JASPER, Texas The $6.5 million Stren Seriesis headed to Sam Rayburn Reservoir March 19-21 for a $260,750 bass tournament…
JASPER, Texas The $6.5 million Stren Seriesis headed to Sam Rayburn Reservoir March 19-21 for a $260,750 bass tournament. As many as 400 pros and co-anglers will be competing in the second Texas Division tournament of the season for top awards of $65,000 and $30,000, respectively.
There have been a lot of fish bedding as of late, and sight fishing was really going to be a big factor in this event, said Stephen Johnston of Hemphill, Texas, who won a 2007 Stren Series event on Sam Rayburn. However, were experiencing a big cold blast of air right now with temperatures from the 30s to 60s, and I really think thats going to take the sight fishing out of it. Instead of this event being a big power-fishing tournament, I believe its going to be one of those where it takes 13 to 16 pounds a day to be successful.
Johnston predicts anglers will have to slow down their approach to catch big sacks during the tournament. Johnston said anglers will find success on fast-moving baits as long as there is cloud cover, but any sunshine at all could mean a change in tactics to a soft-plastic jerkbait or a Carolina rig. Johnston said low water levels at Sam Rayburn also could play a role in the tournament.
Theres really no deep fish, Johnston said. All of the fish are in 4 feet of water up to the dirt. It will be interesting to see how this weather really shakes things up during the tournament.
Its taken 17 to 18 pounds during the last month to even get a check in some of the local tournaments, Johnston added. The fish have been pretty consistent for the past month, but the water temperature has dropped 10 degrees. Its going to be interesting.
Anglers will take off from the Umphrey Family Pavilion located at 5438 Rural Route 255 West in Sam Rayburn, Texas, at 7 each morning. Thursday and Fridays weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturdays weigh-in will be held at the Walmart store located at 800 W. Gibson St. in Jasper, Texas, beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
The Sam Rayburn Stren Series tournament is hosted by the City of Jasper.
Pros will fish for a top award of $25,000 plus a 198VX Ranger powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard and equipped with a Minn Kota trolling motor and Lowrance electronics if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $7,500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant in the contingency program.
Co-anglers will cast for a top award of a 177TR Ranger powered by an Evinrude or Yamaha outboard and trailer. If the co-angler meets the Ranger Cup guidelines, they will earn an additional $5,000. If the winner is not a Ranger Cup participant, Ranger will award $2,500 to the highest-finishing Ranger Cup participant in the contingency program.
Competitors will also be vying for valuable points that could earn them a trip to the Stren Series Championship on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala., Nov. 5-7 for a shot at $150,000 in the Pro Division and $60,000 in the Co-angler Division. After four qualifying events are complete in each Stren Series division Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western the top 40 pros and 40 co-anglers based on the points standings from each division will advance to the championship. The top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers from each division will also qualify for the 2010 Walmart FLW Tour® and Walmart FLW Series®, bass fishings top professional circuits. The highest-finishing pro and co-angler from each division at the Stren Series Championship will also qualify for the $2.5 million 2010 Forrest Wood Cup, where anglers will compete for the $1 million grand prize the most lucrative award in bass fishing.
In Stren Series competition, pros supply the boats, fish from the front deck against other pros and control boat movement. Co-anglers fish from the back deck and compete against other co-anglers. Every angler who receives weight credit in a tournament earns points that determine angler standings. Two hundred points are awarded to the winner, 199 points for second, 198 points for third, and so on. The full field competes on days one, two and three, with the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers advancing to day four based on their three-day accumulated weight. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.
Total awards are based on a full field of 200 boats in every tournament.
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For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Players Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com
