LIVE BLOG: Practice and Weather Update
Saturday, April 29th, 2017:
5:35pm – Always fun to get some anglers in front of the camera at registration to hear how the lake is fishing and what they are expecting.
5:06pm – Anglers have started to arrive and registration is underway!!
4:43pm – Anglers are picking up some great gear from Berkley at registration for the Texas Collegiate Challenge presented by Abu Garcia
4:37pm – Registration is now open
3:17pm – Who is HUNGRY?? We have burgers hitting the grill shortly at registration so come hungry!!!!
2:48pm – Registration will held at The Island. Enter on the North Side of the restaurant. Look for the Berkley and Abu Garcia Flags.
11:50am – Austin Mize and Nathan Martin from UNA showing off a “Texoma Stud”
11:23am – We are a little bit over 18 hours away from the start of the third event of the Cabela’s Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. The Texas Collegiate Challenge presented by Abu Garcia on Lake Texoma is sure to test all the angers competing. The bass spawn on Lake Texoma is winding down, but the anglers are going to be fishing in the heart of the shad spawn.
The anglers that are able to find areas of the lake where the shad are actively spawning are going to have the best advantage. Using baits like a Spro McStick 110 or a Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow in the areas around the shad spawn should be a productive way to get bit. Some of the anglers may also be able to sight fish on the southern end of the lake where visibility has been 3-4 feet.
Currently, the lake is around 3.5 feet low and falling. We may see this change moving into tomorrow with heavy rain forecasted for later today. Anglers may have rising water Sunday depending on how much rain the area gets.
Anglers will start off Sunday with cloudy condition with winds 10-15 mph out of the west southwest. Winds will pick up as the day goes on shifting more out of the west. Temperatures will be cooler with a small cold front pushing through Saturday afternoon.
Overall it should take 15 plus pounds to take home the win. Lake Texoma has a great population of Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted Bass. Numerous 7 plus pound largemouth and smallmouth over 5 pounds are very common. Anglers who can put together a solid pattern and make the adjustments for the changing conditions should be able to have the best luck.
9:51am – One of the biggest questions for an event on Lake Texoma is will the smallmouth bass play a part in the event. JP Kimbrough from LSU Shreveport and Stetson Overton from Tarleton State University both found some great smallmouth in practice Friday.
9:29am – Word coming in from some of the anglers prefishing today is that the Shad spawn is going to be a big factor in this event. Finding areas where the bait fish are will be key. The marinas on Lake Texoma are where the majority of the shad will be spawning. Talking to the guys on the water moving baits are having the best success – A-rigs, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits and topwater seem to be the best for getting fish in the boat.
Later this afternoon, with a low pressure system will be moving into the area bringing heavy rain and wind with it. The Lake Texoma and Denison, Texas area are forecasted for 1-2 inches of rain today. Lake Texoma is fed by the Red and Washita rivers. The amount of rain falling in the areas to the west and north will be key on how the lake is affected by the rain.
