GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – Richland Chambers Reservoir near Corsicana, Texas, will host up to 400 of the state’s best bass anglers May 12 as they cast for a share of $205,000 in the fourth Texas Tournament Trail event of 2001.
“In just our first year the Texas Tournament Trail has become one of the premier bass fishing circuits in Texas,” said Bill Taylor, tournament director for the new series. “The response we’ve had this season has been tremendous, and with fisheries like Richland Chambers and the other lakes we’ve visited, you can certainly understand why. Texas is full of great bass fishing, and who wouldn’t want a chance to win up to $70,000 in one day?”
Lake Travis near Jonestown, Texas, was the site of the trail’s third tournament April 21 where David Hogge of Nolanville, Texas, reeled in $10,000 cash and a new Mercury-powered Ranger boat with five bass weighing 13 pounds, 9 ounces.
O.H. Ivie Reservoir near Leaday, Texas, also produced some memorable moments in March as two bass weighing more than 10 pounds were brought to the scales. Webb Fry of Spicewood, Texas, weighed-in an 11-pound, 12-ounce heavyweight in the Pro Division, and Cindy Arnold of Waco, Texas, landed a 10-pound, 7-ounce largemouth in the Co-Angler Division. The biggest catch of the tournament, however, belonged to Mike Hastings of Austin, Texas, who landed $45,000 in cash and prizes with five bass weighing 19 pounds, 10 ounces.
In February, the Triple T awarded $30,000 cash and a new Yamaha-powered Ranger bass boat to Carl Svebek III of Sam Rayburn, Texas, for winning the trail’s opening event on Sam Rayburn Reservoir near Brookeland, Texas. Svebek also collected an additional $5,000 from Ranger Boats as the highest finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program to boost his total winnings to $70,000 in cash and prizes.
Svebek, Hastings and Hogge will be among Pro Division anglers looking for victory on Richland Chambers Reservoir when the one-day tournament kicks off at daylight May 12 from Oak Cove Marina in Corsicana. Some 200 co-anglers are also expected to take a shot at winning up to $34,000 when the weigh-in at Oak Cove starts at 3 p.m.
The winner of the Pro Division will receive $10,000 cash and a new fully rigged Ranger 518VX bass boat powered by a Mercury or Yamaha outboard. Ranger Boats will kick in an additional $20,000 if the winner is a registered Ranger owner, thus boosting the potential first place award to $65,000. The top co-angler will receive $4,000 cash plus a new fully rigged Ranger R91 bass boat if he or she is a registered Ranger owner for a total prize package worth $34,000. Additionally, Ranger Boats will award $5,000 to the highest finishing pro participating in the Ranger Cup incentive program.
Run by Operation Bass, the nation’s premier bass tournament organization, the Texas Tournament Trail features four one-day qualifying events and a two-day, no-entry-fee championship. The Texas Tournament Trail Championship on Toledo Bend Reservoir near Hemphill, Texas, Oct. 20-21 will feature the trail’s top 50 pros and top 50 co-anglers who will be competing for a share of $195,000 in cash and prizes.
The Texas Tournament Trail’s 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. A 200-point scoring system ensures equitable treatment of all competitors. Under the system, an angler receives 200 points for a win, 199 points for second, 198 points for third and so on. Every angler who receives weight credit during a tournament receives points. This point system will determine who advances to the championship presented by Pepsi and Frito-Lay.
Entry fees for the qualifying events are $350 for pros and $100 for co-anglers. Visit our tournament registration page to enter the Texas Tournament Trail or contact Operation Bass at (270) 362-4880 for additional information.