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Mosley’s Long Run Earns Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Sabine River
ORANGE, Texas — A last-minute decision to run two hours to the Houston area rewarded Brock Mosley with a five-fish limit of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, which leads Day 1 of the 2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 – the official video game of B.A.S.S.
With a first-day weight of 15 pounds, 10 ounces, Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., is leading after Day 1 of the 2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 – the official video game of B.A.S.S. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
Familiar with the potential of the tournament’s western boundary, Mosley, who hails from Collinsville, Miss., ran the Intracoastal Waterway, crossed Galveston Bay and settled into a narrow waterway on Houston’s east side. While he was pleased with his decision, he admitted he made the commitment shortly before takeoff.
“I was one of the last boats to check out (Boat 97), so I knew all the spots around Orange would be covered up,” Mosley said. “I spent three days of practice trying to talk myself out of making that run, but this morning, I decided to go.
“Also, I knew the wind wasn’t going to blow today, but it’s supposed to blow tomorrow and I know I can’t go back tomorrow. It’s going to be 20- to 30-mph winds and there’s no way.”
Refueling near his starting spot allowed Mosley to fish uninterrupted until making the 100-plus-mile ride back to weigh-in. Targeting a mix of docks, seawalls, cypress trees, shade and current breaks, Mosley said he saw evidence of recent spawning.
“I saw a lot of fry (recently hatched bass); I don’t know if those fish were guarding fry or what they were doing, but they were biting,” he said. “I don’t know if they even get fished very often.”
Mosley caught his fish on a 1/2-ounce chartreuse/white Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a white Yamamoto Zako trailer.
“There are other ways to catch them, but that’s the way I like to catch them because I can fish so fast,” Mosley said. “I know guys like to slow down and flip, but in tough tournaments, I like to cover as much water as I can.”
Mosley said his day exceeded his expectations, both in terms of quality and quantity.
“I had no idea I was going to catch that kind of weight today,” he said. “I went over there hoping to catch 9 or 10 pounds and I got a 5 1/2-pound kicker. It took me 20 minutes to catch a limit when I got there.
“It’s a long ride and it’s hard on you; it’s a lot of wear and tear. It just paid off today.”
Fishing pressure in the Sabine River and its local tributaries was Mosley’s main motivator to even consider the Houston trip. Having competed in a previous Elite event on the Sabine in 2018, he recognized that he’d be facing a more limited scenario this year.
“After being here in ’18, there’s not as many places to get multiple bites,” he said. “Where there are, there’s a lot of boats. That was the key.
“I tried to catch all I could catch today, and then if I can catch 7 or 8 pounds tomorrow around Orange, I’ll still be in the game.”
Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., is in second place with 15-1. Focusing on a shallow backwater area, Christie said he fished a variety of shallow cover and used a wide selection of reaction and flipping baits.
Noting that he had a busy day with several keepers, Christie said he was pleasantly surprised with the caliber of fish he caught.
“I was fortunate enough the last day of practice to find two areas that had some fish in them,” Christie said. “I really didn’t think they were that big. What I thought were keepers turned into good ones.
“I had two areas; I used one of those today, went to another area, caught one and started heading back. It was really fast and furious.”
Caleb Kuphall of Mukwonago, Wis., is in third place with 13 pounds.
While he expected to be picking through high numbers of bass in hopes of finding a quality bite, Kuphall said he was thankful to find two “luck bites.”
“Out here, anything over 3 pounds, I’d consider it a luck bite,” Kuphall said. “My practice didn’t go that well; on my best day, I probably had 8 pounds. Today, I got lucky and caught two giants (approximately 4-2 and 3-11).”
Kuphall said he caught four of his keepers on an unspecified jigging presentation. He also caught one on a topwater bait.
“My two kickers were in two completely different areas,” Kuphall said. “Where I caught the first one, I had high hopes for that one. I culled out everything I caught early this morning in that area. I didn’t hit it too hard today, so I think there’s more there.”
