Dock talk at Sabine River

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The tournament title lists Sabine River, but there is much more to the playing field. The tournament waters extend from Toledo Bend Dam (on the Sabine River), out into the Gulf of Mexico and across seven coastal Texas counties and as far as Galveston. In between are the Neches and Trinity rivers, and vast areas of backwater swamps and tidal estuaries.
The tournament title lists Sabine River, but there is much more to the playing field. The tournament waters extend from Toledo Bend Dam (on the Sabine River), out into the Gulf of Mexico and across seven coastal Texas counties and as far as Galveston. In between are the Neches and Trinity rivers, and vast areas of backwater swamps and tidal estuaries.
The 2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 —the official video game of B.A.S.S. That is the official event title and the official launch site is at the City of Orange Boat Ramp. That’s where Andy Crawford and I set out to find the truth. Saltwater, freshwater, river, bayou, swamp or all of it?
The 2021 Dovetail Games Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River sponsored by Bassmaster Fishing 2022 —the official video game of B.A.S.S. That is the official event title and the official launch site is at the City of Orange Boat Ramp. That’s where Andy Crawford and I set out to find the truth. Saltwater, freshwater, river, bayou, swamp or all of it?
“You can catch them on just about anything, but the tough part is getting around enough bass measuring 12 inches. I thought you could come down here and catch 40, 50 a day, and I think I’ll be happy to catch 5 a day.”
“You can catch them on just about anything, but the tough part is getting around enough bass measuring 12 inches. I thought you could come down here and catch 40, 50 a day, and I think I’ll be happy to catch 5 a day.”
“This one is going to be a grind. I’m just going to keep a flipping stick in my hand and never put it down. I’ve found somewhat of a pattern but there is a lot of water to cover to make it work.”
“This one is going to be a grind. I’m just going to keep a flipping stick in my hand and never put it down. I’ve found somewhat of a pattern but there is a lot of water to cover to make it work.”
“You can see how many rigs I have on the front deck, and that’s not me. Usually, I have it down to several outfits that I have confidence in. That’s not going to be the case this week.”
“You can see how many rigs I have on the front deck, and that’s not me. Usually, I have it down to several outfits that I have confidence in. That’s not going to be the case this week.”
John Cox was about to re-launch his boat and scout another area. “I’m fighting on whether or not it’s worth it to go out.
John Cox was about to re-launch his boat and scout another area. “I’m fighting on whether or not it’s worth it to go out.
“I practice really fast, too fast for the sheer amount of area we have to fish here, all of it with different types of habitat, the tide, everything.”
“I practice really fast, too fast for the sheer amount of area we have to fish here, all of it with different types of habitat, the tide, everything.”
“Here, you really have to slow down. It’s hard to do that here because everything changes, with the tide coming in and out. I’m trying to find a place where I can just set up and be content here.”
“Here, you really have to slow down. It’s hard to do that here because everything changes, with the tide coming in and out. I’m trying to find a place where I can just set up and be content here.”
“There was a late, prolonged winter and I’ve found fish in all phases of the spawn. I’ve spent time on four, five river systems and have narrowed it down to two of those.”
“There was a late, prolonged winter and I’ve found fish in all phases of the spawn. I’ve spent time on four, five river systems and have narrowed it down to two of those.”
“That’s what I’m going with. I’m going to fish my way down to my last stop and fish my way back, letting the fish dictate to what I’m going to do. Getting bites is not a problem, and I’m catching a lot of keepers compared to some of the other guys.”
“That’s what I’m going with. I’m going to fish my way down to my last stop and fish my way back, letting the fish dictate to what I’m going to do. Getting bites is not a problem, and I’m catching a lot of keepers compared to some of the other guys.”
“It’s going to come down to getting that one, crucial 3-pounder a day that will move you way, way up the leaderboard.”
“It’s going to come down to getting that one, crucial 3-pounder a day that will move you way, way up the leaderboard.”
“I’m not driving very far from the ramp to go fishing, and that’s a good thing. It’s been tough to get bites.”
