Grover Mansfield and Brandon Flowers won a Triton XS with a 150 Evinrude, plus $2010 in the Angles Advantage side pot and $1,125 for big bass to take home a total package worth $28,135. The top 14 teams weighed in more than 20 pounds.

“We are really excited,” said Mike Hastings, tournament director, who was preparing for the second event of the season this Saturday on Lake Ray Roberts. “What makes the Texas Team Trail so attractive is the low entry fee of $250 per team and a boat-motor-trailer package that is guaranteed for first place at every every, regardless of the number of entries.”

And there are multiple ways to win more money, Hastings said, including contingency awards for owners of 2009 and newer Ranger, Triton and Stratos boats and Evinrude Motors, plus contingencies from other sources such as the Cabelas Angler Cash Program, Power Pole and Ram Trucks.

“Another unique feature is the Angler Advantage, an optional $100 side pot with a 100 percent payback,” he said.“In addition, every event is nationally televised on NBC Sports and it also runs on various local networks.”

Hastings said the trail consists of four one-day qualifying tournaments and a two-day championship. Teams fish all four qualifiers to make it to the championship. After Sam Rayburn in early March and Ray Roberts this weekend the trail moves on to Belton Lake at Belton, Texas, May 4 and Cedar Creek lake at Log Cabin, Texas, June 1, with the championship scheduled at Falcon Lake Oct. 12-13.

“Two boat-motor-trailer packages a guaranteed for first and second place at the championship,” Hastings said.

Fishing at Lake Ray Roberts Saturday could be just as good as it was on Sam Rayburn, if not even better, Hastings said.

“It looks like we are going to hit it just right. There are a lot of fish shallow in various stages of the spawn, so there should be a really strong shallow bite,” he said. “And, I am sure some of the guys will find productive offshore patterns. The lake has a lot of really good offshore structure spots and it a lot of aquatic vegetation and standing timber.”

Last year the big bass winner at Lake Ray Roberts was well over 11 pounds, said Hastings who added he expects to see some really heavy bags and some really big bass weighed in Saturday.

“I’d be shocked if it does not take 10 pounds or better to win big bass and I also think it will take at least 25 pounds to be in contention for the overall weight,” he said.

Texas Team Trail

Sat, Apr 6, 2013

Lake Ray Roberts

Lake Ray Roberts Marina

Call 210-788-4143

www.texasteamtrail.com