Marc Frazier of Newnan, Ga., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 6-6 largemouth.
Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 336 points, followed by Seth Feider of New Market, Minn., with 331 and Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., with 311.
Justin Hamner of Northport, Ala., leads the Rookie of the Year standings with 274 points.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 6:45 a.m. CT at the City of Orange Boat Ramp. The weigh-in will be held at the ramp at 3 p.m., with the Top 49 anglers advancing to Saturday’s semifinal round.
Live coverage for the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms.
The tournament is being hosted by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce.
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 – the official video game of B.A.S.S. 4/8-4/11
Sabine River, Orange TX.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 15-10 100
Day 1: 5 15-10
2. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 5 15-01 99
Day 1: 5 15-01
3. Caleb Kuphall Mukwonago, WI 5 13-00 98
Day 1: 5 13-00
4. Lee Livesay Longview, TX 5 12-08 97
Day 1: 5 12-08
5. Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 5 12-02 96 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-02
6. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 11-14 95
Day 1: 5 11-14
7. KJ Queen Catawba, NC 5 11-05 94
Day 1: 5 11-05
8. Matt Robertson Kuttawa, KY 5 10-11 93
Day 1: 5 10-11
9. Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 10-09 92
Day 1: 5 10-09
9. Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 10-09 92
Day 1: 5 10-09
11. Stetson Blaylock Benton, AR 5 10-03 90
Day 1: 5 10-03
12. Kyle Welcher Opelika, AL 5 10-02 89
Day 1: 5 10-02
13. Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 10-01 88
Day 1: 5 10-01
14. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, TN 5 10-00 87
Day 1: 5 10-00
15. Drew Cook Cairo, GA 5 09-15 86
Day 1: 5 09-15
16. Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 09-13 85
Day 1: 5 09-13
17. Justin Atkins Florence, AL 5 09-11 84
Day 1: 5 09-11
17. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 09-11 84
Day 1: 5 09-11
19. John Cox Debary, FL 5 09-04 82
Day 1: 5 09-04
19. Chris Johnston Otonabee Ontario CANADA 5 09-04 82
Day 1: 5 09-04
21. Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 09-03 80
Day 1: 5 09-03
22. John Crews Jr Salem, VA 5 09-02 79
Day 1: 5 09-02
22. Buddy Gross Chickamauga, GA 5 09-02 79
Day 1: 5 09-02
22. Taku Ito Chiba JAPAN 5 09-02 79
Day 1: 5 09-02
25. Luke Palmer Coalgate, OK 5 09-01 76
Day 1: 5 09-01
26. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 08-12 75
Day 1: 5 08-12
27. Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 08-10 74
Day 1: 5 08-10
27. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 08-10 74
Day 1: 5 08-10
29. Patrick Walters Summerville, SC 5 08-09 72
Day 1: 5 08-09
29. Jason Williamson Wagener, SC 5 08-09 72
Day 1: 5 08-09
31. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 5 08-07 70
Day 1: 5 08-07
32. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 08-03 69
Day 1: 5 08-03
32. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, TX 5 08-03 69
Day 1: 5 08-03
34. Justin Hamner Northport, AL 5 08-01 67
Day 1: 5 08-01
35. Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 5 07-15 66
Day 1: 5 07-15
36. Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 07-14 65
Day 1: 5 07-14
37. Pat Schlapper Eleva, WI 5 07-13 64
Day 1: 5 07-13
38. Wes Logan Springville, AL 5 07-12 63
Day 1: 5 07-12
39. Brandon Card Salisbury, NC 5 07-11 62
Day 1: 5 07-11
40. Koby Kreiger Alva, FL 5 07-10 61
Day 1: 5 07-10
41. Jake Whitaker Fairview, NC 5 07-09 60
Day 1: 5 07-09
42. Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 07-09 59
Day 1: 5 07-09
43. Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 07-08 58
Day 1: 5 07-08
44. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 5 07-07 57
Day 1: 5 07-07
45. Harvey Horne Bella Vista, AR 5 07-05 56
Day 1: 5 07-05
46. Drew Benton Blakely, GA 5 07-04 55
Day 1: 5 07-04
46. Scott Martin Clewiston, FL 5 07-04 55
