LAKE BAYLOR MARCH 9, 2002
The low temperature was more than 10 degrees COLDER than forecast, with the lows on Saturday morning reaching NOT the forecast of 35 but rather the thermoeter dipped to 24 degrees. The winds were 20 to 30 mph, and the fishing conditions were TOUGH on the exposed fingers and faces.

66 anglers defied the lousy weather and Amarillo's Darin Ford won with a nice healthy 7.31 lbs. bass from Lake Childress. Darin has just one bite on his White jig, but it was enough to earn him first place and $660.
Second place went to CHAD MULLENIX of Amarillo with 6.24 lbs. bass. Mullenix used a white spinnerbait that he "fluttered" down some standing timber.

Third place went to a new comer to the Fun Fishing Trail (but an obvious expert on landing big bass) PHILIP JACKSON of Lubbock with a very nice 5.94 lbs. bass.

Only 15 of the 66 anglers caught keeper bass, and no angler caught more than one keeper. The brutal cold front blasted the lake at 11 p.m. on Friday night and the bass that had been testing the shallow waters were driven into hibernation by day break. All 15 bass were successfully released back into the lake.
The early spawning bass are ready ..... and are only waiting for the water temps to increase a little. When the temps in our local lakes increase another 5 degrees......HANG on for some great fishing.

Next Fun Tournament will be Saturday morning, March 23 at Lake Alan Henry. Look for some very heavy fish to be caught -- IF another cold front doesn't arrive on the Friday before tournament. The water Temps at Lake Henry already range in the lower 50's (compared to the upper 40's at Baylor) so I expect the fishing to be much better on the 23rd. If you have a choice of times to fish, the afternoons are more usually productive than the mornings, plus the air temps are much more comfortable. Given a couple of warm NIGHTS, the big bass will be ready and waiting for you. CATCH and RELEASE