The Bassmaster Elite Series begins its 2025 Texas swing May 8-11 at Lake Fork. Not surprisingly, big weights are expected as some of the nation’s best pros square off on one of the top bass fisheries in the country.
Located near Quitman, Fork has a rich history of kicking out triple digit weights at the top of the Elite leaderboard. In 2024, the entire Top 10 cracked the 100-pound mark during a four-day event Trey McKinney won with 13015 pounds.
McKinney’s total was just shy of the all-time record for total weight in a four-day B.A.S.S. event — set by Paul Elias on Falcon Lake in Texas in 2008.
Longview’s Lee Livesay is always a heavy favorite when the Elites come to town. Livesay, 40, won back-to-back events on Fork in 2021-22 with 1125 and 113-11, respectively.
Daily takeoffs, weighins and outdoor expo will be held at Caney Point Recreation Area…… On May 15-18, the Elites will land on the Sabine River in Orange. The Sabine is regarded as one of the Elites most challenging venues, where weights are typically low, a four pounder goes a really long way and navigation hazards are many.
Brock Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., won the 2023 event with an overall weight of 44-3, outpacing Texas’ Clark Wendlandt by almost 3 pounds.
Daily takeoffs, weighins and an outdoor expo will be held at the City of Orange boat ramp at 418 Pier Rd.
104 teams compete in NRL catfish tournament More than 100 teams turned out for the 5th annual Neches River Catfish Tournament on April 2526. Several found the big ones biting.
The winning teams in each division: Overall Heaviest Cat: Bryce, Clint and Ellen Jenkins weighed in a 42.6 pound flathead, $7,100.
2 Fish Stringer: Jake Greenup, Seth Kornegay and Hayze Bell, 66.4, $1,500.
Ladies: Lexi Counahan, Britney Watson, 8.4lbs, $502.
Kids: Harper Peveto 4.8
pounds, $200 Big Blue: Jessie Davidson, Blake Modisett, Neches Howard, Seann Whittman, 19.4 pounds, $1,500 Longest Gar: Rocky Lankford, Ashila Lankford, Kolby Helm, 53.5 inches, $250.
Boat/Motor/Trailer Drawing: Dylan McHale, $15,000 Tournament director David Holland said the event drew 104 teams. It raised $3,000 to benefit two youths battling health problems and awarded six scholarships.
Bass Champs on Belton Lee Leonard and Scott Bronder weighed in 24.40 pounds on five bass to top 163 teams in the Bass Champs team event on April 26 at Lake Belton. They earned $25,200 in cash. The winners caught their fish using Texas rigs and Carolina rigs away from the bank on ledges and other structures in 1520 feet.
Jonathan Click and Dustin Walton took second with 19.33, $6,000; Corey Schnautz and Raymond Calk, 3rd, 18.91, $3,500; Zane and Eric Washburn, 4th, 18.91; $2,800; Todd Castledine and Jarrett Latta, 5th, 17.72, $14,150 including a $10,000 Skeeter contingency bonus.
