Feb. 6, 2025

 

JASPER, Texas — It’s safe to say that a majority of the 200-plus anglers scheduled to compete in the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN have yet to win a B.A.S.S. event at any level.

They will all, however, be looking for a big win on one of the biggest bass fisheries of all when the tournament is held Feb. 13-15 in east Texas.

Rayburn is synonymous with big bass, making it a mainstay on the B.A.S.S. circuit for decades. There’s plenty of room (approximately 114,500 acres) for competitors to spread out, too, in search of the legendary toads that earned “Big Sam” the No. 7 spot in the Central Division of Bassmaster Magazine’s 2024 100 Best Bass Lakes list.

Though he’s an Arkansas native and has been a Louisiana resident for a quarter-century, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Greg Hackney has a special affinity for Sam Rayburn Reservoir. When he was only 20, Hackney won a regional tournament on Rayburn, earning a boat and truck combo and qualifying for a spot in the Bassmaster All-American. Hackney also won his first Elite event on Rayburn back in 2006, the first year of the Elite Series.

“Rayburn has been very good to me through the years,” the 51-year-old pro said. “I love it there.”

Though he won’t be fishing in the Open at Rayburn, Hackney has a good understanding of what competitors can expect on the reservoir.

“It looks like it’s going to be warm just before the tournament and that should make for really good fishing,” he said. “If air temperatures sneak into the 80s, that will have a huge impact on fish migration. February is typically the month when fish will head to the bank (to spawn). You can look at previous Bassmaster events there and see (that) if it’s not cold, it’s gonna be won shallow.”

Water depth will likely be a factor, as well, Hackney said.

“When it’s lower, they hold in more mid-depth water,” he said. “If the water is low, the grass will play a huge role. If so, I’d look for a big crankbait bite out deep. If the water is high, the bushes will come into play. Another thing is the hard spots on the bottom in higher water. The fish tend to hang out there before heading farther in.”

As of early February, a Toyota ShareLunker bass (8 pounds or more) from Rayburn had yet to be reported to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. However, Hackney said he heard a 12-pound, 15-ounce beast had been boated at Rayburn recently. If so, that’s a sure sign that more big bites will follow as largemouth move into full spawn. A total of 26 ShareLunker bass were caught in Rayburn in 2024, making it one of the five most-productive big-bass fisheries in a state loaded with them.

“Everything is setting up for this one to be an absolute slugfest,” Hackney said of the upcoming Open at Rayburn. “The conditions could be perfect. You’ll have warm water, and the fish will start moving up. There should be some big weights caught.”

The St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by SEVIIN will begin Feb. 13 with a 7 a.m. CT takeoff from Umphrey Family Pavilion in Brookeland, Texas, followed by weigh-in back at the pavilion beginning at 3 p.m. The full field will fish again on Feb. 14, with the top anglers advancing to fish for the tournament title on Feb. 15.

Follow the tournament online at Bassmaster.com.

The event is being sponsored by the Jasper County (Texas) Development District No. 1.

 

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN

2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC

 

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bassmaster Junior Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Bassmaster College Kayak Series, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.