Svebek wins Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail opener on Sam Rayburn
BROOKELAND, Texas – Carl Svebek III of Sam Rayburn, Texas, won $30,000 cash and a new Yamaha-powered Ranger bass boat Saturday in the first-ever Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail event on Lake Sam Rayburn.
Svebek, a member of Team Land O’Lakes, topped 200 anglers in the Pro Division with a one-day catch of five bass weighing 25 pounds, 7 ounces. He caught his limit using a spinnerbait.
In addition to the $65,000 in cash and prizes that he received for winning the tournament, Svebek won an additional $5,000 for his participation in the Ranger Cup incentive program for professional anglers.
Brian Schott of Lufkin, Texas, took second place and $8,000 in the Pro Division with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 4 ounces. Finishing third through fifth place in the division were Rob Harty of Sachse, Texas, with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces worth $10,000; David Vance of Winnsboro, Texas, with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 4 ounces worth $7,300; and Ted Wyatt of Bryan, Texas, with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 7 ounces worth $3,200.
Darrell Smith of Abilene, Texas, took first place in the 200-person Co-Angler Division and won $4,000 cash plus a new Mercury-powered Ranger boat with five bass weighing 22 pounds, 3 ounces. He caught his limit using a lipless crankbait.
Second place in the Co-Angler Division and $4,650 went to Audie Gaspard of Kilgore, Texas, with five bass weighing 19 pounds, while Matt Rigby of Huntsville, Texas, took third place and $2,000 with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces.
Overall, 680 bass weighing 1,994 pounds, 1 ounce were caught during the tournament, including 49 five-bass limits. All of the bass were released alive.
In 2001, the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail will host four one-day qualifying events and a two-day, no-entry-fee championship. Each qualifying event will feature a maximum field size of 200 pros and 200 co-anglers and a potential purse of $205,000 in cash and prizes. The Texas Tournament Trail Championship presented by Pepsi and Frito-Lay will feature the trail’s top 50 pros and top 50 co-anglers in a shootout for up to $195,000 in cash and prizes. More than $1 million in cash and prizes could be awarded during the season.
Lake O.H. Ivie near Leady, Texas, will host the second qualifying event March 17. Lake Travis near Jonestown, Texas, will host the third qualifying event April 21, and Lake Richland Chambers near Corsicana, Texas, will be the site of the fourth qualifying event May 12. Toledo Bend Reservoir near Hemphill, Texas, will host the Texas Tournament Trail Championship Oct. 20-21.
The Texas Tournament Trail’s pro and co-angler format is designed to accommodate anglers of various skill levels. While pros supply the boats and control their movement, co-anglers fish from the back of the boats. Each person is fishing independently and competing against anglers in his or her own division. Entry fees for the qualifying events are $350 for pros and $100 for co-anglers.
To enter the Texas Tournament Trail, visit the tournament registration page or contact Operation Bass at (270) 362-4880.