Anglers Sun that is hoping Turns On At Ray Roberts

Defending TTBC champ Brent Ehrler has had a difficult time locating a constant pattern at Lake Ray Roberts this week.

After a string of unseasonably chilly and windy days earlier this week, conditions are anticipated to b st for the 10th anniversary for the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, now section of Toyota Texas Fest.

This year’s competition that brings together last year’s top point-getters through the Elite Series and FLW Tour will be at Lake Ray Roberts, positioned north of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It’s the very first time Lake Fork or Lake Conroe hasn’t hosted the big event, but Ray Roberts additionally harbors big-fish potential, provided the conditions are right, and also the existence of sunlight could place the seaf d tighter to the shallow cover that’s abundant across the pond and that may make them easier to target.

Some of the 38 rivals in this week’s industry had seen Ray Roberts before their practice that is two-day session which wrapped up Wednesday. It’s loaded with standing timber and contains a wholesome number of overseas framework, but offered the lack of experience and practice that is short, some went with all the default mode and headed to the bank, where they discovered a wealth (maybe a lot of, according for some) of shallow-water objectives by means of water willow, dollar brush and bushes.

The water at Ray Roberts has been at full p l since last summer. Prior to that, it absolutely was down considerably and that allowed vegetation to sprout up over the shoreline. Using the water now back up, it’s given the seaf d lots of address to call home in and around. This however, the water has fallen a f t week. Combine that by having a c l front and strong north winds that knocked water conditions down several levels, plus the seaf d have been tough to pattern thus far.

Most still expect the pond to produce plenty of big fish, but consistency will be described as a challenge. The opinion is that a 20-pound average that is daily be in contention to win. The total industry of 38 anglers will compete on Friday and Saturday using the Top 10 after day 2 advancing to the round that is final Sunday.

Before engaging in more about the bite, here is the lowdown on the pond itself.

BassFan Lake Profile

> Lake name Ray Roberts > Type of water Impoundment in the Trinity River > Surface acres (full p l) 25,600 > main structure/cover Standing timber, rip-rap, boulders, stumps, brush heaps, milfoil, pondweed, hydrilla > Primary forage Shad, bluegill, crawfish > typical level 25 feet > types Largemouth > Minimum length 14 inches > Reputation Decent fishery with potential to catch 6- to 10-pounders > Weather Unsettled during practice, but clearing by Friday > liquid temp High 60s, should warm back into 70s with sun > Water visibility/color Mostly clear; some creeks have stain > Water level Still 1 1/2 legs over normal p l, but has fallen a f t within the last week > Fish in Various depths > Fish phase Post-spawn, summer > main patterns Jigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, worms, swimbaits, flipping > Winning fat 60 pounds (3 days) > Fishing quality (1=p r, 5=great) 2 > Biggest factors It’s Texas, so that the big bites are always planning to l m big > Biggest decision Staying shallow or moving out away through the bank in hopes to fire a sch l > Wildcard up A deeper-water hot spot where fish are grouped up.

Here’s a glance at just how Lake Ray Roberts lays away, because of Navionics

A lot of Pressure

While Ray Roberts hasn’t been a regular end on B.A.S.S. and FLW circuits, it is a frequent competition place for Texas-based tracks.

Last week-end, it hosted the two-day championship for the Texas Team Trail and produced six stringers in excess of 20 pounds. Remaining consistent had been a challenge, specially on 2, and 42.90 pounds wound up topping the field of nearly 130 teams day.

Larry Nixon (left) will s n be contending at Lake Ray Roberts for the time that is first week.

Stephen Johnston, a Hemphill, Texas, pro that has 13 Top-10 finishes in the Southwestern FLW Series since 2007, finished 3rd with partner Danny Iles in case by focusing on shallow bushes and inundated willow trees over the bank.

Johnston states Ray Roberts is really a unique lake compared to other Texas fisheries in that it has withst d some alterations in modern times because of low water accompanied by suffered high water dating.com wikipedia.

“It’s a kind that is different of,” Johnston said. “There are a few ways that are different catch them here. It has a lot of big people it’s a lake you have to grind it out on in it, but. It’s not really a Toledo Bend or Guntersville or Rayburn. It’s a not really a accepted place where you’ll get a restriction in a single area. It is possible to get a couple of then have to move ahead.

“There’s a small grouping of fish that live shallow all of the time,” Johnston continued. “And there’s an organization that lives into the milfoil. There’s been no hydrilla within the lake for quite some time and with most of the high water they’ve had within the last couple years, all of the milfoil is fully gone, in order that group of fish has moved out.”