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

YTD Standings

The North Central Region kicked off its 2025 tournament season on Lakes Waco and Whitney on March 1^st and 2^nd.  As the anglers arrived at Lake Waco Saturday morning, the sky was clear and it was a little on the chilly side as temps were in the mid to upper 40’s, however, there was barley a wisp of wind, and once the sun was up it warmed quickly eventually reaching 78 degrees by weigh in!.  Once it was safe light, the anglers were treated to a beautiful sunrise reflecting off the glass like surface of the lake as they idled out past the no wake zone and onto the main lake.  The field quickly learned that while the weather was ideal, the fishing was not and the majority of the anglers did not catch a limit and those that did limit out, they did so at the end of the day with some catching 2 or 3 keepers with less than 45 minutes to go.  In the end, it was Denton County Bass Club angler Jim Harcrow who took 1^st place boater honors and a check for $432 with a limit of Waco bass weighing 11.21 pounds.  Jim just squeaked past David Rosenquist who had a 10.99 pound limit for second place and $288.  David’s limit included a 3.73 pounder, which was the Big Bass of the tournament and an additional $130 in David’s pocket.   Rounding out the top three, in third place was Eric Tapia of Centex Basshunters with 8.25 pounds on 4 fish.  Eric said he caught a slew of fish with less than an hour to go, but they were all short and he just could not get a 5^th 14 incher.

On the non-boater side, it was all Alonza Brown, The Colony Bass Club,  as he put a smack down on the rest of the co angler field.  He did it with one fish weighing 2.75 pounds and earning him $216, proving yet again every bite counts!  

With Waco in the books, the anglers turned their sights on Lake Whitney.  Not to be out done by Waco, the sky over Whitney at take off on Sunday morning was spectacular to say the least, and neither words nor pictures could ever do it justice. But unlike Waco, Whitney brought the wind and kept bringing it all day long with sustained winds at 17-20 and gusts to 35.  Jim Harcrow, looking to carry his momentum over from Waco, stated that he found a school of smallmouth first thing in the morning and had his limit by 8:30 a.m. but that after a few hours the worm had turned, and his success turned into a grind the rest of the day.  His limit was 14.00 pounds even, but on this windy day, it was only good enough for second place and $288, as Andrew Wren, Tarrant Christian Bass Club, would take first place on the boater side with a healthy 16.51 pound limit, anchored by a PB 5.08 Smallmouth and taking Big Bass honors.  For his efforts, Andrew cashed in for a total of $572!  North Central Region rookie Kasen Keene had a solid third place finish with a 10.20 pound limit!  Nice job Kasen!

Completely un-phased by the wind, the weather, or the waves, Alonza Brown again dominated the Co angler side with a three fish limit weighing 6.49 pounds and cashing a check for $288.  Brady Keene, Big Sandy Bass Club, edged out Chris Demiglio of The Colony Bass Club for second place by 0.16 pounds, leaving Chris in third.  Will Alonza continue his winning ways and pull further ahead, or will the remaining co-anglers get hot and close the gap?  Keep a close eye on this one! 

            Our next tournament will be Sunday, March 30^th on Possum Kingdom, following the North Central Region Team Trail on Saturday, March 29^th also on Possum Kingdom.  This affords anglers a chance to make it a full weekend on PK by participating in both trails, so be sure to sign up and come fish with us!  Anglers from both trails are  invited to meet for dinner at Hemingway’s on Possum Kingdom Friday night, March 28^th.  It is not mandatory but rather a chance to meet other anglers in the North Central Region.  More details will be posted prior to the event!

Stephen Farrar
North Central Region Director
Club Division

Results
2025 YTD Standings

Hi All!

Thanks for attending our Pines event. The foul weather made for some tough fishing and miserable conditions for the fishermen, but as we all know someone always catches them!

Congrats to James Hervey of Piney Woods Bass Club for winning our Pines event with a five-fish limit of 19.16 pounds. Second place went to Brannon Long of Red Oak Bass Club with an impressive four-fish sack weighing 17.04 pounds. Third place went to Wes Bennett of Piney Woods BAss Club with a five-fish limit of 14.48 pounds. Congrats to Bruce Maschmeier for taking the big fish pot with his 6.70-pound frozen swamp donkey.

Please register for our March event, Cedar Creek, on March 30th out of Log Cabin. When registering, please be sure to fill out your contact information completely, as this allows us to provide your phone number to your linked co-angler if you happen to draw one.

Thanks everyone!

Wes Bennett
TBN NETX Tournament Director
Club Division