bend supports a big tourism industry with its golf course, festivals, state parks, and resorts.

Toledo Bend is a legend among bass anglers. Bassmaster Magazine named it the top 1 bass lake for two years in a row, from 2015 to 2016 and again from 2016 to 2017. It consistently produces lunkers, or bass weighing over 10 lbs, making it a favorite fishing tournament venue. Each year, the locale hosts several regional and national tournaments centered in parks in Cypress Bend, Big Bass Marina, and San Miguel. 

To protect its trophy bass legacy, the management of Toledo Bend Lake Association decided to mount a Lunker Program. Anglers who catch, register, and release a bass weighing more than 10 pounds are eligible for a free lunker replica.

Apart from trophy bass, a wide array of other game and nongame fish species can be found and caught in Toledo Bend. They include spotted bass, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, longear sunfish, redear sunfish, warmouth, white bass, yellow bass, striped bass, alligator gar, bowfin, longnose gar, and spotted gar. Hybrid striped bass and hybrid sunfish are likewise quite common in the lake.

There are many ways to access the lake from Louisiana and Texas. Because of its massive popularity, anglers can enjoy great fishing facilities here, from public boat ramps, piers, fully equipped marinas, campgrounds, and lodgings, to RV parks. Boat rentals, bait stores, and fishing guides also abound around the lake. 

There are no bad fishing spots in the lake as long as you know how to look. Concentrate on the rocks and ledges which tend to attract the most fish. Keep an eye out for the submerged ones. Covers and vegetation are equally attractive to fish. 

For specific fishing spots, try Negreet Creek. This mid-lake creek is south of the Pendleton Bridge and covers a vast territory. The fish here are a little easier to catch — target them on boat docks, bushes, or cypress trees during the early spawning season. North of the Pendleton Bridge is another excellent fishing spot on the lake, 1215. It sits right in between San Patricio Creek and San Miguel Creek. It has shallow water, and the water can get clear during spring. Unlike Negreet Creek, most of its fishing is on the main lake flat filled to the brim with fish. This is a great fishing spot because the fish tend to stay here a little longer, even after they spawn.

If you can’t make it in time for the bass spawning season, you might want to try catching crappie in the Bend. Crappie can be targeted in the lake in the spring, summer, and early winter, but you have to move around with them. If you’re here to fish during the spring, you can find them along the grass lines in the coves and inlets near deep water. The brush in the creeks will hold the same fish in summer. Move towards the bridge pilings and use jigs and live shiners to target crappie during early winter. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Converse, LA

The top 10 fish species in Converse include largemouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, white bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, bluegill, redear sunfish, and longear sunfish.

Seasonal Fishing

There are always fish to catch in Sabine Parish and Toledo Bend, no matter what time of the year you choose to cast a line. You have to know where to find them and how to target them. In spring, from March through May, concentrate on the main lake. Look for ridges and humps and pockets that warm fast, and you’ll find your largemouth bass. Crappie are along the grass lines and on the brush of creek edges. If you’re too late for bass, bluegill will start congregating in the main lake ridges from late April to early May. Creeks channels and sloughs will be filled with catfish. 

Largemouth bass will still be around post-spawn in the early months of summer, though they will not be as voraciously feeding. Once the water grows warmer, follow them towards the deep along the channel, creeks, and grass beds. 

In fall, follow the shad as they move into the coves and pockets of the lake, and you’ll surely find bass on their tails. They will be actively feeding in schools this time to prepare for winter. Bluegill, on the hand, will be scattered into the deeper water of the main lake. 

To improve your chances of catching double-digit bass:

1. Target them toward the end of January as they begin their pre-spawn pattern.
2. Target them in the creek points with spinnerbaits and soft plastics.
3. Use dark colors and crawfish colors to lure them in.

Find Fascinating Sights and Attractions near Converse

Bring your friends and family for a trip around Converse and Sabine Parish, where you can immerse yourself in a wide range of unique indoor and outdoor activities.

1. Book a Fishing Guide

Toledo Bend is a big fishing destination, so no matter what level you’re at, you’ll benefit from having the company and expertise of a local guide. And when you’re done exploring the Toledo Bend Lake Country, diversify your inshore and offshore fishing by booking charters in other parishes. Get'n Hooked Inshore Adventures and Tapped-Out Charters offer quintessential Louisiana inshore fishing experiences in the New Orleans area. Learn bowfishing in Grand Isle with Nock Em Dead Bowfishing Charters and combine hunting and fishing in Lafayette with Fowl Language Guide Service. 

2. Enjoy a Reptilian Adventure

Visit the Gator Country Louisiana Alligator Park, where you and your kids can see hundreds of alligators in their natural habitat — from platforms and protected walkways. Not so keen on the gators themselves? The park has a petting zoo, a tortoise exhibit, and a raccoon resort.

3. Pay Tribute to the Heroes of Columbia

The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA “Remembering Columbia” Museum is dedicated to the first of NASA’s orbiter fleet, Columbia (OV-102). The museum gives its visitors an immersive look into the journey of the fleet’s first flight until its last mission and recovery. The museum displays many artifacts and items from NASA and the families of the STS-107 crew.