Waco, TX

The North Central T.B.O.T.T. was greeted with warm and slick calm conditions at take-off April 18^th providing the smoothest run of the day.

The weather forecast and weather apps had a shift in conditions late in the 1^st hour after calling boat numbers.   Winds were forecasted to turn out of the NW 15-20 as an April cold front approched – NOT!   The  NC Team field of tournament anglers faced sustained winds of 23 mph with gust up to 37 mph as the day grew longer in the tooth.   It would demand accurate and calculated casting the rest of the day with skilled boat navigation and a guaranteed wet ride regardless of boat make and model. 

Eric Tapia and Steve Shows had a memorial day on the water in 2 key areas (holding on) targeting wind-blown rocky points with jerk baits and crawl cranks.  Once the winds really kicked in and the bite slowed down they finished up focusing on 4 to10ft depths where there was no wind presenting shakey heads, TRD’s and boated their biggest bass at 5.79 lbs on a brush hog.   They took home $ 360.00 and a 3^rd place finish.

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Rob Paxton and Dan Beard had a great day on Wacky Waco.   As the bite slowed and the winds got faster they used chicken rigs, big TRD’s and Senkos also in 4 to 10 ft of water.   Their method was to move baits very slowly.   It paid off with a sack of 5 weighing in at 19.31 lbs anchored by the biggest fish on the day tipping the scale to 7.32 lbs   Big Bass and 2^nd earned them $890.00   

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James Seymore and Casey Garcia fished up the North Bosque and main lake coves targeting laydowns and standing timber flipping a variety of baits and dragging big worms to take home $1,340.00 1^st place money with 19.52 lbs that included a 6.61 pounder. 

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Congrats to the winners and all that dealt with the strong winds.

Paxton and Beard take over the region team points lead with our last stop of the North Central Texas Bassmaster Open Team Trail on Lake Whitney May 9^th next month.

Tight Lines!

David Rosenquist
Texas Bassmaster Open Team Trail
North Central Region Director           

After having to move our Team event from Brownwood to Lake Leon due to a 180 boat high school tournament, 17 teams launched on a slightly cloudy morning. Overall good weather but the wind kicked up a bit during the day. That didnt stop the fish from biting. Twelve of the seventeen teams brought 5 fish limits to the scales.

Grayson Morrow & Hunter Owens’ 22.70 lb limit included the big bass of the tournament at 8.38 lbs. That bag of healthy fish earned them first place and a check for $1532.

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Second place went to the team of Kelsey Williams and Corbin Craft. Their 5 fish limit went 19.30 lbs and included a 5.83 kicker fish. Good for an $800 payday.

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Third place goes to the team of Mason Bryan and Jason Gaston with a 5 fish limit that went 17.57 lbs. They also earned a $400 check that might cover entry fee and diesel fuel. Congratulations!

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The next touurnament in the NW Region will be on Hubbard Creek 5/9/26 launching at Paul Prater’s Landing.

The weather was not an issue on Lake O’ The Pines with 62 degrees and no wind before safe light. At weigh-in time it was 82 degrees and sunny.

Every team brought a five fish limit in the scales that day. The Team of Patrick Fairchild & Wyatt Wimberley from Broaddus, TX (Sam Rayburn) had a 19.62 lb sack to take first place. That bag earned them a check for $508. They caught 2 fish each day of practice and decided to just go fishing on tournament day. They found the right ones on main lake points with rocks using their electonics from The BassTank. Their lure of choice was a NetBait Paca Bug jig with a Netbait mini kicking trailer flavored with Bait Fuel. Their 7′ 6″ medium heavy and 7′ 2″ jig Halo rods helped them put it where it counted. Congratulations!

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Second place went to the team of Cash Henson & Parker Emory. Their five fish bag weighed in at 16 lbs even and included the big bass of the day at 7.51 lbs.

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The next tournament will be on Lake Conroe April 25, 2026 out of Stow-A-Way Marina.

Brent Stafford
(832) 922-5510