By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor
Kris Wilson has just about seen it all at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. Well, almost everything.
Prior to last week, one scenario he’d not witnessed in some time was high water this late into June. It turned what he anticipated being an offshore tournament into a transition event. The Montgomery, Texas, native made all the right adjustments, though, and captured his second career FLW Series win at the venerable Texas fishery. He was the only angler in the 124-man field to eclipse the 20-pound mark all three days and his three-day total of 72-08 was nearly 14 pounds better than the runner-up.
“There are some really strong anglers around there, so it’s pretty rewarding to beat those guys,” said Wilson, who posted top-10 finishes at the Rayburn FLW Series tournament each of the previous four years. “I was surprised to win by that margin.”
Wilson had prepared himself for an offshore tournament, but upon arriving at the lake for several days of practice, he knew he needed to make some adjustments.
“The water was five feet high, which was completely different than a normal June,” he said. “Going into it, I was wishing it was normal because I like to catch them deep, but they weren’t out there yet. I found some transitioning fish that were coming out.”
With so much flooded brush and hay grass in the water – some of it had 5 to 7 feet of water in it – the bass were reluctant to retreat to their offshore haunts, especially with the number of bream and shad hanging around the newly-flooded cover.
Eventually, though, the water started to fall and with the summer heat starting to take hold, Wilson noticed a few bass were starting to head away from the bank.
“They weren’t on main lake stuff, though,” he said. “It was mostly intermediate, in-between stuff.”
Change of Plans
Wilson had last visited Rayburn a few weeks prior to the tournament when the water levels were more in line with seasonal averages. That had him thinking he’d be able to get offshore and crank. When he arrived the Sunday before the tournament, he saw how high the water was and it forced him to alter his plans.
“I didn’t already have fish located so I had to start from scratch,” he said.
Opting to focus on the section of water between the Highway 147 and Highway 103 bridges, Wilson began practice by probing the flooded bushes and hay grass, but the quality wasn’t what he anticipated.
“I started looking out a little bit and I happened to idle over a couple good schools of fish,” he said. “There were some 3-pounders and that got me a little more excited about the number of fish that were out.”
He still tried to dial in a flipping pattern to create a 1-2 combo, but his flipping program seemed to fade as the week wore on.
“The water was definitely dropping a few inches a day, which is a lot for there,” he said. “There was still plenty of water in the bushes. I figured the fish would still be on the outside edges, but they went a lot farther than most anticipated.”
While he was able to fire up some groups in practice with a crankbait and a spoon, the fish seemed to disperse more on the tournament days. Ultimately, he transitioned to a Carolina rig set up and that became his bread-and-butter pattern.
“In the tournament, they were not grouped up like in practice,” he said. “I couldn’t get bit on moving baits, so it ended up being a dragging deal. I can’t explain why. They were just more scattered out in general. I had to drag and fish pretty slow.”
It’s an adjustment he’s made before at Rayburn.
“Fishing Rayburn and Toledo (Bend), it’s a pretty typical deal for me,” he said. “I would rather catch them cranking, but a lot of times, you have to just catch them dragging. They don’t bite a crankbait all the time.”
Adjustment Pays Off
Wilson had about nine spots where he felt he could catch some decent fish dragging a creature bait on a ball and chain and he was able to dissect them all with this Humminbird electronics.
“The 360 Imaging was a huge deal for me,” he said. “I could see the fish and see how tightly they were grouped up. I relied on it 100 percent.”
He also had a couple places where he could throw a big worm out in front of some hay grass.
He caught three decent fish early on day 1 and finished his limit with two average keepers before leaving to check one of the hay grass spots.
“They were grouped up good and I was catching one every cast when I left them,” he said.
He picked up two upgrades with a Texas-rigged 11-inch worm, casting it around some flooded bushes positioned in front of the hay grass.
“Just places I’d found with my 360,” he added. “I’d never fished those stretches before.”
He grabbed the day-1 lead with 26-11, a total that exceeded his expectations.
“I was just hoping to catch 20 and didn’t know if I could,” he said. “I didn’t know the potential of any of those areas until tournament day.”
A change in wind speed and direction on day 2 hampered him a bit, but he caught a 9-05 to anchor a 21-12 stringer, which allowed him to maintain the lead.
“After day 1, I knew where I was going to start, but when I got there the wind was humming and they weren’t set up as well,” he said. “It was a struggle for me.”
He went into the final day with a 4 1/2-pound lead and with the wind calmed back down, the fish were set up much like they were on day 1.
