This coming Saturday the second stop of the new Top Rod Series bass tournaments will be held on Lake Concordia out of Lakeview Lodge.

This four tournament non-profit series is hosted by Eddie’s Marine and Tackle of Vidalia.

The events feature a ‘singles’ format, meaning only one person is allowed per boat. The contestants’ pounds will be considered their total points. After four events, one of which you can cull and count your best three, the angler with the most pounds will be crowned The Top Rod Champion of 2012.

The pound leader will receive a custom built “Top Rod” designed by Fish Styx of Vidalia with special 2012 Champ logo on the rod. The rod will be paired with a nice reel from the Sports Center of Natchez.

It doesn’t stop there. The 2012 champion will receive a $100 gas card from Jerry’s of Vidalia. That’s ethanol free gas which is what you should be running in your outboard.

Cajun Meat Market of Vidalia will reward the Top Rod champion a $100 gift card for some fine seafood or steaks.

I will also put together a neat lure package from some of my personal sponsors including Old River Lure Company (Mr. Hooty) Mustad Hooks and more.

During each qualifying event, based on 40 entries, the first place winner, the angler with the heaviest five bass tournament limit, will net $1,800. That’s the best pay out of any fishing event in this area with a $110 entry fee. Second place will land $1,000, third $600, fourth $400 and fifth place $200.

The contestant weighing in the single largest bass per event will net an additional $400.

Bass circuits used to pass through here for 20-plus years but they no longer do so.

We created the Top Rod Series to give back to all the fishermen and ladies that compete in the numerous benefit events we direct. This one is for the anglers. It benefits no one but the winners.

After these four events our plans are to skip the scorching hot months of July and August and kick the series back off in September with four more tournaments.

Speaking of benefits, we will direct the Fourth Annual Homochitto Heritage Club “Big Bass Challenge” at Lake Okhissa on April 21. This event features a bi-hourly big bass format.

It’s a lot of fun with a great payout, not to mention you will be fishing a fine reservoir loaded with trophy Florida Bass.

Lake Okhissa is pumping out numerous bass over 7 pounds with some 9-pound fish. The 10 pound plus bass are there and they just might show up on the business end of your line April 21.

We’ll have food, door prizes and the winners will receive a lot of cash.

Our month does not end with this one. On April 28, we will host the Second Annual Relay for Life Team Bass Tournament on Lake St. John. This event will benefit Relay for Life “Team Carry On” in memory of Dena Thornton, my late mother in-law.

Cancer hit her fast and hard, and we lost her within three or four months after being diagnosed with this evil disease. Dena was 55 years young.

So come join us on Lake St. John out of Spokane Landing for the Second Annual Team Carry of Relay for Life bass tournament April 28.

That’s what you call a busy month in the bass tournament scene.

If you’re wondering where the white perch are biting just head to Lake St. John, the Black River/Horseshoe Lake Complex or the Saline/Larto Complex.

The white perch spawn is winding down on these waters and the fish are hungry.

For bream you can go most anywhere. The bream are bedding on all our area lakes. Lake Concordia is pumping out the numbers while Lake St. John offers fewer fish but normally larger bream. Okhissa lake’s bream population is on the beds. This Franklin County reservoir is loaded with some huge bream.

April is here and this is a fine month for fishing.

For information on any of the area lakes and up to date fishing reports just shoot me an email or come by for a visit.

 

Eddie Roberts writes a weekly fishing column for The Democrat. He can be reached at fishingwitheddie@bellsouth.net.