“I’m not driving very far from the ramp to go fishing, and that’s a good thing. It’s been tough to get bites.”
“I just think the closer you stay to the ramp, the more fishing time you’ll have.
“I just think the closer you stay to the ramp, the more fishing time you’ll have.”
“The fish population is down in general and there is a lot of dirty water. In talking to a few guys and they say it’s going to be a grind, and the fish will be caught in a few known areas.”
“The fish population is down in general and there is a lot of dirty water. In talking to a few guys and they say it’s going to be a grind, and the fish will be caught in a few known areas.”
“Getting a limit will be the goal and then trying to catch one over 2 1/2 pounds will be gravy. It’s going to take everything I’ve got on the deck to be good.”
“Getting a limit will be the goal and then trying to catch one over 2 1/2 pounds will be gravy. It’s going to take everything I’ve got on the deck to be good.”
“I would lock into Toledo Bend if it were possible.”
“I would lock into Toledo Bend if it were possible.”
“This place is tough, and we knew it would be a challenge. This is the best month of the year to be here, and it’s been a struggle for me to catch five 12-inchers, much less a 2-pounder.”
“This place is tough, and we knew it would be a challenge. This is the best month of the year to be here, and it’s been a struggle for me to catch five 12-inchers, much less a 2-pounder.”
“That’s historically what it takes to do well here. Here, a 2 1/2 pounder is big; a 3-pounder is a giant. I would imagine 14 or 15 pounds will make the 50 cut, and 9 pounds a day could make the final round.”
“That’s historically what it takes to do well here. Here, a 2 1/2 pounder is big; a 3-pounder is a giant. I would imagine 14 or 15 pounds will make the 50 cut, and 9 pounds a day could make the final round.”
“This place looks a lot like the tidal waters that I fish at home, like the Chickahominy and James river. A lot of cypress trees, feeder creeks, bayous and that kind of habitat.”
“This place looks a lot like the tidal waters that I fish at home, like the Chickahominy and James river. A lot of cypress trees, feeder creeks, bayous and that kind of habitat.”
“I just don’t think there is a big population of fish here, so the fishing has been tough.”
“I just don’t think there is a big population of fish here, so the fishing has been tough.”
“I’ll be happy with 5 keepers a day at this point, weighing 6 pounds total. A 2 1/2 pounder will be huge. This will be a tight weight tournament.”
“I’ll be happy with 5 keepers a day at this point, weighing 6 pounds total. A 2 1/2 pounder will be huge. This will be a tight weight tournament.”
“It’s my first time here. I’ve had fun running around looking at all this variety. It’s not hard to get a bite, but it’s really difficult to catch bass over 2 pounds, and I’ve heard that’s always been the big secret to success here.”
“It’s my first time here. I’ve had fun running around looking at all this variety. It’s not hard to get a bite, but it’s really difficult to catch bass over 2 pounds, and I’ve heard that’s always been the big secret to success here.”
“It seems like the fish are between spawn and postspawn, so there could be that funk going on. Catching 10 pounds a day will be really good.”
“It seems like the fish are between spawn and postspawn, so there could be that funk going on. Catching 10 pounds a day will be really good.”
“There will be a lot of guys stacked up in the same places, more so than ever. The challenge is trying to find clean water.”
“There will be a lot of guys stacked up in the same places, more so than ever. The challenge is trying to find clean water.”
“The water is very turbid and it’s hard to get bit in that water. Even some parts of the river, and inside the canals in Taylor Bayou, is still really churned up and dirty.”
“The water is very turbid and it’s hard to get bit in that water. Even some parts of the river, and inside the canals in Taylor Bayou, is still really churned up and dirty.”
“It might go down there, and I’ve had a Top 10 and I know what’s there, but I’m not going.”
“It might go down there, and I’ve had a Top 10 and I know what’s there, but I’m not going.”
“I’d just like to catch a limit every day. Catching a 12-incher is tricky. I’ve found some gold mine holes, including areas where I’ve done well before, but there are no bass in them. I think Hurricane Laura wiped some of those areas out.”