Big Bass Fishing Names Battle in Texas this Weekend

Texans contend that everything is bigger in their home state, and I won't step into that debate. I do know that the list of anglers competing on Lake Conroe in this weekend's Toyota Texas Bass Classic includes many of the biggest names in the sport of bass fishing. Looking at the list of 50 competitors, which is built based on Angler of the Year final standing from the Elite Series, FLW Tour and PAA Tournament Series, I'm not certain there has been a more power-packed field with a blend of B.A.S.S. and FLW pros.

As the boats stage for blast off on Lake Conroe tomorrow morning, Kevin VanDam, Edwin Evers and Terry Scroggins will be right beside Brent Ehrler, David Dudley and Andy Morgan and many other best-of-the-best pros. Combined accomplishments of the TTBC field include more than 70 million dollars in career earnings, 22 Angler of the Year titles and 17 major championship wins.

I'll definitely be watching what happens throughout the weekend and posting updates on my facebook fishing page. Be sure to like that page if you have not done so already. To watch weigh-ins and follow live scoring, visit the TTBC website.

Sudden Death & Alabama Rig Research

Photo Courtesy of PAA

One fish was all it took for Keith Combs to win the Toyota Texas Bass Classic and the $100,000 and Legend boat that came with the victory. One fish in a sudden death fish-off, that is.

After three full days of fishing, Combs and Mike Iaconelli had ended up tied atop the leaderboard, each with a weight of 76 pounds 12 ounces. Between Combs and Iaconelli, they had six daily limits of fish that average more than 5 pounds per bass, and they outfished the rest of the field by more than 25 pounds. Still, they were tied, and Combs was able to seal the deal with a 15-inch fish, which he caught on the same Norman crankbait he'd used throughout the week.

A championship event comprised of top pros from the BASS Elite Series, the FLW Tour and the PAA Tournament Series, the TTBC included 50 of the nation's top pros. It was held on Lake Conroe in Texas.

Meanwhile, the big buzz in the bass fishing world has been the Alabama rig, a unique multi-lure rig that's unlike anything that most bass fishermen had ever seen a week and a half ago. That was when Paul Elias revealed the crazy rig he's been using to blow away the field in the FLW event last week at Guntersville and to catch 102 pounds, 8 ounces in four days. The Alabama rig notched another big win last weekend at the Everstart event on Kentucky Lake.

Enough has been reported about the Alabama rig by folks who have seen it for themselves that I'm not going to re-hash it here. That said, I'm North Alabama bound tomorrow for three of fishing on three different lakes (including Guntersville) with four different pros. One of those pros, Chris Lane, was in the middle of all the excitement at the Guntersville tournament. If I get to see the rig and how it works first-hand, therefore, that probably will be my next blog!