“They had over 300 boats and they had some big bags at the weigh-in,” said David Haas, weigh-master for the Rat-L-Trap Open. “You had to have over 15 pounds just to get a check in that tournament Saturday.”

In fact, Louisianans Dean and Joshua Sikes won the Bass Champs with a whopping five-fish limit that weighed 25.8 pounds. Eleven teams weighed more than 20 pounds and Bass Champs paid 42 places. It took 15.76 pounds just to get a check.

East Texas, like the rest of the South, has experienced heavier than normal rainfall this winter and as a result, Haas said, “all the lakes down here are full. They are at capacity.”

“That means,” he said, “There should be some really good fishing in the shallows. We are expecting good weather for the weekend and I think the water temperature is still up there pretty good, too.”

Haas said he is expecting a very good turnout for the tournament, which kicks off the 2016 Rat-L-Trap Open series. The Rayburn tournament grew by a solid 15 percent in 2015 over the 170 boats entered in 2014.

“Last year we had over 200 boats and we are expecting that many, if not more, this year,” Haas said. “It’s a 100 percent payback again this year.”

The entry fee is $100 a boat with an optional big bass pot for $20.

Haas said only Rat-L-Trap baits can be used in the tournament, including the new Echo 1.75 square-bill crankbait. However, the Slap-Stik is no longer allowed and no umbrella rigs are allowed.

Anglers may custom paint their lures and change the hooks, but modifying the internal shot load and attaching plastic baits to the lure are not allowed.

 

Rat-L-Trap Open

Sun, Jan 24, 2016

Sam Rayburn

Umphrey Pavilion

www.rat-l-trap.com

Call 318-487-0352 for information