Walmart BFL Tournament Preview at a Glance: March 23
OutdoorHub 03.14.13
The 2013 Walmart BFL season continues with three tournaments on Saturday, March 23. The Cowboy division holds its third tournament of the season on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, the Hoosier division opens on Lake Patoka and the Volunteer division kicks off on Lake Chickamauga. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers will be competing in each event for top awards up to $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.
When: Saturday, March 23
Where: Cowboy Division
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
The Umphrey Family Pavilion
5438 Rural Route 255 W.
Sam Rayburn, Texas
To see tournament details or to sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Things are starting to warm up on Sam Rayburn and fish are on the move to the back of creeks and pockets. Reports show that the morning bite has been the most productive, but there are still plenty of keepers being caught throughout the day. The water level has risen slightly due to rain that has fallen in the region, but is currently holding steady around 162.5 feet. This gradual springtime rise has started to put the water back into the shoreline brush, which will help prepare the lake for the upcoming spawn. The hydrilla grass and the outside edge of flooded vegetation have been holding plenty of buck bass with the occasional fully grown female mixed in. A large variety of plastics are producing at all depths of the lake, along with reaction-style baits such as spinnerbaits and lipless crankbaits. Expect healthy stringers from this historic Texas bass factory.
Where: Hoosier Division
Lake Patoka
Newton-Stewart South Marina
3084 N. Dillard Road
Birdseye, Ind.
To see tournament details or to sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Spanning just shy of 9,000 surface acres, Lake Patoka has a reputation for containing lots of timber, both submerged and emergent. Water level is currently close to full pool, allowing the flooded lumber to provide plenty of cover and habitat for the dominant species of the lake, the largemouth bass. Some anglers will undoubtedly run into the lake’s elusive smallmouth bass as well. As the water warms and the fish get ready for the spawn, anglers should look to target any structure and cover near staging areas and shallow flats. Reports indicate these areas are holding large numbers of fish, and those making the move to shallower waters throughout the day should be in a feeding mode. Expect to see a winning weight approaching 20 pounds and many bass in the 2- to 3-pound range.
Where: Volunteer Division
Lake Chickamauga
Chester Frost Park
2318 Gold Point Circle N.
Hixson, Tenn.
To see tournament details or to sign up and fish this event, click here.
Notes: Water temperatures are currently in the 50s here and reports show that the bass bite is getting better every day. Numbers of trophy largemouth have been caught recently in the 9-, 10- and 11-pound range. Last week it took five bass weighing more than an astonishing 44 pounds to win a tournament here, with several other bags exceeding the 30-pound mark. These giant bass are being found in staging areas all over the lake and anglers have been using a variety of techniques to entice them. Jigs, swimbaits and umbrella rigs have been the most popular. The shallower areas have also been producing better in the afternoon. Winning weight in this tournament is estimated to be large. Expect a few kicker fish to be weighed in as well.
