Photos: Morning on Toledo Bend

We venture out onto the water to cover a few anglers as they start Day 1 of the Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend.

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We find a boat in the distance and start making our way through submerged timber.
We find a boat in the distance and start making our way through submerged timber.
The flying V.
The flying V.
Kota Kiriyama fires away below.
Kota Kiriyama fires away below.
A dense fog lingers on parts of the lake.
A dense fog lingers on parts of the lake.
But the sun will take care of the fog soon.
But the sun will take care of the fog soon.
A fish breaks the water in front of Kota Kiriyama as he brings it in.
A fish breaks the water in front of Kota Kiriyama as he brings it in.
The battle continues.
The battle continues.
Kota heads to the back of the boat.
Kota heads to the back of the boat.
Almost in reach.
Almost in reach.
A solid keeper goes in the box.
A solid keeper goes in the box.
The fog continues to melt away in the distance.
The fog continues to melt away in the distance.
Kota fires a crankbait.
Kota fires a crankbait.
Another fish hooks up.
Another fish hooks up.
Kota's line goes slack as the fish pulls off.
Kota’s line goes slack as the fish pulls off.
Time to fire another cast.
Time to fire another cast.
Cast after cast as Kota tries to keep the school ignited.
Cast after cast as Kota tries to keep the school ignited.
Kota explains that the fish are postspawn and slapping at the bait as opposed to eating it.
Kota explains that the fish are postspawn and slapping at the bait as opposed to eating it.
Kota continues to work this flat as we move on to find another angler.
Kota continues to work this flat as we move on to find another angler.
Ott DeFoe fires a cast out.
Ott DeFoe fires a cast out.
Ott ops for another rod...
Ott ops for another rod…
But before he can swap up a fish boils behind him and he fires again.
But before he can swap up a fish boils behind him and he fires again.
A little competition swoops in for the bait fish that are loaded in this area.
A little competition swoops in for the bait fish that are loaded in this area.
Fish constantly break the surface all around Ott DeFoe.
Fish constantly break the surface all around Ott DeFoe.
DeFoe loads up.
DeFoe loads up.
A small one.
A small one.
Another fish on.
Another fish on.
Another fish in the boat.
Another fish in the boat.
Small fish for DeFoe so far but this might make a limit.
Small fish for DeFoe so far but this might make a limit.
It hits the board.
It hits the board.
And makes the cut.
And makes the cut.
Keeper number 5 goes in the box.
Keeper number 5 goes in the box.
DeFoe loads up again.
DeFoe loads up again.
This one seems a little better.
This one seems a little better.
The fish battles at the boat.
The fish battles at the boat.
DeFoe finesses the bass.
DeFoe finesses the bass.
In you go.
In you go.
This makes the third fish DeFoe has caught in a matter of 10 minutes.
This makes the third fish DeFoe has caught in a matter of 10 minutes.
This one may cull.
This one may cull.
In the box to replace a smaller one.
In the box to replace a smaller one.
DeFoe continues on as we make our way to another angler.
DeFoe continues on as we make our way to another angler.
JVD has a small flat all to himself.
JVD has a small flat all to himself.
JVD launches a crankbait.
JVD launches a crankbait.
Time to swap to dragging a worm.
Time to swap to dragging a worm.
“I hate dragging a worm,” grumbled JVD as he painstakingly inch the worm along bottom.
Another cast goes out.
Another cast goes out.
JVD looks to relocate them.
JVD looks to relocate them.
No such luck as JVD straps his rods down and moves on.
No such luck as JVD straps his rods down and moves on.
We stumble upon Hank Cherry who's doing what he loves, skipping docks.
We stumble upon Hank Cherry who’s doing what he loves, skipping docks.
Cherry pulls one from the well that he caught earlier in the day.
Cherry pulls one from the well that he caught earlier in the day.
“No freak of nature but a good one,” Cherry remarks.
Time to swap things up a bit.
Time to swap things up a bit.
A look at the lane that Cherry fishes under a dock.
A look at the lane that Cherry fishes under a dock.
Another skip goes in.
Another skip goes in.
Cherry looks at the depth to see if he's in the right area.
Cherry looks at the depth to see if he’s in the right area.
“I shook off a big one over there in practice.”
Cherry did what Cherry seldom does, got hung under a dock.
Cherry did what Cherry seldom does, got hung under a dock.
Time to retie.
Time to retie.
A small spot for Cherry.
A small spot for Cherry.
The one I missed was this big.
The one I missed was this big.
On the move.
On the move.