SAM RAYBURN
BASS: Tournament season continues on Rayburn as Skeeter Boat's Bass Champs Series kicks off the 2008 season Saturday Jan 19th. Umphrey Family Pavilion, located on east side of Rayburn Dam, is tournament headquarters and 300 teams (600 anglers) are expected to compete. Approximately $60,000 is up for grabs which includes a first place prize of $20,000 which could mushroom to $28,000 with Skeeter/Yamaha incentives. Skeeter Bass Champs is one of the largest and most successful team tournments in the nation and is very popular with local bass anglers.
There will be a lot of bass caught Saturday and my opinion is that it will take a five bass limit of 25 pounds to win this event. One reason for lots of bass is that the lake level on Rayburn is 158.9 feet which is between 5 and 6 feet low which has the bass somewhat limited to cover they can use. It will also make the lake fish smaller because the coves/inlets are greatly reduced in size.
Favorite patterns/baits will be lipless crankbaits (Rat-l-traps and Frenzy Rattl'rs), spinnerbaits, Carolina Rigs, Texas Rigs, crankbaits, jig n pigs, wacky worms and jerkbaits. Some anglers will fish deep from 12 to 25 feet but most will fish between 2 to 10 feet.