Perfect weather could make for perfect finish

If the bite prevails for one more day, weights could be impressive on Sam Rayburn

JASPER, Texas – Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this week’s Stren Series Texas Division tournament on Sam Rayburn Lake has been the weather. One word describes it: perfect.

Sunny skies, light winds, low humidity; can this be Texas?

Yes it can. Though long, hot, humid days soon will descend on this region of the nation, for now, at least, local residents and anglers alike are basking in the balmy spring weather.

“Never seen anything like it,” said Ron Lappin, FLW Outdoors tournament director as the top 10 pro and co-anglers hit the throttle on the final day of the second Texas Division tournament of the season. “I’ve done a lot of tournaments here and you always get at least one day where it blows. But not this year.”

The calm, bright skies should be ideal for sight fisherman and, yes, that bite has been good, but perhaps not as good as expected. The best technique has involved working slightly deeper water away from the beds with Rattle Traps, intercepting fish as the come and go to the beds. That’s what at least seven of the top 10 pros are doing, including Russell Cecil, who has a 7 pound, 4 ounce lead heading into Day 3.

Muddier than normal water near the bank also has curtailed sight fishing, though it won’t be enough to discourage Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas, who’s in fifth place in the co-angler division with 27 pounds, just under 10 pounds off the pace set by leader Randy Hicks.

“Yesterday I fished a bit deeper in hopes of intercepting transition fish, and to a degree that worked,” Honeycutt said. “But today I’m tempted to go shallow. With the rising water and warm, sunny weather this lake is fixing to bust wide open.”

In both divisions, 12 pounds separate first from 10th places. But within 10 pounds of Cecil (46-13) on the pro side are five anglers, including Scotty Villines of Ponca, Ark. (39-9), Charles Bebber of Willis, Texas (38-13), Lupe Garcia of Springdales, Ark. (38-6), Andy Gaia of Tomball, Texas (38-3) and Wade Grooms of Bonneau, S.C. (36-8).

Likewise in the co-angler division, five anglers have a realistic chance of catching Hicks (36-12). They include Will Welch of San Angelo, Texas (27-9), Steve Hope of Ovilla, Texas (27-4), Joe Embry of Tyler, Texas (27-1) and Honeycutt (27-0).

All of the top 10 in the pro division have weighed the maximum of 10 fish. On the co-angler side only Rusty Harvey, who’s in sixth place with 26 pounds, 12 ounces, is one fish short at nine.

Today’s weigh-in is scheduled to begin at the Walmart in Jasper at 4 p.m.

Saturday’s conditions

Temperature at takeoff: 52 degrees

Wind: northeast at 4 mph

Barometric pressure: 30.20 inches and steady

Forecast: High of 81 degrees with mostly sunny skies and east/southeast winds at 5-10 mph