MANY, La. – The $1 million Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Frito-Lay will wrap up its regular season June 7 on Toledo Bend Reservoir with as many as 400 pros and co-anglers gunning for crucial angler points. Following the Toledo Bend event, the top 50 pros and 50 co-anglers in angler points standings will advance to the $195,000 Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail Championship on Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall, Texas, scheduled for Oct. 18-19.
In addition to valuable points, anglers will also cast for their share of a $205,000 purse on Toledo Bend, with the winning pro eligible to receive as much as $65,000 in cash and prizes. The winning co-angler can claim as much as $34,000 in cash and prizes.
According to TTT pro Randy Qualls of Streetman, Texas, Toledo Bend competitors would be wise to target offshore structure in search of bass. This structure can be found at both the northern and southern reaches of the lake, with the southern side calling for Texas-rigged plastic worms in green pumpkin, pumpkin pepper and black flake. Also productive on the south side is flipping 1-ounce jigs in the grass and hydrilla. Northern-bound anglers might find Carolina-rigged Zoom Brush Hogs in watermelon, any shade of green, or red bug to be productive. Big crankbaits, such as the DD-22 in a shad pattern or a Fluke, as well as top-waters in the morning should also catch bass on the northern side.
Anglers will take off at 6 a.m. from Cypress Bend Park Ramp in Many followed by the weigh-in, also held at Cypress Bend, at 3 p.m. Two hundred pros and 200 co-anglers comprise a full field, with pros supplying the boats, fishing from the front deck against other pros and controlling boat movement. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers.
The winning pro will receive a guaranteed cash award of $10,000 plus a 519VS Ranger bass boat valued at $35,000. If the winning pro is the registered owner of a Ranger Boat that was purchased new from a Ranger dealer, he will receive a $20,000 bonus from Ranger Boats for a top pro award valued at $65,000. The winning co-angler is guaranteed a top award of $4,000, and if he is the registered owner of a Ranger boat purchased new from a Ranger dealer, he will receive a 195 Ranger valued at $30,000.
Additionally, the highest-finishing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program will earn a $5,000 bonus, and Garmin will award $1,000 to the winning pro if his boat is equipped with a fixed-mount Garmin Fishfinder or combination GPS/sounder.