September 13, 2004

BASS Tournament Director Trip Weldon on 2005 schedule

Reflections on next year's Tournament Trail

Lake Tohopekaliga; Kissimmee, Fla.
"What better place to kick off the 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer than the home of the five-bass record of 45 pounds and 2 ounces caught by Dean Rojas in 2001? Toho and Kissimmee have the typical shallow weedy massive reservoirs that harbor big bass. The water stays warm and the fish grow at an incredible rate. If conditions are right, come January, watch out."

The Harris Chain of Lakes; Leesburg, Fla.
"This chain of lakes has been home to some great BASS events in the past. Last year we saw impressive weights with several 8- and 10-pound bass being weighed. Similar to Toho, the Harris Chain offers prime habitat for those big Florida bass. One feature of the Harris Chain is the abundance of canals where big bass will move up to spawn."

Lake Guntersville; Guntersville, Ala.
"The 'Big G' continues to impress anglers across the country as one of the best lakes in the country. Three of the 2004 Busch Heavyweight sacks came from Lake Guntersville and the tournament winner, George Cochran, was only 6 ounces from breaking the 100-pound mark for four days. The entire Tennessee River offers great fishing, highlighted by Guntersville. Many BASS records set on Guntersville still stand today, including the largest bass ever caught in a CITGO Bassmaster Classic that weighed 8 pounds and 9 ounces by Ricky Green in 1976."

J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir/Clark Hill Reservoir; Augusta, Ga.
"The world's top golfers make their trek to Augusta every spring, why not the world's top bass anglers? J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir, formerly Clark Hill Reservoir, was the home of CITGO Bassmaster Classic III, and is an excellent fishery that should provide a good test for the anglers. The water will most likely be drawn down which will make transition areas more likely to harbor the most bass. Cranking and other off-shore techniques should be the rule of the day for this event."

Lake Norman; Cornelius, N.C.
"When BASS held its last Tour stop on Lake Norman in the mid '90s, fishing was at best average. Those events were won with largemouth. Since then Norman has become a renowned spotted bass fishery. The current North Carolina state record spot of over 6 pounds was caught last winter from Norman. It offers an abundance of boat docks and brush piles planted by local anglers. In addition there are numerous coves with small red clay and rock points that generally hold spring time bass."

Table Rock Lake; Kimberling City, Mo.
"Table Rock continues its label as one of the best and most diverse fisheries in the country. On any give day, anglers can weigh largemouth, smallmouth, and spots. A good pattern of any of these three species could win this event. If we have an early spring, sight fishing could play a big part. If a normal spring, bass will be teetering on the edge of the spawn making for some exciting fishing. Jerk baits, small crank baits, and jigs will likely be the choice lures."

Elite 50

Smith Lake; Jasper, Ala.
"We had big crowds, big spots, and big largemouth on Smith Lake in 2004. Local pundits all agree April is probably the best month to fish Smith. Look for sight fishing to play a major factor for the 2005 champion."

Lake Dardanelle; Russellville, Ark.
"Lake Dardanelle is the home of the inaugural Bassmaster Elite 50 series event and record crowds. This lake also produced impressive catches last year and it should be another exciting event this time around. Most of the lake is lined with shoreline grass which harbored pre- and post-spawn bass. Randy Howell won the event swimming a jig in that type grass."

Lewisville Lake; Dallas, Texas
"Everyone knows Texas is home of big things. BASS fans from the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex and all around Texas will enjoy this event. The event will fall on Memorial Day so pleasure boat traffic could be a factor in the strategies employed by the pros."

Lake Wissota; Chippewa Falls, Wis.
"Wisconsin, home of the 2004 ESPN Great Outdoor Games, provided a phenomenal fishery for bass fishing in that category. Most of these northern 'glacier lakes' provide excellent bass fishing. These glacier lakes usually offer shallow weedy type fishing excellent for chunky largemouth. Remember the spawn in northern lakes takes place in May and June so for the most part, bass will be shallow."

BASS Communications -Sep. 13, 2004

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Posted by DODGE at September 13, 2004 08:33 PM in Tournament (BASS)

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