Sabine River 1/21/23: Robert Royal Southeast Region Secretary
The 2023 Southeast Region Individual Trail kicked off Saturday January 21, 2023, at the Sabine River in Orange, TX with 62 anglers competing. Cloudy skies with the promise of heavy rains and temperatures in the low fifties greeted the anglers at take-off. This was a Texas waters only event, however, the tournament boundaries are monstrous, Anglers can fish as far north as the Toledo Bend dam or as far southwest as Galveston County south of Houston, which requires a run through the intracoastal waterway and across Galveston Bay. This fishery offers river fishing in sandbars, bayous, river bends, shallow woods, cypress stands and flats.
According to dock talk the pre fishing had been pretty good, with good numbers of fish being caught. Big fish are put at even more of a premium there, where a 5- to 6-pounder can equal another angler’s entire bag. All bass must measure at least 12 inches.
At the conclusion of the weigh-in Vidor Bass Anglers Association member Justin Royal had topped the field with five bass weighing in at 13.68, Justin’s winning weight was anchored by the big bass of the tournament a 4.52 lb. river sow. Justin stated that he targeted main river areas with a 6th Sense 100X squarebill paired with a Power Tackle “The One” 02 7’6” rod.
Bill Huskins with The Bass Club finished second with a five bass limit that weighed 11.67 anchored by the second largest bass of the tournament weighing in at 3.95 lbs. Bill stated that he made a long run and fished bayous and creeks off the main river, targeting deeper cypress trees and laydowns with smaller creature baits and worms.
Katy Bassmasters member Jason Branham finished third overall with a five bass limit tipping the scales at 10.98, Jason says he went into the day with one rod with a spinnerbait tied on and that was all he threw all day. Jason spent his day fishing main channels and short canals with any kind of ditch or indention and threw at every piece of cover available, just covering as much water as possible. He had his tournament weight by 8:30 and probably caught at least 30 fish throughout the day, just never managed to cull.
While the Sabine River can be stingy, there were 198 fish weighed in with 27 limits caught. A special thank you goes out to the assisting clubs the Katy Bassmasters and the Vidor Bass Anglers Association, as well as of the Southeast Region Directors for their assistance in conducting a smooth tournament.
The next Southeast Region individual event is on Sam Rayburn on February 25, 2023 out of Cassels Boykin park, the inaugural Southeast Region Texas Bassmaster Open Team Trail event will take place on Sunday February 26, 2023 on Sam Rayburn out of Cassels Boykin Park.
Written by: Robert Royal Southeast Region Secretary
Justin Royal and two of his biggest fans, show off his 1st place stringer.
Bill Huskins shows off 4 of the 5 that earned him 2nd place honors.
Brooks West a Vidor Bass Angler Association Junior Angler gets some help from his dad Clint, Brooks had 4 that tipped the scales at 6.35, yes he put it on dad on this day.