Day 1: 5 07-04
48. Joshua Stracner Vandiver, AL 5 07-03 53
Day 1: 5 07-03
49. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 07-02 52
Day 1: 5 07-02
50. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, FL 5 07-01 51
Day 1: 5 07-01
51. Gregory DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 06-14 50
Day 1: 5 06-14
52. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 06-13 49
Day 1: 5 06-13
52. Hunter Shryock Ooltewah, TN 5 06-13 49
Day 1: 5 06-13
54. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 5 06-11 47
Day 1: 5 06-11
55. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 5 06-10 46
Day 1: 5 06-10
56. Frank Talley Temple, TX 5 06-09 45
Day 1: 5 06-09
57. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 06-08 44
Day 1: 5 06-08
58. Darold Gleason Many, LA 4 06-07 43
Day 1: 4 06-07
59. Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 06-06 42
Day 1: 5 06-06
60. Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 5 06-05 41
Day 1: 5 06-05
61. Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 06-04 40
Day 1: 5 06-04
62. Carl Jocumsen Queensland AUSTRALIA 3 06-04 39
Day 1: 3 06-04
63. Destin DeMarion Grove City, PA 5 06-02 38
Day 1: 5 06-02
63. Mike Huff Corbin, KY 5 06-02 38
Day 1: 5 06-02
65. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 5 06-00 36
Day 1: 5 06-00
66. Brad Whatley Bivins, TX 5 05-14 35
Day 1: 5 05-14
67. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 05-12 34
Day 1: 5 05-12
68. Chris Groh Spring Grove, IL 4 05-11 33
Day 1: 4 05-11
69. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 2 05-10 32
Day 1: 2 05-10
70. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 05-09 31
Day 1: 5 05-09
71. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 05-06 30
Day 1: 5 05-06
72. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, VA 3 05-04 29
Day 1: 3 05-04
73. Shane LeHew Catawba, NC 5 05-01 28
Day 1: 5 05-01
74. Ed Loughran III Richmond, VA 5 05-00 27
Day 1: 5 05-00
75. Derek Hudnall Denham Springs, LA 4 05-00 26
Day 1: 4 05-00
76. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 3 04-11 25
Day 1: 3 04-11
77. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 04-10 24
Day 1: 5 04-10
78. Bryan New Belmont, NC 4 04-10 23
Day 1: 4 04-10
79. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin Ontario CANADA 3 04-10 22
Day 1: 3 04-10
80. Austin Felix Eden Prairie, MN 4 04-05 21
Day 1: 4 04-05
81. Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 3 04-04 20
Day 1: 3 04-04
82. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, CT 5 04-02 19
Day 1: 5 04-02
83. David Mullins Mt Carmel, TN 3 03-09 18
Day 1: 3 03-09
84. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, SC 3 03-08 17
Day 1: 3 03-08
85. Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 3 03-04 16
Day 1: 3 03-04
86. David Fritts Lexington, NC 3 03-03 15
Day 1: 3 03-03
87. Micah Frazier Newnan, GA 3 03-00 14
Day 1: 3 03-00
88. Rob Digh Denver, NC 2 02-15 13
Day 1: 2 02-15
89. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 1 02-10 12
Day 1: 1 02-10
90. Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 2 02-07 11
Day 1: 2 02-07
91. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 1 01-11 10
Day 1: 1 01-11
92. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 1 01-09 9
Day 1: 1 01-09
93. Cody Hollen Beaverton, OR 1 01-05 8
Day 1: 1 01-05
93. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 1 01-05 8
Day 1: 1 01-05
95. Bryan Schmitt Deale, MD 1 01-02 6
Day 1: 1 01-02
95. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, OR 1 01-02 6
Day 1: 1 01-02
97. Chad Pipkens Dewitt, MI 1 01-01 4
Day 1: 1 01-01
98. Kenta Kimura Osaka JAPAN 1 01-00 3
Day 1: 1 01-00
99. Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 0 00-00 0
Day 1: 0 00-00
———————————————————————–
PHOENIX BOATS BIG BASS
Day
1 Marc Frazier Newnan, GA 06-06 $1,000.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 71 420 679-12
———————————-
71 420 679-12
The post Mosley’s Long Run Earns Lead In Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Sabine River appeared first on Bass365.com.
