The 2012 open bass tournament season will cast off Feb. 4 on Lake Bruin with the 26th Annual J.R. Roberts Memorial Team Bass Challenge.

This long running event draws contestants from four states while offering the highest payout of any bass tournament in the area. I expect 100-plus teams this year. The record turnout is 119 teams (238 people) set several years ago. Over the past few years we averaged 80 to 90 teams which is a great turnout for this area.

The registration and weigh-in will be at the Lake Bruin State Park. This is a non-profit event held in memory of my father the late J.R. Roberts.

Lake Bruin was his favorite local lake.

Contestants can register at Eddie’s Marine in Vidalia from today through Feb. 3.

The entry fee remains the same as it was 25 years ago at $120 per team. The fee includes the big bass division. Based on 100 teams the first-place winners will take home $4,000, second place $2,000, third $1,000, fourth $600, fifth $400 and we’ll pay a total of ten places in the five bass limit division.

In the big bass division the team weighing in the single largest bass will earn $1,000. The second largest bass is worth $500 and third is worth $300.

That’s enough cash to really stir up some entries, but to win this one is an accomplishment. In other words, the competition is tough.

We have a few teams that drive all the way from Texas and Arkansas to compete in the annual memorial. We are looking forward to seeing all our fishing friends again this year on Lake Bruin.

You can contact me at Eddie’s Marine in Vidalia for more information.

In September of 2011 the gates on Lake Bruin’s weir were open and the water level was drawn down about four feet. A coffer dam was built to help with the weir repair.

As far as I can tell the old weir is still open but the coffer dam is holding back some water. I was told the water level is getting very close to going over the coffer dam so hopefully the repairs will be made and the gates will be closed before we get another major rain.

A fall draw down really helps the spring spawn if the lake is allowed to come back up before the fish move shallow to spawn.

One good thing about Lake Bruin is that no matter what the water level is, this lake produces some nice bass. If the lake is too low to fish the numerous cypress trees you have hundreds of piers, some of which are loaded with manmade brush piles.

That’s where you’ll find the bass during the lower water stages, and that’s where you’ll find some fish during the colder months.

Last year, just prior to this event, we had a huge rain that stained the water and the level was above pool stage. Stained to muddy water will really knock the deep water bite off.

The 25th annual memorial was won in shallow water even though surface water temperature was only 50 to 52 degrees.

In off-colored water the bass in the landlocked oxbow lakes tend to move shallow no matter how cold the water is. So we will just have to see what the conditions are Feb. 4 to determine the winning pattern.

I don’t fish this one. We host and direct it.

My longtime friend, Lonnie Ashley, and I ride around taking pictures, fish a little bit where there are no boats and help anyone that breaks down.

So if you have outboard motor or trolling motor problems or any other issues during this tournament, just keep an eye out for a white SeaArk boat with the navigation lights on and flag us down. We will do our best to make on the water repairs at no charge.

For more information call Eddie’s Marine at 318-336-5133 or shoot me an email. Good luck to all.

 

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