Travis Patillo tops a huge field to win the 1st Annual Dodge Mega Bass tournament on Rayburn
By: Patty Lenderman
The highly anticipated first annual Dodge Mega Bass tournament on Sam Rayburn brought in anglers from all over the country, with more than 1600 participants - each one looking for the one bite that would win them one of seven hourly Dodge trucks given away. Overall, nearly a quarter of a million dollars in cash and prizes was won and awarded at this spectacular event.
East Texas has been experiencing an inordinate amount of rain this summer, pushing lake levels to exceed full pool. This has kept the bass moving and anglers on the chase after them. The forecast called for more rain through the day, but the morning started out cloudy, hazy and cool. Radio station KTXJ FM 102.7 was on site all day. T.J. Bordelon kept the announcements flowing letting the anglers what’s on top, what’s in the money each hour. Ten places were guaranteed every hour, and each participant had the option of buying into the bonus positions, 11th and 12th place.
Big Bass tournaments are played totally different than typical tournaments that weigh in at the end of the day. Set up as an hourly event, anglers must play this game more like poker. They’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to weigh them, to land in one of the money seats. Some hours it may take at least 7 pounds to be in the money where other hours maybe only three. Each weigh in hour lasts only 30 minutes, getting the anglers back on the water faster.
TRAVIS PATTILLO Silsbee TX 9.66 Dodge Truck
ANTHONY CLEMENS Anacoco LA 8.88 Dodge Truck
STEPHEN JOHNSON Hemphill TX 8.88 Dodge Truck
JUSTIN MARCUM Hallseville TX 8.84 Dodge Truck
RICK SCOTT College Station TX 8.50 Dodge Truck
ABRAM CATON Gladewater TX 8.24 Dodge Truck
LLOYD STUART Conroe TX 7.70 Dodge Truck
By: Patty Lenderman
The highly anticipated first annual Dodge Mega Bass tournament on Sam Rayburn brought in anglers from all over the country, with more than 1600 participants - each one looking for the one bite that would win them one of seven hourly Dodge trucks given away. Overall, nearly a quarter of a million dollars in cash and prizes was won and awarded at this spectacular event.
East Texas has been experiencing an inordinate amount of rain this summer, pushing lake levels to exceed full pool. This has kept the bass moving and anglers on the chase after them. The forecast called for more rain through the day, but the morning started out cloudy, hazy and cool. Radio station KTXJ FM 102.7 was on site all day. T.J. Bordelon kept the announcements flowing letting the anglers what’s on top, what’s in the money each hour. Ten places were guaranteed every hour, and each participant had the option of buying into the bonus positions, 11th and 12th place.
Big Bass tournaments are played totally different than typical tournaments that weigh in at the end of the day. Set up as an hourly event, anglers must play this game more like poker. They’ve got to know when to hold them, know when to weigh them, to land in one of the money seats. Some hours it may take at least 7 pounds to be in the money where other hours maybe only three. Each weigh in hour lasts only 30 minutes, getting the anglers back on the water faster.
TRAVIS PATTILLO Silsbee TX 9.66 Dodge Truck
ANTHONY CLEMENS Anacoco LA 8.88 Dodge Truck
STEPHEN JOHNSON Hemphill TX 8.88 Dodge Truck
JUSTIN MARCUM Hallseville TX 8.84 Dodge Truck
RICK SCOTT College Station TX 8.50 Dodge Truck
ABRAM CATON Gladewater TX 8.24 Dodge Truck
LLOYD STUART Conroe TX 7.70 Dodge Truck