Upon returning to the spot that produced for him the first two days, he caught a 6-pounder on his first cast of day 3 and added two other solid keepers.
He described the area where he was putting his bait as a line of stumps in 11 to 12 feet of water just above a break where the depth increased to 20 feet. A mix of hard bottom and bream beds contributed to the prolific nature of the spot.
“The bream beds were in an opening and there was an isolated patch of stumps and another patch that extended up on the flat,” Wilson said. “There beds were right next to that and the bass were hanging up next to the stumps.”
He caught a limit on his starting spot with the smallest pair being 2 1/2 pounds apiece. He moved up the lake and caught a 3 1/2 and a 4 to push his total past 20 pounds.
“I had a really good day,” he said. “After catching those three big ones right away I knew it would be a good day. It was nice to have those other schools that I didn’t hit on day 2. It seemed like I made the right decisions when I had to.”
He hauled in 24-01 on day 3 – nobody else caught more than 16-05 – and he cruised to a decisive victory. Ultimately, he thinks his decision to slowly abandon the flipping game was the key to his success.
“The guys were drawn in by the high water,” he said. “In practice, they were in there really good, but guys didn’t have the backup deal like I had going.
“I caught an 8 in practice, but it was a couple 2s then the 8. I felt like it was random, so my plan was to start out then to go to the bushes and flip. I caught big ones quick and then it evolved to fishing out more than shallow. When I went to the bushes, it wasn’t near as good as it was in practice.”
Winning Gear Notes
> Carolina rig gear: 7’8” heavy-action unnamed custom casting rod, 7’8” heavy-action 6th Sense heavy-action Divine prototype casting rod, Lew’s Super Duty (8:1 ratio), 20-pound unnamed fluorocarbon line, 1-oz. unnamed Carolina rig weight, 4/0 unnamed offset worm hook, 5” homemade creature bait (custom color similar to redbug and green-pumpkin blue flake).
> The creature bait and 11” worm (same colors) were poured by Wilson’s tournament partner Harold Moore.
Final Results
1. Kris Wilson -- Montgomery, Tx -- 26-11 (5) -- 21-12 (5) -- 48-7 (10) -- 24-1 (5) -- 72-8 (15) -- $37,586
3. Justin Morton -- Etoile, Tx -- 17-4 (5) -- 16-7 (5) -- 33-11 (10) -- 16-5 (5) -- 50-0 (15) -- $10,692
4. Cole Moore -- Anacoco, La -- 14-4 (5) -- 18-5 (5) -- 32-9 (10) -- 14-13 (5) -- 47-6 (15) -- $8,910
2. Josh Bensema -- Willis, Tx -- 20-4 (5) -- 23-9 (5) -- 43-13 (10) -- 14-12 (5) -- 58-9 (15) -- $13,910
5. Albert Collins -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 17-1 (5) -- 16-1 (5) -- 33-2 (10) -- 13-15 (5) -- 47-1 (15) -- $8,019
6. Cory Rambo -- Orange, Tx -- 17-8 (5) -- 16-4 (5) -- 33-12 (10) -- 13-3 (5) -- 46-15 (15) -- $7,128
7. Dicky Newberry -- Houston, Tx -- 16-10 (5) -- 14-8 (5) -- 31-2 (10) -- 12-14 (5) -- 44-0 (15) -- $6,237
8. Matt Pangrac -- Broken Arrow, Ok -- 16-2 (5) -- 15-15 (5) -- 32-1 (10) -- 10-15 (5) -- 43-0 (15) -- $5,346
9. Bob Vote -- Kingwood, Tx -- 14-8 (5) -- 16-7 (5) -- 30-15 (10) -- 10-4 (5) -- 41-3 (15) -- $4,455
10. Eric Wright -- Balch Springs, Tx -- 17-8 (5) -- 12-13 (5) -- 30-5 (10) -- 10-10 (5) -- 40-15 (15) -- $3,812
The following anglers missed the cut and did not compete on day 3.
