Keith Lusher 10.02.25
The body of 21-year-old Peyton Hughes was recovered Friday morning from Toledo Bend Reservoir, ending a two-day search that began when the college kayak fisherman failed to return from practice fishing ahead of a major tournament.
Texas Game Wardens confirmed they pulled Hughes’ body from the water near Alpine Marina at approximately 7:15 a.m. The discovery came 35 hours after his fishing coach reported him missing Wednesday evening when he didn’t return to the launch point.
Hughes, a member of the Campbellsville University Kayak Bass Fishing Team, had been preparing for the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series tournament scheduled for September 27-28. His traveling partner contacted authorities on Wednesday when Hughes failed to arrive at their designated meeting spot after a day of pre-fishing activities.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department led the search effort, with assistance from the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies from both Texas and Louisiana. Crews located Hughes’ kayak during the search, but the young angler remained missing until Friday morning.
Toledo Bend Reservoir, which straddles the Texas-Louisiana border, presents unique challenges for search operations. The massive body of water spans more than 185,000 acres with roughly 1,200 miles of shoreline, making it the largest reservoir in the South. Weather conditions on Wednesday included overcast skies with afternoon thunderstorms and winds reaching 14 mph.
The tragedy carries additional heartbreak for the Hughes family. Sara Ashley Hughes, Peyton’s mother, confirmed her son’s death on Facebook and revealed that his father, Adam, died at age 21 while serving in Iraq 20 years ago.
“My sweet boy is gone to be with his Daddy who died fighting for this country,” she wrote Friday morning. “Peyton wasn’t just my son. He was my joy, my laughter, and my pride.”
Friends and fellow anglers remembered Hughes as an elite competitor with exceptional character. Jay Wallen, who fished with Hughes at numerous tournaments, described him as humble and kind, someone who would congratulate competitors even after losing.
“He was such a kind person and was outgoing,” Wallen told reporters. “He would seek you out just to come talk to you.”
The scheduled Bassmaster tournament represents the final stop of the three-event 2025 Bassmaster College Kayak Series, which launched in February on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain of Lakes.
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