The 2025 Southeast Region Individual Trail made their fourth and fifth stops of the 2025 season, at Lake Conroe out of April Plaza on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 & 4, 2025. Sunday May 4th was a make-up date for a tournament that was originally scheduled back February on Toledo Bend.
Pre-tournament talk had anglers catching them in a variety of methods ranging from shad spawn, bream beds, clay points and around vegetation with frogs and swim jigs.
On Saturday May 3, 2025, Vidor Bass Anglers Association member Ryan Watkins bested the field of 74 anglers with a limit of bass weighing in at 19.37 pounds, Ryan states that he targeted grass that was holding shad all day and mixed in some sight fishing the inside grass line. Ryan went on to say that watercolor was an important factor for him to find productive areas. Ryan utilized a 6th Sense, Hush Frog worked at a high speed in the morning and once the sun got up, he had to slow his retrieve down with long pauses in order to get bit.
Vidor Bass Anglers Association member Ryan Watkins shows off his winning catch of 19.37 pounds from Saturday 5/3/25.
Tim Jahn with The Bass Club, fresh off his recent win in April on Sam Rayburn finished second with a five bass limit that weighed 19.32 pounds, his bag was anchored by a 6.07-pounder, which earned him the second big bass of the day honors. Tim said he targeted isolated pepper grass and reeds with a black frog early and around mid-day he would target grass lines in the hydrilla using the frog, a bladed jig, and a speed craw.
Tim Jahn with The Bass Club shows off his second-place bag 19.32, as well as the second-place big bass of the day a 6.07 pounder on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Vidor Bass Anglers Association member Tye Grissom finished third overall with a five bass limit, tipping the scales at 18.95 pounds, anchored by 7.37 pounder that earned him big bass of the day honors. Tye said he targeted a shad spawn early with a Pineywoods spinner bait and then would target shallow grass with a 6th Sense Hush Frog.
On Sunday May 4, 2025, Wesley Baxley with The Bass Club topped the field of 72 anglers with a 5 fish limit of bass weighing in at 21.42 pounds. Wesley said he started out targeting a shad spawn with a frog, boating two keepers. He then moved to bream beds for most of the day and could not catch another keeper. In the last hour of the day, he went to post spawn area and caught a 6.32 pounder and two more keepers on a shaky head to fill out his limit.
The Bass Club member Colby Bryant finished second with a limit of bass weighing in at 20.81 pounds anchored by the second big bass of the day a 7.49 pounder. Colby said he targeted hard spots in the grass that the shad were spawning on and utilized a swim jig and a wacky rig to catch them.
Jason Branham with the Katy Bassmasters captured third place with a 5 fish limit weighing in at 20.16 pounds, anchored by a 9.05 pounder, earning him big bass of the day and is also his personal best to date. Jason states that he targeted shallow grass and vegetation and kept a frog in his hand all day.
Jason Branham shows off his 9.05-pound big bass of the day on Sunday, as well as two others from his 20.16-pound bag that earned him 3rd place overall.
Thank you to the members of the assisting clubs as well as the Southeast Region Directors for their assistance in conducting a smooth tournament. The Southeast Regions final stop of the year is scheduled at Toledo Bend on Saturday, June 7, 2025.
Written by: Robert Royal Southeast Region Secretary.