John Cox & Brandon Lester Preview Sabine
Bassmaster Elite Series pros John Cox and Brandon Lester were in their boats putting the finishing touches on tackle as I checked in to the hotel here in Orange, Texas. Tomorrow morning marks the start of the Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at the Sabine River; a body of water often characterized by fickle fishing, long boat rides, and shallow water techniques.
Both Lester and Cox are known for their shallow water prowess and you’d be hard pressed to find two more steady, even keeled anglers than this pair. Before I let them go eat dinner and celebrate Lester’s birthday, I asked them to preview all things Sabine River.
This week is the first time John Cox has ever fished the Sabine, but his love of sneaking around shallow water hidey-holes in his aluminum Crestliner boat is well documented. Team Toyota’s Brandon Lester has fished two Elite Series derbies here and has cashed a check each time. If anyone can break down the intricate puzzle the Sabine River offers after a few short days of practice, it would be these two.
1. The Sabine River is known for some strange and unique “bycatch” when the Elite Series comes to town. What species of fish, other than bass, have you caught this week?
Lester: “I’ve caught a couple big redfish, catfish, gar, a bowfin, and some kind of weird bluegill lookin’ thing. Plenty of fish in this river system no doubt!”
Cox: “I actually can’t say I caught any trash fish during practice. I’ve seen quite a few redfish, some great big ones, and I tried to catch them but I couldn’t get them to eat.”
2. What percentage of the population of bass in this fishery do you think are spawning?
Lester: “In my opinion I think most of these fish are done spawning, I’d say 15% at most are still spawning.”
Cox: “I’ve been looking for spawners but I haven’t found much to talk about. Actually, that’s not true… I got stuck for four hours the other day trying to get into what looked like a sweet little spawning pond. Unfortunately I found out there was no water back there and I had to wait until the tide came in. Anyway, I’ll say 10% or less are still spawning.”
3. How much weight will an angler need to catch each day to make Championship Sunday?
Lester: “If a guy can catch ten pounds per day, I think they’d find themselves fishing on Sunday.”
Cox: “Shoot, if someone catches ten pounds per day they might win! The weights will be really tight, but I’d agree somewhere around the upper nines or ten pounds per day.”
4. What are two techniques you could see excelling this week on the Sabine River?
Lester: “Flipping and pitching soft plastics always plays a role when we come to this place, I’d expect a lot of guys to be doing that and for my second I’d say a spinnerbait.”
Cox: “As you can see by the amount of rods I have on my front deck, I’m definitely not dialed in to just two techniques… but I’d say flipping a soft plastic and a topwater frog.”
The post John Cox & Brandon Lester Preview Sabine appeared first on Bass365.com.
Capitalizing on the Smith Lake Postponement – Carhartt College Fishing Buddies
One of the coolest parts of college bass fishing has nothing to do with the on-the-water experience or sponsorship opportunities a young angler can garner from fishing at the college level; instead it has to do with the friendships made during these formative years.
Current Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Champion Trevor McKinney along with former college fishing Bassmaster Classic representatives John Garrett and Cody Huff are perfect examples. Outside of college fishing, McKinney didn’t necessarily have much in common with Garrett or Huff. All three dudes were born in different states and were brought together by their common interest… bass fishing.
