DENISON, Texas – Penance paid, Stren Series Texas Division anglers launched into still breezy, but soon-to-improve conditions on Lake Texoma.
After a fierce storm blowing through North Texas imposed rough, limiting conditions for the opening round, day two begins with a cool, cloudy morning, but weather reports indicate clearing skies and lighter breezes by midday. Improving conditions should expand the fishable range for those limited by day one’s windy barrier. Also, increasing sunshine will warm the water, improve visibility and create more definitive areas of light and darkness.
Rick Turner of Tyler, Texas said he intends to leverage this latter point to find his fish around rocky banks with deep water abutting boulders. He’ll be throwing finesse worms and looking for big smallmouth.
“It’s a little cooler this morning, but the wind’s not going to be as bad today. If the sun comes out and shines, it will help me too. That makes the fish more predictable – it puts them up tight in the shade.
“Yesterday I was able to go where I wanted to go and fish where I wanted to fish, but the wind and rain had the fish scattered so they weren’t positioned where I needed them to be.”
Magnolia, Texas pro Sean Hoernke – just two weeks removed from his first FLW Tour win on North Carolina’s Lake Norman – will fish the same pattern that led him to his recent victory. With shad spawning near docks, Hoernke will key on the bass keying on the forage.
Texoma, Hoernke said, offers a longer window of opportunity for dock bass. “The difference here is that you can catch them all day, while at Norman it only lasts a short time (in the morning). These fish don’t have much cover to live in so they live near the docks year-round. These fish are pretty consistent and they’ll stay here the rest of the week.”
Despite seeing one of his long-term plans fizzle, Hoernke secured a day-one limit weighing 11 pounds, 2 ounces. With this, he believes he’s on track to fishing on Saturday. “I left a couple of my spots a little too early. I had a little stretch that I was trying to save for the next three days. Two other guys stayed in there and they’re both in the top-10. I’m in the right area, but the fish got beaten up a little more than I wanted them to.
“Things are going right for me and I figure if I catch 10 pounds a day for the next three days that will get me into the top-10. So, I’m right where I need to be for the first day.”
David Curtis of Trinity, Texas leads the pro division with 18-4, while Dan Wilson of Pilot Point, Texas sits atop the co-angler field at 12-11. Favorable weather the next two days will afford many the opportunity to dramatically improve their positions.
Tournament logistics
The Stren Series event, which runs May 7-10, represents the third of four regular-season Texas Division tournaments. The total purse for the Lake Texoma event is $275,225. The winning pro could earn as much as $65,000 in cash and prizes if various contingencies are met, and the winning co-angler could earn as much as $35,000.
Action continues at today’s weigh-in, scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. (Central Time) at Highport Marina, located at 120 Texoma Harbor Drive in Pottsboro, Texas.
Thursday’s conditions:
Sunrise: 6:30 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 61 degrees
Expected high temperature: 81 degrees
Water temperature: 70 degrees
Wind: from the NNW 12mph, decreasing to 4 mph
Humidity: 61 percent
Day’s outlook: Partly cloudy, turning sunny by early afternoon