The 5th event for the Southeast Region is in the books. We visited Lake Livingston on Saturday, May 18th, and 105 anglers were met with some windy and somewhat hot temperatures. Due to the forecasted wind conditions for Saturday the Southeast Region Tournament Director, Daniel Davis, decided to implement the trailering option to all anglers due to the Waterfront Marina not having ample areas to safely moor a boat without possible damage. In past years with these same conditions several of the region anglers have received some severe damage to their boats after tying up next to the bulkhead. All anglers were notified Friday evening that trailering was allowed and that they could leave the launch site of their choice at 6:30 am and “all” anglers must be checked in by 3:15 pm at Waterfront. The notifications appeared to be successful with the assistance of the club presidents.

After what appeared to be a pretty tough day for a majority of the anglers American Anglers member, B. J. Tarr, won the top honors in individual and big bass with a 5 fish limit weighing in at 17.81 pounds (had .50 pound penalty for deceased fish) backed by a 7.17 pound toad to take big fish honors. Albert Collins continues his hot streak with his third 2nd place finish this year. The Nacogdoches Bass Club angler brought a limit to the scales weighing 17.40 pounds to capture second place and had a 5.84 pounder to take the 2nd place Big Fish honors.

Albert was followed by Onalaska Bass Club angler, Jonathan Goodwin. Jonathan managed to find a limit of bass on his home lake tipping the scales at 15.16 pounds to take third place over Houston Bass Bandits angler, Charles Watts. Charles also managed a limit weighing in at 11.17 pounds to secure fourth place. Dan Cormack of the American Anglers rounded out the top 5 taking fifth place with a limit weighing in at 10.94 pounds.

Out of the 105 anglers registered there were only 9 limits brought to the scales, with only 151 fish total (363 pounds) coming across the scales for a average of just over one fish per angler percentage. Twelve places and two big bass were paid for a total of $4,080.00 for this event.

With the 5th event of the season completed, Albert Collins has put himself into the lead for Angler of the Year 43.70 points ahead of Jake Goodrum of the Onalaska Bass Club and 55.86 points ahead of Chuck Dodd of the Onalaska Bass Club. The Seven Coves Bass Club maintains the Club of the Year top spot 387.57 points ahead of the Onalaska Bass Club.

Our next event and final event for 2013 will be at Sam Rayburn (Mill Creek Marina) on June 22, 2013. It should be interesting to see if Albert Collins will maintain his lead in the AOY. After the weigh-in is completed at Sam Rayburn the 2013 Top 40 Qualifiers will be announced along with the Top 40 Championship location and date.

A special thanks goes out to Waterfront Lodge & Marina (Mark). There has been several changes made there catering to anglers with a very fine restaurant and bar.

I would again like to say thanks to all the Southeast Region sponsors.

See everyone at Sam Rayburn and the Southeast Region would like to wish Albert Collins and Scott Grammier the best of luck at the Central Division Championship being held on Sam Rayburn on June 5th-7th.

Southeast Region Director
David Glezman

Eric Brigman – Brazos Anglers Bass Club: 26.55#

The Southeast Region made its 4th stop at Lake Somerville on Saturday April 20th.  The 123 angler field was greeted by record setting low temperatures of 39° at take off.  A cold front moved in on Thursday generating high winds Friday and clear skies along with high pressure Saturday.  The winds cooperated on Saturday but based on the standings the fish did not.  Of the 123 anglers, 60 came to weigh in with an empty live well.  However, Eric Brigman of the Brazos Anglers Bass Club found out where the bass were hiding and brought in a 5 fish limit weighing an outstanding 26.55 pounds anchored by a mammoth 10.96 pound kicker fish to take first pace and top honors in big bass.  Eric’s weight distanced second place angler Albert Collins, Nacogdoches Bass Club, by almost 9 pounds. Albert brought a 5 fish limit to the scales weighing 17.94 pounds and had a 9.56 pound toad to take second in  the tournament and second place big bass award.  A first place effort on any other day.

