5/17/25: If you want to bring a winning sack to the scales on Lake Belton the local regulars will tell you need to upgrade your limit beyond the “Belton Bullets”   Those numerous 14 inchers that are plentiful where the Leon River in the Brazos River Basin sprawls through Bell and Coryell counties.  Storms with lighting and thunder changed the bite and behavior overnight from practice days to tourney day for most of the field.

Doug Cole and Joe Sciuto brought in the biggest bass at 4.10 pounds and took home $190.  The biggest bass above a “Belton Bullet”

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Will Curlee and Nathan Ahle pitched jigs on bluff walls that secured a 3rd place limit with some beautiful Belton smallies that totaled 12.72 pounds and a $430 payday.

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James Seymour and Casey Garica spent their day in 15-20 feet of water off ledges throwing jigs to earn $ 860 bucks with a solid second place bag at weigh- in. 

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Curtis Daniels and Terry Anderson asked when the next derby is going to be at Lake Belton.  This was there first time to fish for ” Belton Bullets”   Their 14.54 pounds bested the field as they focused on wind- blown points with a combination of swimbaits, drop- shots and crankbaits for $1,590 

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The North Central Region Texas Bassmaster Open Team Trail’s last event with be at Lake LBJ  June 14^th @ the LBJ Yacht Club and Marina.   Those teams that fish 3 events qualify for the TBOTT State Championship @ Cedar Creek  Sept. 10^th -13th.

David Rosenquist
Team Division NC Region Director
Texas BASS Nation

NW Region TOY Standings

As with any sport, participation is the key. Several Teams in the Northwest Region were consistent as far as participation is concerned but the thing that sets a Team apart is weight. The Team Division uses points plus weight for it’s scoring sytem at each qualifying tournament through the year. The weight part of the points system means that not only were you there…your bag of fish was consistently heavier than the other Teams that participated.

Mike Schooler and Randy White rose above the field by 38.65 points over five tournaments in 2025 to take the Team of the Year title! Congratulations to Mike and Randy!! Plaques will be presented to them at the Team State Championship in September on Cedar Creek in Gun Barrel City.

Here are the top ten Teams in the running for Team of the Year in the NW Region. We appreciate every Team that participated this year.

Team of the Year is an accomplishment but the goal is to qualify for the State Championship and beyond. Those Teams that fished in at least three tournaments through the year are qualified to fish the Texas BASS Nation Team State Championship. From there, the top finishing teams will move on to the National Championship December 3-6, 2025 on Lake Hartwell South Carolina. The winner of the four-day National event featuring the best grass-roots anglers in the country will fill the final spot in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.

Brent Stafford
Team Division Director
Texas BASS Nation
(832) 922-5510

Team Results
Big Bass Results
2025 North Central Region Team Standings

Ray Roberts was in a good mood late April!   Traditionally Ray Bob will give you a few “haves” and more “have nots” sending anglers home mumbling about how to figure out the lake’s personality of “here today – gone tomorrow” bass behavior.   Reports were that fish were in all stages of the spawn and most all the teams found productive patterns.    It took sacks above 20 lbs. to finish in the money and those that did all seemed to find them in shallow water ( 2-5 feet) around mid-cove or mid-pocket using TX Rigs and spinnerbaits/chatterbaits. 

Zander Windham and Mark Jarvis won the big bass pot with a 7.41 and took home $240.

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James Biggs and Chis Salas were 4^th winning $ 350 with a 20.67 lbs. limit. 

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Todd Guernsey and Micheal Rice placed 3^rd with 22.04 lbs.    A check for $510 was their 3rd time in the money in 3 events!

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Todd Parris and Shawn Smith weighted in 23.78 lbs. that included a pair of 7 pounders and finished 2^nd for $1,021 pay day. 

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Logan Norwood and James Crawford took first place honors tipping the scale at 25.28 and went home with $1,750.  Great job fellas!

Our next event will be May 17^th on Lake Belton @ Temple Lake Park.   The N.C. Club Division individuals will also be at Belton the following day Sunday May 18th.

Come join us!  Tight Lines !