In the two tournaments held so far in 2014, the Texas Team Trail has averaged 234 boats – 251 teams at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Feb. 15 and 217 at Lake Ray Roberts March 15 – and more than 200 teams are expected for the third tournament of the season Saturday at Lake Texoma.

And, said tournament director Mike Hastings, the fishing should be “really good” for both largemouth and smallmouth bass.

“With the largemouth there will definitely be some bass on the bed spawning. In fact, the largemouths will be in all phases of the spawn. Guys will be catching them pre-spawn, post-spawn and sight fishing for spawning fish on the beds,” he said.

As for the smallmouth, Hastings said the Alabama Rig will play a major role.

“The smallmouth bite is expected to be really good, too. We don’t have any restrictions on the Alabama Rig, so this is one of those deals where you had better be throwing it,” he said.

While the fishing is expected to be very good, Hastings said anglers on Texoma sometimes have a hard time getting to their fish.

“The wild card on Lake Texoma is the wind. That lake can get so rough that the wind conditions can dictate what areas of the lake are accessible for some of the guys and also how they fish. But if we have halfway decent conditions I expect a really good catch Saturday.”

The Texas Team Trail draws a big entry, in part because all the tournaments are nationally televised, with the programs also airing on a lot of local networks, so there is a tremendous amount of exposure.

“It’s all made possible by the sponsors and you can go to the website to see the complete list,” he said. “They are all important to us. Cabelas is our title sponsor and we also have tremendous support from Ranger, Triton and Stratos. Evinrude is also a major sponsor.”

To fish the series each angler must pay a $30 membership fee, then each team pays a $250 entry fee to fish each tournament. The Texas Team Trail Anglers Advantage Program also allows each team, for an additional $100 entry, to compete in an additional payout bracket, with a $100 percent payback.

“A fully-rigged boat is guaranteed for first place at every tournament,” Hastings said. “That is a boat, motor, trailer and electronics, ready to fish. At the championship, two fully-rigged boats are guaranteed, one for first place and one for second place.”

The winning anglers at Lake Texoma will walk away with a brand-new Triton 18XS powered by an Evinrude 150 HO, valued at $27,500.

Anglers who pre-register online get an additional bonus – practice time. If they are registered online before midnight Thursday they are allowed to pre-fish on Friday. Anglers who register online or via phone prior to midnight Thursday will also be entered into a drawing for a Power Pole Shallow Water Anchor. In addition, anglers that opt to register online at www.texasteamtrail.com will be entered into a drawing for a Mustang Survival inflatable PFD.

Following the Lake Texoma tournament, the anglers will move on to Lake Livingston May 3 for the final qualifier of the years before the Championship June 7-8 on Toledo Bend Lake.

 

Texas Team Trail

Sat, Apr 12, 2014

Lake Texoma

www.texasteamtrail.com

Call Mike Hastings (Tournament Director) – 512-773-7401