Bright outlook for Texoma

Tutt leads EverStart field on fickle lake

DENISON, Texas. – This morning, EverStart Series Texas Division launched with clear conditions and a little nip in the air as a passing cold front leaves high bright skies over Lake Texoma.

The increased visibility will be a welcome benefit for those who are sight fishing the many bass still bedding along the lake’s shorelines. However, much of the water remains muddy from the heavy rains that fell two days earlier.

Rice Krispies pro Jim Tutt caught 17-11 on day one and leads the field by a margin of 1 pound, 12 ounces. Those numbers, he said, offer no sense of security on this notoriously fickle lake.

“It’s close, you know, this is Texoma and it’s a flip-flop deal that can make you or break you,” he said. “I was fortunate yesterday to get the big bites. You can’t control whether you get big fish or not, so hopefully the fish that bite (today) will be big.

“I’m going to slow down even more today than I did yesterday. I think that’s going to be the ticket – just slow down and be really thorough.”

Tutt will spend most of his time bed fishing with a Zoom trick worm on a Gambler Giggy Head. He’ll vary his bait color as the day’s light increases.

“I’m fishing real, real, real shallow,” Tutt said. “Some of my fish are on rocks, but a lot of them are on slick nothing banks. That’s been the key. A lot of people aren’t fishing that and I am.”

Mathematically, Texas pro Todd Castledine had the most impressive performance – he placed second with only three fish that weighed 15-15. Castledine said he was junk fishing, but if he can dial in something consistent today and find the same quality he found on day one, he’ll make the top-10 cut.

Cody Malone, of Morgan, Texas starts the day in 55th place after bagging three on day one for 5-1. He was throwing topwaters around docks to mimic the spawning shad and had several keepers come unbuttoned. He also had quality fish look at his bait without committing. Malone said he’s refined his topwater plan for day two.

“I found a topwater bite with a small Luckycraft Sammy – it’s the same size as all the shad that are spawning early in the morning,” he said. “I’ve been squeezing by some docks, jumping some (dock) cables and getting in some virgin water. I had several big followers yesterday that didn’t eat it and I had a big one come off. I should have had 17-18 pounds.”

Malone said he’ll tease any indecisive bass with a Sammy dressed with a feathered rear treble. Also, his later day two flight will eliminate the timing issue he faced on day one.

“I stayed with (the topwater) too long yesterday,” Malone said. “I should have went and looked at them. I have a bunch of bed fish located and I could have caught 12 pounds, no problem. But I was boat No. 2 yesterday and I had to leave my spot at 2 o’clock.

“If I catch 9 pounds today I’ll get a check; if I catch 16 1/2 or 17 1/2 I’ll make the top 10. The fish I’m on are completely doable for that, so I’m just going to go out, make good decisions and fish clean. I have my topwater on, I have my shaky head for bed fishing.”

Malone said he’ll run far south and cover as much water as he can. He said he marked several nice bed fish in practice, so he’s confident that he can find the quality bites, even if water clarity remains an issue.

Logistics

Anglers will take off from Highport Marina, located at 120 Texoma Harbor Dr., Pottsboro, Texas at 6:30 each morning. On Friday, weigh-ins will be held at the Highport Marina beginning at 2:30 p.m. Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Walmart located at 401 US North Highway 75 in Denison, Texas. Saturday’s weigh-in begins at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Pros will fish for a top award of $35,000 plus a 198VX Ranger boat with 200-horsepower outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger 177TR with 90-horsepower outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.

The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of four tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the Angler of the Year title along with $5,000 for the pro and $2,000 for the co-angler. The top 40 pros and co-anglers from each respective division will qualify for the EverStart Series Championship that will be held on Kentucky Lake in Buchanan, Tenn., Oct. 27-30.

The EverStart Series tournament on Lake Texoma is being hosted by the Denison Area Chamber of Commerce.

Friday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:29 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 56 degrees

Expected high temperature: 72 degrees

Wind: NW at 15-20 mph

Humidity: 30 percent

Day’s outlook: sunny