“I met both John and Cody through college fishing probably three or four years ago,” McKinney recalled. “They both fished for Bethel University and were a force to be reckoned with in college. I use to congratulate them when they’d kick my butt and we grew to be buddies.”
McKinney, Garrett, and Huff are now traveling and rooming together while competing in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens. All three young men are salt of the earth type people whom you’d be happy to grab a bite to eat or spend a few hours on the lake with. Furthermore, they are incredibly skilled anglers whose names we will be hearing in the tournament fishing scene for a long time.
Garrett and McKinney both had solid finishes in the first Open of the year on the Harris Chain and were eager to keep their momentum rolling at Central Open on Smith Lake in Alabama. Unfortunately, flooding and dangerous conditions forced B.A.S.S. officials to postpone the Open days before competition was to begin.
After making the long haul in his McKendree University wrapped Toyota Tundra and Nitro Boat, McKinney wasn’t thrilled with the idea of turning right around to drive back to southern Illinois.
“John called me as soon as I got into Cullman, Alabama and told me to check my email,” McKinney said. “After realizing the Open was postponed, we decided we oughta try to find a tournament to jump into before heading home. We looked at Lake Guntersville and Kentucky Lake, but ultimately found a Fishers of Men derby on Pickwick Lake.”
Neither Garrett nor McKinney had made a cast on Pickwick in 2021, but they’ve both fished multiple college events on the famed Tennessee River reservoir and figured they might as well go fishing.
The lack of practice on Pickwick didn’t slow these former Carhartt Bassmaster College Series standouts down at all. McKinney and Garrett ended up winning the tournament with five bass that weighed over 22-pounds and had a big time in the process.
“We caught fish all day and had an absolute blast,” McKinney said with a smile. “We fished a place John knew about first thing in the morning and had a limit within 30 minutes. From there we focused on current breaks and junk fished to cull up throughout the day. We caught a lot of fish cranking a Rapala DT-6, a couple bigguns on a jig, and just really had a fun day.”
A great day on the water filled with lots of laughs and plenty of bass. Instead of dwelling on the negative news surrounding the Smith Lake Open, McKinney and Garrett made the most of their trip and now have a story they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.
The post Capitalizing on the Smith Lake Postponement – Carhartt College Fishing Buddies appeared first on Bass365.com.
Sabine River Offers Vast Fishery, Uncertain Conditions For Bassmaster Elite
ORANGE, Texas — Greg Hackney has had plenty of opportunities to familiarize himself with the Sabine River, but in terms of current events, he acknowledges an understandable mystique enshrouding the Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River.
Competition days will be April 8-11 with daily takeoffs from City of Orange Boat Ramp at 6:45 a.m. CT and weigh-ins each day at the ramp at 3 p.m.
“The funny thing about the Sabine is you can’t gather information like you can other lakes,” he said. “It’s a great fishery, but it’s not (a common tournament destination) because it lays just south of two of the best fisheries in the country — Toledo Bend and Rayburn. So, it’s not a fishery where you can get a lot of information off the internet.”
Good thing is, Hackney has history here. Having fished the Sabine on each of the Elites’ three prior visits, he claimed his most recent of six B.A.S.S. titles there in June 2018. This year, Hackney suspects the seasonal patterns may be running later than normal.
“Spring is later this year because that area was impacted by the (extreme winter storm of mid-February); it’s about three weeks behind,” he said. “Typically, the fish should be done spawning by the end of February, but everything just seems to be way behind this year.”
In 2018, Hackney caught his summer fish by throwing a 1/4-ounce black Hack Attack Select ToadBuzz rigged with a black plastic toad (no skirt) and a Strike King Sexy Frog, and by flipping a Strike King Rage Bug. This time around, he’s anticipating more spawn/postspawn patterns.