11. Douglas R. Johnson -- Ponca City, Ok -- 17-5 (5) -- 13-0 (5) -- 30-5 (10) -- $3,341
12. John Dickerson -- Orange, Tx -- 16-8 (5) -- 13-11 (5) -- 30-3 (10) -- $3,118
13. Jake Ormond -- Sterlington, La -- 17-13 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 30-2 (10) -- $2,673
14. Kevin Ledoux -- Choctaw, Ok -- 14-14 (5) -- 14-15 (5) -- 29-13 (10) -- $2,673
15. Billy Billeaud -- Lafayette, La -- 14-4 (5) -- 15-6 (5) -- 29-10 (10) -- $2,673
16. Randy Cisler -- Mesquite, Tx -- 15-3 (5) -- 14-6 (5) -- 29-9 (10) -- $2,673
17. Darold Gleason -- Many, La -- 11-5 (5) -- 18-2 (5) -- 29-7 (10) -- $2,673
18. Keith Combs -- Huntington, Tx -- 17-10 (5) -- 11-4 (5) -- 28-14 (10) -- $2,673
19. Charles Whited -- San Marcos, Tx -- 13-0 (5) -- 15-7 (5) -- 28-7 (10) -- $2,673
20. Terry Adams -- Berwick, La -- 14-3 (5) -- 14-3 (5) -- 28-6 (10) -- $2,673
21. Brad Cook -- Afton, Ok -- 13-11 (5) -- 14-9 (5) -- 28-4 (10) -- $2,450
22. Chris Lewis -- Longview, Tx -- 14-5 (5) -- 13-14 (5) -- 28-3 (10) -- $2,450
23. Victor Martinez -- Laredo, Tx -- 16-1 (5) -- 11-14 (5) -- 27-15 (10) -- $2,450
24. Bradley Hallman -- Norman, Ok -- 12-0 (5) -- 15-15 (5) -- 27-15 (10) -- $2,450
25. Jason Bonds -- Lufkin, Tx -- 13-1 (5) -- 14-14 (5) -- 27-15 (10) -- $2,450
26. Russell Cecil -- Willis, Tx -- 17-4 (5) -- 10-10 (5) -- 27-14 (10) -- $2,227
27. Andrew Upshaw -- Tulsa, Ok -- 10-12 (5) -- 17-2 (5) -- 27-14 (10) -- $2,227
28. Andy Gaia -- Tomball, Tx -- 14-10 (5) -- 13-4 (5) -- 27-14 (10) -- $2,227
29. Bobby Vice -- Groves, Tx -- 15-0 (5) -- 12-12 (5) -- 27-12 (10) -- $2,227
30. Dakota Ebare -- Denham Springs, La -- 11-11 (5) -- 15-14 (5) -- 27-9 (10) -- $2,227
31. Sheldon Collings -- Grove, Ok -- 10-12 (5) -- 16-12 (5) -- 27-8 (10) -- $1,782
32. James Biggs -- Euless, Tx -- 15-2 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 27-7 (10) -- $1,782
33. Colby Miller -- Elmer, La -- 15-5 (5) -- 12-1 (5) -- 27-6 (10) -- $1,782
34. Todd Castledine -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 14-0 (5) -- 13-3 (5) -- 27-3 (10)
35. Bronk McDaniel -- Alexandria, La -- 15-2 (4) -- 11-14 (5) -- 27-0 (9)
36. Tj Goodwyn -- Center, Tx -- 12-9 (5) -- 14-6 (5) -- 26-15 (10)
37. James Marsh -- Thomas, Ok -- 11-5 (5) -- 15-9 (5) -- 26-14 (10)
38. Joe Beebee -- The Woodlands, Tx -- 12-12 (5) -- 14-0 (5) -- 26-12 (10)
39. Cameron Mattison -- Bossier City, La -- 13-13 (5) -- 12-13 (5) -- 26-10 (10)
40. Lendell Martin Jr -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 12-15 (5) -- 13-7 (5) -- 26-6 (10)
41. Nick Lebrun -- Bossier City, La -- 15-0 (5) -- 11-4 (5) -- 26-4 (10)
42. Theron Caldwell -- Colleyville, Tx -- 13-2 (5) -- 12-11 (5) -- 25-13 (10)
43. Tommy Martin -- Hemphill, Tx -- 15-4 (5) -- 10-6 (5) -- 25-10 (10)
44. Blake Schroeder -- Whitehouse, Tx -- 14-1 (5) -- 11-8 (5) -- 25-9 (10) -- $1,500
45. Chase Brooks -- Iraan, Tx -- 13-6 (5) -- 12-3 (5) -- 25-9 (10)
46. Kaleb Lasyone -- Dry Prong, La -- 13-5 (5) -- 12-4 (4) -- 25-9 (9)
