Byron Albrecht was the top Boater Angler from Texas at the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional at Arkansas River and advances to the BASS Nation National Championship October 18-20 on Lake Hartwell in Anderson SC.

James Seymour, of Oglesby, Texas, led the 80 competitors in the co-angler division with a three-day total of six bass weighing 19-8. Seymour caught a three-bass limit of 11-1 on Friday to jump to the top of the Co-Angler field and earn the $2,500 cash prize.

Seymour, 44, rallied after catching only one bass for 2-4 on Day 1 and a pair of fish totaling 6-3 on Day 2.

“I was grinding and knew I had to do something different,” Seymour said.

That involved Texas-rigging a Zoom Trick Worm (green pumpkin/purple flake) with its tail dipped in red dye. He popped a tungsten nail weight into the other end of the lure, which gave it a unique fall.

Seymour will be making his first trip to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. He also won the co-angler division of the Texas Nation Championship.

“It’s been pretty amazing,” he said. “We have a tough region. To win here and go to Nationals, it’s really a dream coming true.”

The Southeast Region Individual Trail made their fourth stop of the 2023 season at Toledo Bend on Saturday April 22, 2023, out of San Miguel Park. Anglers were greeted with cool temperatures, clear skies, and breezy conditions.

According to reports on Friday, pre fishing had been downright tough, but as is always the case a few anglers always figure things out.

When the scales closed on Saturday evening Tye Grissom with the Vidor Bass Anglers Association had topped the field of 87 Southeast Region anglers. Tye weighed in a 5 fish limit weighing in at 13.51 pounds. Tye started out on a shad spawn area with a Piney Woods chatter bait, he boxed 3 keepers doing this. He then switched to a TX rigged lizard targeting Cypress trees on points near channel swings and ran this pattern the rest of the day, culling 4 times throughout the day to reach his final weight. Congratulations to Tye on his first win in the boater division. Tye is currently in seventh place in the 2023 Southeast Region Angler of the Year standings.

Katy Bassmasters angler Anthony Phillip came in second with 5 fish weighing 13.22 pounds, Anthony stated that he fished North between Siep and Hamilton and had a small limit by 8:30AM, throwing a chatter bait and a small swim jig along shaded banks, he just continued to work his pattern and culled up throughout the day to achieve his final weight.

Jason Branham with the Katy Bassmasters finished third over all with a 5 fish limit weighing 12.83 lbs. Jason’s bag was anchored with a 3.23 pounder. Jason started off the morning fishing a flooded grass line with a frog and boated his first two keepers, but that bite did not last long with the bluebird skies and sun. He then found a section of flooded brush close by and slowed down and started flipping the shade lines and started getting bit immediately. He culled a few times but had his final weight by 11:00AM. This is Jason’s second Top 3 finish of the year and he is currently in sixth place in the 2023 Southeast Region Angler of the Year standings.

Newly crowned 2023 Texas B.A.S.S. Nation State Champion Colby Bryant with The Bass Club won big bass honors with a 5.88 pounder. Charlie Miglicco with The Bass Club captured second big bass of the tournament honors with a 5.48-pounder.

A special thank you goes out to the assisting clubs the Vidor Bass Anglers Association and the Houston Bass Bandits, as well as the Southeast Region Directors for their assistance in conducting the tournament.

The Southeast Region next individual event is on Lake Livingston on May 13, 2023, out of Chaserz Lakeside (formerly Waterfront Lodge & Marina).

Written by: Robert Royal Southeast Region Secretary