The Sabine River is an ever-changing fishery just downstream of famed lakes like Lake Fork and Toledo Bend. You would think that occasionally, those bass would naturally make their way down to this part of the system, but in reality, while guys are boat flipping 8-pounders on Fork, a 2.5-pounder could mean the difference between a good check and going home empty-handed.
The one thing the Sabine River does have, though, is a solid number of fish. Expect a lot of guys to have 30-50 fish days. Most of those will weigh less than 2 pounds, but with it being a game of numbers, the more you catch, the more you cull. Every ounce will matter.
Shallow water is the name of the game here. Small baits like topwater poppers, weightless worms and small crankbaits will all be in play. You will probably see a frog make some highlight reel coverage.
The spawn is over down south, so with very few exceptions, this will be a post-spawn event.
I don’t like to eat crow, but if it happens that a scoper figures out how to catch them well enough in this derby to win it, I will be very shocked. This event should consist of a lot more hammer-down, shallow water power-fishing.
Winning weight for 4 days will likely be less than 50 pounds.
With each pick, I’ll single out the best career finish on the Sabine as well as their last three tournament finishes to determine their momentum.
Let’s get into some picks.
BUCKET A: FEIDER
Seth Feider is slowly edging away from being labeled a “smallmouth guy” and is gaining a lot of scraps for his ability to catch them in shallow grassy fisheries. Despite his success catching brown ones, his favorite way to catch bass is with heavy braid and a frog or a big flipping weight. The Sabine will have plenty of opportunity for that. He has some great momentum at the moment as well and is relatively undervalued in bucket A.
Best Sabine River Finish: 6th (2022)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 8th (Pasquotank), 45th (Hartwell), 10th (Fork)
Don’t Sleep On: Bill Lowen
Bill Lowen has figured out how to win. His 2nd career blue trophy came this year on the St. Johns River fishing shallow cover for pre-spawn and spawning bass. River rats historically have done very well here. The water isn’t necessarily super clean and is typically very shallow. His understanding of where those fish will be positioned on a vast system like this should help Bill. He is also not afraid to go explore some otherwise suspect areas, knowing there might be a goldmine in the next oxbow.
Best Sabine River Finish: 5th (2013)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 43rd (Pasquotank), 48th (Hartwell), 24th (Fork)
BUCKET B: MOSLEY
Brock Mosley won his first Elite trophy right here on this very body last time around. But if you think that was a fluke, think again. Every time he has fished this body of water, he has done very well. Aside from his win, he finished 2nd and 12th.
Best Sabine River Finish: 1st (2023)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 40th (Pasquotank), 52nd (Hartwell), 40th (Fork)
Don’t Sleep On: Jacob Powroznik
Jacob Powroznik should also be on the short list. He is currently undervalued at 2.6%. He loves to frog and flip, and if there happens to be a spawning bass left over, he’ll catch it.
Best Sabine River Finish: 11th (2023)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 1st (Pasquotank), 82nd (Hartwell), 73rd (Fork)
BUCKET C: WELCHER
You better keep your eye on Kyle Welcher. After his win on the Pasquotank River, he hit a slump. Looking back through his tournament results, just about any time he had back-to-back tough events, it was followed up by a solid top-10. I think he just gets mad a bad finishes and kicks it into high gear. Shallow water flipping and frogging sounds like the perfect remedy for a few tough events.
Best Sabine River Finish: 7th (2023)
Previous B.A.S.S. finishes: 8th (Pasquotank), 45th (Hartwell), 10th (Fork)
Don’t Sleep On: Tyler Rivet
Another river rat to consider is Tyler Rivet. You can bet a swim jig will play, which he used to perfection last time they were at the Sabine River.
Best Sabine River Finish: 17th (2022)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 61st (Pasquotank), 62nd (Hartwell), 28th (Fork)
BUCKET D: HACKNEY
Greg Hackney had a very difficult start to this season, but seems to have sharply turned it around with major wins on other circuits as well as a phenomenal finish at Lake Fork. I have picked him in the past and it has burned me, but I can tell his momentum should be going in the right direction. He won here in 2018 and has a few other great finishes here to boot.
Best Sabine River Finish: 1st (2018)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 58th (Pasquotank), 47th (Hartwell), 11th (Fork)
Don’t Sleep On: Pat Schlapper
Pat Schlapper is definitely a sleeper pick this week at just over 1% owned. He cut his teeth fishing shallow vegetation and isn’t scared to fish for fewer, but bigger bites.
Best Sabine River Finish: 22nd (2022)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 68th (Pasquotank), 80th (Hartwell), 32nd (Fork)
BUCKET E: WONG
Matty Wong fought hard and nearly took down the title back in 2023. You can be sure he wants some redemption. He has struggled this year, which is why he is down in Bucket E, but if memory serves, he was in Bucket E last time around as well and got some great points for those brave enough to pick him.
Best Sabine River Finish: 3rd (2023)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 96th (Pasquotank), 28th (Hartwell), 79th (Fork)
Don’t Sleep On: Michael Iaconelli
Michael Iaconelli hasn’t made much noise since jumping back into the Elites, but if there is a time to scream about a 3-pounder, it’s now. With tides, shallow water and mud being primary factors, he should feel right at home. It will be similar to his wins on the Delaware River and James River.
Best Sabine River Finish: 18th (2018)
Last three B.A.S.S. finishes: 38th (Pasquotank), 95th (Hartwell), 93rd (Fork)
Falcon Rods Bassmaster Drain the Lake Challenge
• Michael Iaconelli
• Caleb Kuphall
• Bill Lowen
• Brock Mosley
• Caleb Sumrall
• Gerald Swindle
• Kyle Welcher
• Matty Wong
