WEST MONROE, La. – Most of the bass fishing world knows very little about the three fisheries that will host the 2022 Bass Pro Tour season opener. But one local pro knows all about the “playing fields” for the B&W Trailer Hitches Stage One Presented by Power-Pole and predicts there’s a good chance the Bass Pro Tour big-bass record will fall when the season kicks off at Caney Creek, Lake D’Arbonne and Bussey Brake.

“I think Caney Creek is the best big bass lake in the world,” said Tyler Stewart, a two-time Tackle Warehouse TITLE qualifier. “I’ve caught three double-digit weight bass there in 2021. D’Arbonne is good, but hit-and-miss for the huge bass. Bussey Brake is really good for double-digit weight bass too. The BPT anglers could break the big bass record for sure.”

About the Fisheries

Caney Creek was pumping out big bass in the 1990s, but never gained the fame of its Texas neighbor, Lake Fork. Caney’s lake record is a 15.97-pounder caught in 1994. Also, six of the Top 10 heaviest largemouth bass caught in Louisiana came from Caney Creek, all over 15 pounds. This approximately 5,000-acre impoundment is loaded with hydrilla. Look for anglers fishing the shallow grass and those targeting offshore bass to be competitive.

At an estimated 15,250 acres, Lake D’Arbonne is the largest of the three the Bass Pro Tour anglers will fish. This fishery sets up well for power fishermen. Anglers targeting docks, timber, or any visible cover will likely score well. The lower end of the lake is a hot spot early in the year. But anglers must show caution while traveling on D’Arbonne. Locals say there is so much standing timber it can be hard to idle your boat in some areas unless you stay in the channel.

At roughly 2,200 acres, Bussey Brake is the tiny tot of the trio fished in the season opener, but it’s another big-bass factory. Stewart has pulled a 12-pounder out of these waters. Like D’Arbonne, Bussey is loaded with flooded timber and will be ideal for power fishing techniques.

“I think the anglers will be really surprised with the quality of bass available out of these fisheries,” Stewart said. “They really are excellent.”