Calling the Sabine River a “target-rich environment,” Hackney said Texas-rigged plastics will likely dominate the show. But he expects to see plenty of squarebills, topwater frogs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and swimbaits making the rounds. Traditional southern colors matched to water clarities will work, but the presence of marine forage like cocahoe minnows, mullet and blue crabs may influence strategic selections.
With tournament waters extending northward to the Toledo Bend Dam and southwest to Galveston County, the Sabine’s mid to upper reaches offer traditional river scenarios with lots of sandbars, bends and shallow wood. The river also holds a significant amount of cypress and tupelo swamp, while the lower end — below Interstate 10 — sprouts flat, grassy marshlands.
Emptying into Sabine Lake, which connects to the Gulf of Mexico, this is a tidal river, with daily ebb and flow. A couple of miles north of Orange, that influence dwindles and eventually yields to traditional river current — in the Sabine’s case, rather slow.
This, Hackney said, could affect strategies, in terms of tidal planning. Later in the year, anglers often “run” the tide — moving up or downriver to stay with a favorable tide stage. A spring event, he said, puts more emphasis on the reproductive priorities.
“Tides make a big difference later in the year because of feeding windows,” Hackney said. “But in spring, you rarely run the tide for feeding, as opposed to finding a good area and fish it through the tide.
“The fish will be spawning, postspawn or guarding fry. They’re not going to be moving around much.”
That being said, anglers have the option of staying close to find those special areas or burning a lot of their time — and fuel — making long runs to areas of greater promise. Three years ago, Hackney stayed fairly close to the launch site, while others targeted distant options, including the 100-plus-mile one-way trip to the fertile waters of Galveston Bay.
Addressing the risk-reward calculations, Hackney said, “In that whole system, it’s a gamble. It’s not a gamble of fishing, it’s a gamble with your equipment.”
One thing Hackney will be closely watching is the wind. With minimal tidal fluctuation throughout much of this fishery, strong south winds common to this time of year can pile up the water and prevent it from receding.
“If the water stays up, that’s not so good, because it could be muddy,” Hackney said. “The water tends to clear up when it falls. The whole deal there is water clarity — that will spread people out.”
Another variable may be fish population. The historic 2020 hurricane season saw two major storms — Laura (Aug. 27, Category 4) and Delta (Oct. 10, Category 2) — making landfall just east of the Sabine. Despite the influx of rainwater, Hackney notes how a seasonal factor may have had an impact.
“It just depends on if there was any fish kill,” Hackney said. “That place has had some really bad freshwater floods, but those storms last summer came during times of the year when water levels were low, and that can bring a saltwater surge (which can kill freshwater species).”
Overall, Hackney believes the Sabine River will deliver as it has in past years — heavier on quantity than quality. “There’s a lot of fish there. Not a lot of big ones, but it’s loaded with keeper bass.”
In that 2018 event, Hackney posted a Day 1 limit of 16-3, which included a 5-14 kicker. (Brock Mosley won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award with a 6-3.) He’d add three more limits of 11-15, 12-14 and 7-5.
This year, Hackney said he’s looking for similar numbers. Around 14 to 15 pounds a day should be very competitive, while 10 a day will likely earn a Championship Sunday spot.
“In the past, guys that have done well had a couple areas,” Hackney said. “Typically, you have to micromanage your fish. You can burn them up in a day.”
Live coverage for all four days of the event can be streamed on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will also broadcast live with the tournament leaders beginning at 7 a.m. CT on Saturday and Sunday.
The tournament is being hosted by the Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce.
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Bass Pro Shops, Garmin, Huk Performance Fishing, Marathon, Rapala
2021 Bassmaster Elite Series Conservation Partner: AFTCO
2021 Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River Local Host: Greater Orange Chamber of Commerce
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The post Sabine River Offers Vast Fishery, Uncertain Conditions For Bassmaster Elite appeared first on Bass365.com.
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Last week at Sam Rayburn Ish Monroe caught a 5 pounder flipping, having the right gear for the job was key to getting the fish in the boat!
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