Clouds part for Sam Rayburn finale
AFS finalists in search of big bass, paydays to close out Texas Division event
JASPER, Texas – Slowly but surely, Sam Rayburn Reservoir is revealing its true colors to the FLW American Fishing Series anglers competing here this week. It’s one of the nation’s premier fisheries for largemouths, and the pro and co-angler finalists fishing in the finale hope to exchange big sacks of black bass for big piles of greenbacks at day’s end.
The fishing has been pretty slow by Sam Rayburn standards, due in large part to the combination of unseasonably cool air and water temperatures punctuated by wind. But despite the conditions, the lake has produced a few of the 10-pound-plus lunkers for which it is known.
For evidence of Sam Rayburn’s big-fish potential, one need look no further than legendary bass pro Larry Nixon, a longtime veteran of tournament fishing. In a professional fishing career spanning more than three decades, Nixon said he has weighed in four tournament 10-pounders. One of those came from Sam Rayburn Reservoir yesterday.
Co-angler leader Bo Standley weighed the tournament’s first 10-pounder on day one, and second-place pro Randy Cisler nabbed a pair of them on day two. It appears the lake’s big bass are starting to wake up.
There’s a reason this trend is so important, beyond the thrill of seeing such beautiful bass cross the weigh-in stage: Any of the top 10 anglers fishing Saturday’s finale has a legitimate shot at winning in his division. With less than 8 pounds separating first from 10th in the Pro Division and only a 3-pound difference in the Co-angler Division, a win might literally come from a single cast.
With top potential awards of $25,000 and a Ranger boat package for the winning pro and $15,000 for the winning co-angler, you can bet everyone will be hog hunting today.
Game plans
Cisler is arguably the pro hungriest for a win today. He has fished more than 40 events with FLW Outdoors, but he has yet to lay claim to the winner’s circle and hasn’t been in the top 10 since the days of the Texas Tournament Trail. Though he weighed a meager 3 pounds, 9 ounces on day one, his same area in Norris Creek offered up the tournament’s heaviest sack so far – 24 1/2 pounds – on day two.
“I’m going to the same place,” Cisler said, adding that he isn’t concerned about today’s sunnier skies hampering his Carolina-rigging pattern. “My fish are so deep that I don’t think it’s going to affect them.”
If he can repeat his performance from Friday, Cisler – currently only 3 ounces behind pro leader Keith Caka – might embrace a long-awaited win.
Tommy Martin, one of bass fishing’s biggest names, started Saturday in ninth place. But he has logged many hours on Sam Rayburn and is well aware of its big-bass potential.
“I’m about 7 pounds behind, but anything can happen,” he said. “I was catching them really good in practice – 18 to 20 pounds or so – but the wind has made it real hard to get to those spots.”
However, Martin said he has between 15 and 20 spots to choose from, and if the wind dies down today as forecasted, he’ll have as good a chance as anyone to claim victory.
Tournament details
Today’s final weigh-in will be held at the Umphrey Family Pavilion at Sam Rayburn Reservoir beginning at 3 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
The winners will be determined Saturday by heaviest accumulated weight. Pros are fishing for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with 200-horsepower outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of $10,000. If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cup guidelines, he will earn an additional $5,000.
The American Fishing Series consists of four divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast and Texas. Each division will consist of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points that could earn them a trip to the American Fishing Series Invitational on Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., Nov. 4-6. The points champion from each division will qualify for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup and a fifth Forrest Wood Cup qualifier will advance from the Invitational that is open to the top 50 anglers from each division.
The Sam Rayburn Reservoir American Fishing Series tournament is being hosted by the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce.
For bass-fishing fans unable to attend the festivities in person, you can catch all the weigh-in action live at FLWOutdoors.com with FLW Live. Show time starts at 3 p.m. Central today.
Saturday’s conditions
Sunrise: 7:04 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 41 degrees
Expected high temperature: 57 degrees
Water temperature: 49 degrees
Wind: NW at 5 mph
Maximum humidity: 99 percent
Day’s outlook: mostly sunny with temperatures rising toward the low 50s; winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph