After the cancelation of the second stop of the season on Toledo Bend in February, due to forecasted high winds and severe weather. The Southeast Region Individual Trail returned to action this past Saturday at Lake Conroe on Saturday March 15, 2025, out of April Plaza Marina. Anglers were greeted with overcast skies with the promise of sunshine and high winds later in the day.
According to reports on Friday, pre fishing had been fairly good, with anglers reporting to have caught them in variety of methods.
At the end of the day, seventy-seven-year-old Jimmie Johnson with the Onalaska Bass Club topped the field of 84 anglers with a 5 fish limit weighing in at 27.38 pounds, anchored by a beautiful 8.00-pound sow. Mr. Johnson states that he and his boater partner Dewey Bonner targeted grass in 2 to 6 feet of water with Senkos. Mr. Johnson went on to tell me that 10 years ago to the date, he had won a tournament on Lake Conroe.
Terry Reich with the Seven Coves Bass Club came in second with 5 fish weighing 22.08-pounds, anchored by an 8.04- pound Lake Conroe beauty. Terry started out his day with a prayer. He then decided to fish out away from all the sight fisherman, figuring the shallow fish would be heavily pressured. He focused on the deeper edges of a spawning flat for pre-spawners, this is where he boated his first fish an 8.04 pounder on a lipless crankbait, he worked this pattern for two more hours with no success. He then moved up to the wind-blown shallows throwing swim baits around the grass edges in 3-4 foot of water, he boated 3 more keepers doing this. Knowing he needed another quality fish he switched to his trustee Senko and boated his fifth keeper a five pounder. Terry states that God truly blessed him on what was difficult day under the windy conditions.
The Vidor Bass Anglers Association’s Mark Grissom finished third overall with a 5 fish limit weighing in at 21.49 pounds, anchored by a 6.08 pounder. Mark stated that he located a few fish on Friday around docks and bulkheads on a Pineywoods spinner bait. Mark returned to that area on Saturday and caught his fish on the Pineywoods spinner bait and Senkos.
Roy Johnson with the Seven Coves Bass Club won overall Big Bass of the tournament with a 9.90-pound Lake Conroe behemoth. Roy’s 9.90 pounder also took over the lead for the Southeast Region Big Bass of the Year.
Seven Coves Bass Club member Jordan Alexander captured second Big Bass of the tournament honors with a 9.27-pounder.
In a day and time where Forward Facing Sonar dominates the fishing reports and results, I must admit it is refreshing to see Old Dudes rule with old school methods. The average age of the top 3 anglers was 71 years young.
We would like to thank the regional clubs that provided members to serve as tournament volunteers, as well as the Southeast Region Directors for their assistance in conducting a smooth tournament.
The Southeast Region Individual Trails’ next event is on Sam Rayburn, out of Jackson Hill Marina on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Written by: Robert Royal Southeast Region Secretary