2025 BFL season starts on Sam Rayburn
BROOKELAND, Texas – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Cowboy Division season starts Jan. 4 at Sam Rayburn. New for 2025, there is an expanded slate of Regional events, which will give anglers more chances to qualify for the All-American and further minimize travel costs. This expansion ensures that grassroots anglers can fish closer to home on lakes they know and love for a chance to win a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard as a boater and a new $20,000 cash award as a co-angler, plus qualification into the BFL All-American
What to expect
According to most reports and local Cody Ross, the fishing should be really good for this event.
With the water in the low 60s currently and expected to be in the upper 50s by the tournament, the true wintertime or prespawn patterns that Sam Rayburn is known for are not likely to be huge players. Plus, there’s not a ton of grass in the lake now, which puts a bit of a damper on the shallow bite.
“I think a lot of fish are still scattered,” Ross said. “I don’t think there’s a bunch of them on hard spots yet. I think it’s like we’ve had a couple of cold snaps, but not quite enough to do what they need to do.”
Still, even without really cold weather, the fishing should be good – they’re biting.
“They’re not biting bad,” Ross said. “There’s a lot of fish that are eating, really and truly, but a lot of little ones more than anything else. But, sometimes you can weed through the little ones and catch a good one or two.
“You can luck into a good one right now,” he said. “And lucking into a good one, some years, it’s hard. Some years, it’s not as hard. Right now, it’s not as hard.”
Ross expects 18 or 19 pounds to be enough to make the Top 10, but he’s fully aware that there’s no telling on the winning weight. In the winter at Rayburn, with fish pretty healthy, five of the right bites could go for 27 pounds, 35 pounds, or even more.
So, here’s hoping we get some fireworks to open the season.