47. Tyson Patrick -- McCamey, Tx -- 14-10 (5) -- 10-12 (5) -- 25-6 (10)
48. David Wencil -- Buda, Tx -- 14-11 (5) -- 10-8 (5) -- 25-3 (10)
49. Jack Covas -- Waco, Tx -- 14-11 (5) -- 10-8 (5) -- 25-3 (10)
50. Woodard Chance -- Paris, Tx -- 11-7 (5) -- 13-12 (5) -- 25-3 (10)
51. Lance Crawford -- Broken Bow, Ok -- 13-9 (5) -- 11-9 (5) -- 25-2 (10)
52. Ricky Guy -- Humble, Tx -- 9-12 (5) -- 15-5 (5) -- 25-1 (10)
53. Charley Slaton -- Valliant, Ok -- 8-9 (4) -- 16-7 (5) -- 25-0 (9)
54. Darrel Robertson -- Jay, Ok -- 12-6 (5) -- 12-10 (5) -- 25-0 (10)
55. Cody Bird -- Granbury, Tx -- 13-4 (5) -- 11-11 (5) -- 24-15 (10)
56. Terry Luedtke -- Burton, Tx -- 9-8 (5) -- 15-5 (5) -- 24-13 (10)
57. Justin Wojcik -- Bulverde, Tx -- 13-11 (5) -- 11-1 (5) -- 24-12 (10)
58. Mike Richardson -- Thorndale, Tx -- 12-0 (5) -- 12-10 (5) -- 24-10 (10)
59. Brian Robison -- Magnolia, Tx -- 11-9 (5) -- 12-11 (5) -- 24-4 (10)
60. Skeeter Fowler -- Grand Saline, Tx -- 12-12 (5) -- 11-4 (5) -- 24-0 (10)
61. Dave Parsons -- Yantis, Tx -- 11-4 (5) -- 12-11 (5) -- 23-15 (10)
62. Roy Whisenhunt -- Valliant, Ok -- 11-14 (5) -- 12-0 (5) -- 23-14 (10)
63. Kyle Hall -- Rio Vista, Tx -- 11-11 (5) -- 12-2 (5) -- 23-13 (10)
64. Kevin Lasyone -- Dry Prong, La -- 10-14 (5) -- 12-11 (5) -- 23-9 (10)
65. James Kiser -- Montgomery, Tx -- 8-12 (5) -- 14-12 (5) -- 23-8 (10)
66. Mitchell Webb -- Skiatook, Ok -- 13-4 (5) -- 10-4 (5) -- 23-8 (10)
67. Billy Hurt -- Spring Creek, Tn -- 11-2 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 23-7 (10)
68. William Blaine -- San Angelo, Tx -- 10-13 (5) -- 12-4 (5) -- 23-1 (10)
69. Craig Workman -- Fort Worth, Tx -- 12-6 (5) -- 10-8 (5) -- 22-14 (10)
70. Michael Yoder -- Texarkana, Ar -- 11-6 (5) -- 11-8 (5) -- 22-14 (10)
71. Kelly Owens -- Crowley, La -- 10-10 (5) -- 12-2 (5) -- 22-12 (10)
72. Grover Mansfield -- Brookeland, Tx -- 10-5 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 22-10 (10)
73. Allen Head -- Pryor, Ok -- 9-12 (5) -- 12-6 (5) -- 22-2 (10)
74. Jerrel Pringle -- Hemphill, Tx -- 10-8 (5) -- 11-8 (5) -- 22-0 (10)
75. Jordan Lane -- Conroe, Tx -- 9-12 (5) -- 12-2 (5) -- 21-14 (10) -- $1,000
76. Michael Matthee -- Centurion, Gp -- 11-1 (5) -- 10-13 (5) -- 21-14 (10)
77. Roger Hughes -- Bartlesville, Ok -- 9-14 (5) -- 11-11 (5) -- 21-9 (10)
78. Trent Holloway -- Kingwood, Tx -- 9-15 (5) -- 11-8 (5) -- 21-7 (10)
79. Kyle Cortiana -- Coweta, Ok -- 10-0 (5) -- 11-7 (5) -- 21-7 (10)
80. James Caldemeyer -- Gilmer, Tx -- 11-6 (5) -- 10-1 (5) -- 21-7 (10)
81. Jeff Reynolds -- Calera, Ok -- 10-8 (5) -- 10-15 (5) -- 21-7 (10)
82. Scott Bonvillain -- Dequincy, La -- 12-12 (5) -- 8-9 (5) -- 21-5 (10)
83. Jimmy Mize -- Ben Lomond, Ar -- 10-8 (5) -- 10-13 (5) -- 21-5 (10)
84. Chad Mrazek -- Montgomery, Tx -- 10-7 (5) -- 10-8 (5) -- 20-15 (10)
85. Joe Gerard -- Concordia, Ks -- 9-11 (5) -- 11-0 (5) -- 20-11 (10)
86. Jame Dubroc -- Bunkie, La -- 10-4 (5) -- 10-7 (5) -- 20-11 (10)
