The Southeast Region Individual Trail held their 2024 Top 40 Championship on October 19-20, 2024, on Lake Tyler in Whitehouse, TX. They had 18 Boaters and 11 Non-Boaters competing for a spot to represent Texas B.A.S.S. Nation at the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Qualifier, date and lake to be announced next month.
Lake Tyler consists of two lakes (East & West) connected via a canal. This tournament had a little different twist, as half of the field would fish the East Lake and the other would fish the West Lake on day one and they would swap lakes on day two.
Pre-tournament reports varied from pretty slow to really good in the days leading up to the tournament.
Saturday morning started off chilly with a slight fog early and turned out Sunny and breezy. At the conclusion of Saturday’s weigh-in Jacob Bruener of the Nacogdoches Bass Club led the Boater division with 5 @ 16.50, anchored by a 7.33 pounder from the East Lake.
Jason Branham with Katy Bassmaster was second with 5 @15.17 from the West Lake and Justin Royal with the Vidor Bass Anglers Association was sitting in third with 5 @13.74 from the East Lake.
In the Non-Boater division Seven Coves member Andrew Rutherford brought in a 3 fish limit weighing in at 7.33 pounds from the West Lake. Rodney Mladenka with The Bass Club was in second with 3 @ 5.56 and Ned Westmoreland was in third with 3 @ 4.96 from the East Lake.
Sunday’s tournament was shortened by one hour to allow more travel time for anglers to return home. Weather conditions started out pretty much the same, but with less wind.
In the Boater Division, Justin Royal with the Vidor Bass Anglers Association brought in a 5 fish limit weighing 17.83 pounds from the West Lake, this combined with his day one weight of 13.74 gave him a two-day total 31.57 pounds, clinching the win and spot on the Texas B.A.S.S Nation Team at the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Qualifier.
Justin states that he started out on natural banks Saturday morning throwing a swim jig and after a couple of hours without a bite, he went to a stretch of boat docks, he skipped a bladed jig under the dock and caught a keeper fish and he decided he would do that the rest of the day, as well as on day two in the West Lake. He utilized a 3/8-ounce shad colored bladed jig, paired with Reneau Tackle The One 03 7’3” rod and Shimano reel spooled with 14-pound Gamma fluorocarbon, he was targeting docks in two-to-five-foot water with shade, he would skip the bait as far back as possible under the docks. He states that if caught one he would Power Pole down and make multiple casts from different angles, this often led to multiple fish from one dock. Justin would like to thank Jordan’s Marine & Pro Fuel for keeping him on the water and Sam Rayburn Performance Rigging for getting his 360 hooked up before the event.
Terry Reich with the Seven Coves Bass club weighed in a five fish limit weighing in at 16.45 pounds from the West Lake, this combined with his day one weight of 6.64 pounds brought his two-day total to 23.09 pounds and landed him in second place overall, securing him a spot on the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation team at the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Qualifier.
Terry said that he started out each day with his individual prayer and that he is thankful that Southeast Region Director Matt Russel starts our tournaments with a prayer and the National Anthem. Terry stated that his pattern was fishing boat docks located in the mouth of coves near the main lake. He said he was blessed first thing in the morning on Sunday by catching a 2 ½ pounder and a 3 pounder on what he called the magical dock. He says he felt the big bite should happen around noon, so he only hit a couple of more docks near by and returned to the magical dock again around 11:30 and caught 3 of his bigger fish by noon. They all came on the outside part of the dock in 8 feet of water on Senkos. Terry would like to thank God for a great day of fishing.
Brian Jones with The Bass Club brought in a 5 fish limit weighing 12.93 pounds, this combined with his day one weight of 9.87 brought his total weight to 22.80 and earned him 3rd place overall in the tournament. Brian targeted boat docks on both lakes utilizing a flipping stick rigged with a 3/8-ounce weight and soft plastics.
In the Non-Boater Division Andrew Rutherford with the Seven Coves Bass Club brought in 3.88 pounds, this weight combined with his day one weight 7.33 pounds brought his two-day total to 11.21 pounds and earned him first place in the Non-Boater division and secured his place on the Texas B.A.S.S Nation team in the Non-Boater division at the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Qualifier.
Larry Green from The Bass Club brought in a 3 fish limit weighing 5.35 pounds from the West Lake this combined with his day one weight of 4.96 pounds earned him a second-place finish in the Non-Boater division and a spot on the Texas B.A.S.S Nation team in the Non-Boater division at the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Qualifier. Larry stated that he targeted boat docks and lily pads both days with a spinner bait and soft plastics.
The Bass Club member Rodney Mladenka finished third in the Non-Boater division with a two-day total of 8.96 pounds.
Pete Elliott with the Vidor Bass Anglers Association captured the Boater Division Big Bass of the tournament as well as the overall Big Bass of the tournament with a 7.51 pounder caught on Sunday from the East Lake.
The Bass Club member Glen Miglicco caught the Big Bass of the tournament in the Non-Boater division a 3.22 pounder caught on Sunday from the West Lake.
We would like to thank Southeast Region Director Matt Russell, Tournament Director Ed Grisham, Tournament Coordinator Justin Royal and current Assistant Director/Director Elect Tye Grissom for their time and efforts in making this tournament a success.
Written by: Robert Royal Southeast Region Secretary
