“Norman is a little bit odd,” said tournament director Mark Weaver. “When the weather cools down that is when the 18-pound bags come in, so hopefully we will see something along those lines Saturday. It’s going to be a little bit chilly at takeoff that morning.”

Actually, Lake Norman will be right in the middle of a major cool-down by Saturday, with nighttime temperatures in the mid-20s Thursday and Friday and up only slightly to freezing Saturday morning. If a cold snap turns the Norman bass on, then a 20- to 25-degree drop from mid-week ought to do the trick.

The catch will be mostly spotted bass, Weaver said, with the Alabama Rig playing a major role.

“If you can scratch out a largemouth or two it will really help, but the majority of the catch will be spots.”

This is the second year of the trail, that Weaver founded to try to get local clubs to fish together.

“We did fairly well last year,” he said. “We drew in the 20s most tournaments, with several a little lower in number when gas prices got high. We are trying to keep it a little more local this year.”

Saturday’s tournament on Lake Norman is the first of a 5-tournament trail leading to the North Carolina Bass Trail Championship to be held June 1 on a lake to be determined. After Saturday, tournaments will be held Feb. 16 on Belews Lake, March 16 on W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, April 13 on Lookout Shoals Lake, and May 4 on Lake Hickory.

Competitors pay a one-time membership fee of $10, with a 100 percent payback-plus at the tournaments. They can join and pay their entry fee at the ramp the morning of the tournament. Anglers have to fish four of the five tournaments to qualify for the championship, Weaver said.

“We’ve had some sponsors give us a little money,” he explained. “We’ve already got $1,000 in for the championship. I think it is going to be a pretty good schedule I think we are going to hit all the lakes at the right time.”

He also plans to give away tackle and other items at the tournaments, he said, as part of his effort to build the series which has proven to be popular with the anglers who are fishing it. All the members from 2012 have rejoined for this year’s series, Weaver said.

“We held a big banquet at the championship last year and we plan to do something along those lines again this year, maybe do a cookout.”

North Carolina Bass Trail – Spring

Sat, Jan 19, 2013

Lake Norman

Pinnacle Access

Call Mark Weaver 336-984-8600