87. T.R Andreas -- Kerrville, Tx -- 10-9 (5) -- 10-1 (5) -- 20-10 (10)
88. Clyde Glenn -- Belton, Tx -- 11-13 (5) -- 8-11 (5) -- 20-8 (10)
89. Sterlyn Wood -- Mertzon, Tx -- 10-2 (5) -- 10-5 (5) -- 20-7 (10)
90. Paul Heavener -- Tulsa, Ok -- 9-10 (5) -- 10-8 (5) -- 20-2 (10)
91. Alton Wilhoit -- Noble, Ok -- 8-6 (5) -- 11-4 (5) -- 19-10 (10)
92. Steven Gilliam -- Blanchard, Ok -- 9-0 (5) -- 10-9 (5) -- 19-9 (10)
93. Eric Faucett -- Norman, Ok -- 9-6 (5) -- 9-11 (5) -- 19-1 (10)
94. Cody Greaney -- Manchaca, Tx -- 9-5 (5) -- 9-11 (5) -- 19-0 (10)
95. Floyd Drannon -- Stratford, Ok -- 9-7 (5) -- 9-7 (4) -- 18-14 (9)
96. Chris Russell -- Montgomery, Tx -- 7-6 (5) -- 11-7 (5) -- 18-13 (10)
97. Michael Bennett -- Mustang, Ok -- 7-6 (5) -- 11-6 (5) -- 18-12 (10)
98. Jay Shipe -- Mineola, Tx -- 9-7 (5) -- 9-3 (5) -- 18-10 (10)
99. James Laramore -- Vidor, Tx -- 11-3 (5) -- 7-4 (4) -- 18-7 (9)
100. Weston Brown -- Houston, Tx -- 10-8 (5) -- 7-14 (5) -- 18-6 (10)
101. Michael Huckman -- Magnolia, Tx -- 9-2 (5) -- 9-4 (5) -- 18-6 (10)
102. Steve Tennison -- Lexington, Ok -- 10-3 (5) -- 8-2 (5) -- 18-5 (10)
103. Robert Sparks -- Heflin, La -- 8-14 (4) -- 9-7 (5) -- 18-5 (9)
104. Steve Oram -- Hallsville, Tx -- 8-5 (5) -- 9-14 (5) -- 18-3 (10)
105. Waylon Harvey -- Henderson, Tx -- 8-1 (4) -- 10-0 (5) -- 18-1 (9)
106. Danny Weems -- Como, Tx -- 10-10 (5) -- 7-4 (3) -- 17-14 (8)
107. John Soukup -- Agra, Ok -- 8-10 (5) -- 8-11 (4) -- 17-5 (9)
108. Shane Patrick -- Springdale, Ar -- 6-2 (4) -- 9-11 (5) -- 15-13 (9)
109. Mark Martin -- Big Wells, Tx -- 10-1 (5) -- 5-6 (3) -- 15-7 (8)
110. James Martin -- Longview, Tx -- 10-6 (5) -- 4-11 (3) -- 15-1 (8)
111. Rob Burns -- Plano, Tx -- 9-12 (5) -- 5-3 (3) -- 14-15 (8)
112. Rick Scheen -- Austin, Tx -- 7-3 (4) -- 6-1 (3) -- 13-4 (7)
113. Ross Wright -- McQueeney, Tx -- 11-11 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 11-11 (5)
114. Mark Hooker -- Montgomery, Tx -- 3-0 (2) -- 8-2 (5) -- 11-2 (7)
115. Josh Dunaway -- Sulphur, La -- 10-12 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-12 (5)
116. Mark Russell -- Yantis, Tx -- 10-2 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-2 (5)
117. Keith Surber -- Longview, Tx -- 9-1 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 9-1 (5)
118. Tim Reneau -- Richland Springs, Tx -- 9-1 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 9-1 (4)
119. Mason Guin -- Decatur, Tx -- 8-14 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 8-14 (3)
120. Mark Mitchell -- Mesquite, Tx -- 6-14 (5) -- 2-0 (1) -- 8-14 (6)
121. Ronald Risenhoover -- Lufkin, Tx -- 8-12 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 8-12 (4)
122. Ed Melton -- Houston, Tx -- 6-8 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 6-8 (3)
123. Mike Nugent -- Gary, Tx -- 6-7 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 6-7 (4)
124. Johnny Franks -- Hemphill, Tx -- 5-13 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 5-13 (3)
