“The way I understand it from talking to some of the locals, is that fishing is tough,” said Tommy Busbee, who, with his wife, Pam, founded the Texas Bass Couples Tournament Trail. “A lot of small fish are being caught. Two or three of the locals claim 10 to 15 pounds a day will get a check in the tuornament.”

The lake is about three feet low, Busbee said, adding: “But that is a good condition compared to other lakes in the Central Texas area. Most all of them are down. I live on Lake Brownwood, which is about 15 feet low, and Lake Ivie is probably 40 feet low.”

Busbee said the 40 teams in the championship qualified through seven regional trails with six tournaments each.

“If they fished four they qualified or they could qualify with 250 points. First place in each tournament is 100 points, 99 for second and on down, plus they get 25 points just for showing up at a tournament.”

Busbee said the championship weekend will kick off Friday with a banquet where the Teams of the Year and Big Bass of the Year in all seven regions will be honored.

“We are a young and growing little tournament trail with fellowship as our number one goal,” he said.

Busbee also announced that he and his wife, Pam, are relinquishing the directorship of the West Region so they can visit and fish in all the other regions next year.

“We want to travel around the state to the other regions, meet more people, get more involved with them and with the local sponsors,” he said.

Taking over the West Region as directors will be Dalton and Carrie Cooley of Early, Texas, he said.

“They have been fishing in the couples trails I have been putting on for 20 years. They love getting together with the other anglers and enjoying the fellowship,” said Busbee.

He also announced the Texas Bass Couples Trail will hold an early bird tournament out of Oakridge Marina on Lake Fork Oct. 14. The event will be a “Two Team” draw tournament. Boat numbers will be drawn to match up teams. Team weights will be added together and winners will claim the pot.

Couples do not have to be members of the Texas Bass Couples Trail to enter. They can fish the tournament just to check out the trail, Busbee said. If a team then joins the Texas Bass Couples for the 2013 season they will get 25 points towards qualifying for the 2013 championship.

Entry fee for the Early Bird is $60 per team and $5 of that will go to the Big Bass payout. There will also be a Ladies Big Bass prize and a Smallest Bass Award.

 

2012 Texas Bass Couples Championship

Sep 21-23, 2012

Lake Bob Sandlin

Call 325-647-4116

www.texasbasscouples.com