“Fishing is phenomenal so it’s not problem to catch fish,” said McDonald’s Big Bass Splash organizer Bob Sealy. “But the lake is 7 ½ feet down and I have a concern for people who have never been on this lake before, and even for the ones who are pretty familiar with it. There are certain areas throughout the lake they really need to pay attention to. There are some long points that are really shallow.”

To stress his concern Sealy listed several areas around the lake where anglers should use extreme caution:

“On the South End two of the most popular places to fish are Needmore Point and Farmers Flats. Then going up past Bill Creek into Easley Flats. In those particular areas on the South End at normal pool you are looking at an average depth of 5 to 7 feet. Now you can be talking a foot or less.”

“Then, from the dam up to the main lake, in the mouth of Norris Creek there are some peninsula points that shallow up. At the mouth of Coleman Creek out to the main lake on the north side it shallows up. And then from Caney Creek Flats to McGee Point, those flats have shallowed up and that peninsula at McGee Point goes 300 yards out and gets so shallow they can’t run as close to the bank as they normally do.”

“Going up into the Veach Basin area there is heavy timber in the mouth and you need to stay at least 800 yards away from that timber and enter Veach Basin on the north side. Don’t try to go through the timber or around that island. There are some big trees under the water and now they are only six inches under the surface.”

“When you get up behind the black forest on the northwest side of the lake, Peckerwood Point shallows up. Also be careful in the mouth of Indian Creek near the Highway 147 Bridge. It shallows up from Indian Creek to the mouth of Harvey Creek and around all the islands there.”

 

“Basically, we are talking about fishermen putting in early in the morning when it is still dark so they need to pay attention to their depth finders,” Sealy said.

As long as the anglers pay attention to their safety, he said, they should enjoy phenomenal fishing.

“We are probably going to see some of the best weights we have seen in 10 years. The fishing is really on. For the most part the spawn is over, but they can catch them from a foot of water out to 20 feet of water,” Sealy said.

“There is no particular pattern working better than any others. In the last two to three weeks it is nothing to catch 25-30-40-45 fish a day. They just don’t have a lot of areas to hide in. There are no bank lines or deep heavy brush for cover.”

Sealy said a lot of fish will probably be caught in 3 to 8 feet of water on a variety of lures.

“Some of the better fishermen have been catching fish on swimbaits around grass in 2 feet of water. If you find some timber a lot of fish are being caught on jigs and Texas rigs close to the trees. The Carolina rig is working in the deeper water and wacky worms are also catching fish. I have been catching most of my fish on a KVD square-billed crankbait in 2 to 5 feet of water – and some good fish at that.”

The tournament will pay out $580,000 in cash and prizes, with $155,400 in hourly payouts. Twelve places will be paid in cash every hour, beginning with the 6-7 a.m. hour and continuing through 1-2 p.m. hour. The payout will include $1,000 for the heaviest bass of the hour, $900 for second heaviest on down to $225 for the 12th heaviest.

First place overall is a Triton-Mercury Sportsman Package towed by a 2011 Dodge truck. Second place will include a Dodge truck and a Legend Bass Boat and Mercury motor.

Registration will be open 2-8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday at Umphrey Family Pavilion and 5-6 a.m. each morning of the tournament at the pavilion.

The McDonald’s Big Bass Splash on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas, benefits the Ronald McDonald House and Select McDonald’s Charities. This event is sponsored by Owner/Operator: Jerry Eveland; McDonald’s of Jasper & Woodville, Texas, and The Jasper Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce, Jasper, Texas.

 

McDonald’s Big Bass Splash

April 15-16-17, 2011

Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Umphrey Family Pavilion

www.sealyoutdoors.com