Southwestern Division wraps the season up at Big Sam
BROOKELAND, Texas – The sun is shining, the wind is low and stakes are high as the season finale for the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Southwestern Division gets underway on Sam Rayburn Reservoir. The season is wrapping up at the same place it began for 135 pros and Strike King co-anglers, among the pines of east Texas on the famed fishery.
About the fishery
Sam Rayburn’s reputation precedes itself. It’s more than 114,000 acres, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase “Everything is bigger in Texas.” It’s the largest reservoir in the state, fed by the Angelina River. It’s a typical Texas lowland impoundment with loads of timber, bushes, submerged hydrilla, bank vegetation, drains and ditches.
The lake is about a foot above full pool (165 feet) as we get underway with no rain expected for the weekend. According to the last two years of data from SamRayburn.com, this water level is to be expected for this time of the year.
Setting up the event
It’s the season finale and the race for the Angler of the Year is down to leader Todd Castledine (508 points), Stephen Johnston (479), Cody Ross (479) and Wesley Dawson (478). Castledine is a four-time Southwestern Division AOY, looking to grab number five this weekend. While he had his last professional win here in 2017, he also has three Phoenix Bass Fishing League wins on Rayburn, plus a slew of other local successes. A win would be nice, but that’s not the prize Castledine has his eyes on this weekend.
“My mind is on finishing in the top 28, because that gives me an Angler of the Year title,” Castledine admitted. “If I can catch 17 or 18 pounds on Day 1 and lock it up early, that’s what I’d love to do. To win this thing outright, it might take 55 pounds.”
The spawn is over in these parts as fish begin to move out to deeper water. But, don’t expect to see a plethora of 20-plus-pound bags in this event.
“The lake is in great shape, and you could catch 100 a day,” Castledine said. “It’s just that over those 100 fish, you may only catch one that’s over 2-8. The numbers are incredible, it’s really just going to be about who can find the quality out here.”
Castledine was on Sam Rayburn for the two-day Brandon Belt Fishing event last weekend, so he’s well aware of how it’s fishing right now. His team finished 21st out of 78 teams, a finish he wasn’t too pleased with. But it’s a new week with the ultimate goal in front of him. As for the rest of the field, Castledine has some predictions.
“I think this is going to be a tournament of ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’,” Castledine said. “We’re going to see about eight to 10 guys who have a massive separation ahead of the rest of the field. In that Brandon Belt event, sixth place had 22 pounds on the second day and seventh place had 16 pounds. There will be a ton of 11-pound stringers this week and it’s going to be about which guys can get over that hump to find the quality out here.”
Dock talk
The forecast calls for sunny skies and not much to speak of in terms of wind through Saturday’s final day. Expect it to get quite steamy in the afternoons, just how Castledine wants it.
“The weather is everything for me,” Castledine said. “I want it dead sunny and dead hot with no wind. That’s going to allow me to do what I want to do, but I’m not going to tell you what that is yet. I do think it will take 55 pounds to win, though.”
While Castledine plays coy, Cody Ross knows his plan of attack for the three days of competition and has a prediction on how the rest of the field might try to catch ‘em.
“I think a lot of guys are going to catch ‘em in the bushes,” Ross opined. “This thing is going to be won offshore, though. If you want to win, you’re going to have to be offshore. I think a Carolina rig, a big worm, a Strike King Popping Perch, or flipping a Missile Baits D Bomb will all be big players.”
Count Ross in the “If you want to win” column of anglers he just spoke about. Ross knows he has a tough hill to climb if he wants to catch Castledine. A Top 10 finish may not be enough for Ross if Castledine is able to stay solid. Ross is having to go with an all-or-nothing approach to compete with his fellow Texan.
“I was practicing for a win because I think that’s what I’m going to have to do to keep pace with Todd,” Ross said. “I had to think outside the box a little bit and re-tie every rod in my boat. To have a shot I’ll need Todd to fall a little bit, but I need to go out there to try and win if I want a shot at AOY. It’s going to be tough for sure.”