Eric Brigman Big Bass 10.96#

Kenneth Curlee of the Seven Coves Bass Club managed to locate a limit of hungry bass to claim third place with 15.22 pounds and to best Brazos Anglers Bass Club angler, Roy Johnson, who challenged with a 5 fish limit tipping the scales at 14.94 pounds. Darren Haarmeyer of the Seven Coves Bass Club brought in 4 fish weighing in at 13.64 pounds to round out the Top 5. A total of 15 places were paid along with 2 big bass places for a total payout of $4,946.00.

We had a great turn out with a total of 94 boats and a relatively small lake which created some very close quarters for the anglers but everyone exhibited great sportsmanship under the circumstances.  A total of 119 bass were brought to the scales for a total weight of 355 pounds with only 2 deceased bass. All the other bass, including the giant bass, were returned to the lake. I applaud all the anglers for their efforts in keeping their fish healthy.

Albert Collins: 2nd Place Big Bass – 9.56#

The Southeast Region will be on Lake Livingston on May 18th out of Waterfront Lodge & Marina for our 5th event of 2013. We hope to see another well attended tournament with the 2013 Angler of the Year race getting real interesting and guys vying for spots to the Top 40 Championship.

Jake Goodrum with the Onalaska Bass Club holds a slight lead over Seven Coves Bass Club angler Kenneth Curlee after four events.  Lake Livingston is Goodrum’s home lake but Curlee has some history on this lake and is able to bring in good bags of bass.  It’s going to be a race to the finish line this year.

David Glezman
Southeast Region Director

The third stop for the Southeast Region is in the books. This year we have been blessed with wonderful weather conditions in the first two events but we woke up Saturday to severe wind advisory for our third stop. Saturday’s early weather report issued a small craft warning on area lakes predicting Southerly winds in the 15-20 mph range with gusts up to 30 mph. With that information it was decided to apply the trailering option for safety. By the end of the event the report proved to be correct as the wind blew and the lake conditions became dangerous but fortunently no mishaps were reported.

1st Place 24.41# Jake Goodrum – Onalaska Bass Club

Onalaska Bass Club angler, Jake Goodrum, elected to stay close to the Jackson Hill Marina area resulting in 5 fish limit weighing 24.41 pounds backed by a 7.42 pound kicker to take top honors and big bass of the event. Goodrum’s sack bested local Nacogdoches Bass Club angler and 2013 Bassmaster Classic contender, Albert Collins, by 3.64 pounds. Collins 5 fish sack tipped the scales at 20.77 pounds, anchored by a 5.56 pound lunker, to help him claim 2nd place. Larry Dean of the American Anglers crossed the scales with a 5 fish limit for 17.06 pounds to claim 3rd place followed by Onalaska Bass Club angler Chuck Dodd who claimed 4th place with 16.34 pounds but due to a .50 pound penalty for a deceased fish had a final weight of 15.84 pounds. Joe Loudat of the Brazos Anglers Bass Club edged out Seven Coves Bass Club angler, Billy Renard, by 0.01 of a pound to round out the Top 5 with a 5 fish limit weighing 14.53 pounds and also claimed the 2nd place Big Fish with a 6.43 pounder. There were 51 limits caught by the 116 anglers. A total 402 fish across the scales with only 5 deceased fish for a total weight of 899 pounds (7.75 lb per angler average and 2.24 lb per fish average). The event paid 14 places and 2 big fish for a total payout of $4,602.00.

2nd Place 20.77# Albert Collins – Nacagdoches Bass Club

According to angler reports the wind played a factor in areas to fish and forced anglers to change their game plans from previous practice days. Jake Goodrum’s win helped boost him into the lead for Angler of the Year after three events with Katy Bassmasters, Scott Grammier, and Brazos Anglers Bass Club’s Nathan Mikeska in the chase.

With the third event in the books the Southeast Region will be on Lake Somerville on April 20th. Lake Somerville has gave up some pretty good sacks in the past so the AOY race could see some changes. I would like to thank all the anglers and region staff for their patience and cooperation with dealing with the last minute changes due to the weather conditions. A special thanks goes to the Jackson Hill Marina for providing the venue for our event and all of the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation and Southeast Region sponsors.

In just a week the Texas B.A.S.S. Nation State Top 6 Championship kicks off out of Cassels Boykin on our own Sam Rayburn Reservoir. I hope to see the Southeast Region well represented.

David Glezman
Southeast Region Director
Texas B.A.S.S. Nation