Tournament

By Jason Duran

The 2025 Alabama Bass Trail 100 is set to begin its season this Saturday, January 18, at Lake Guntersville, Alabama’s largest lake. This prestigious tournament series is limited to 100 boats and features significant payouts, with a total purse of $100,000 and a first-place prize of $25,000. Justin Bussey and Ben Webb, the winners of the 2024 Angler of the Year (AOY) title for the ABT Series North and the overall AOY, finished 8^th last year when the North Division competed at Guntersville. They are eager to expand their knowledge and vie for the $25,000 first-place prize in their first ABT 100 event.

Lake Guntersville, which stretches 75 miles along the winding Tennessee River, is highly regarded among anglers for its impressive population of largemouth bass. This vast lake features a variety of habitats, including lush submerged grass beds, rocky ledges, and creek channels, creating an ideal environment for both fish and fishermen. The diverse underwater structure not only attracts a wide range of fish species, but also offers anglers numerous options for fishing. Lake Guntersville offers anglers multiple ways to fish including targeting bass in shallow waters among the grass or in deeper areas near the ledges and channels; the lake’s unique characteristics provide ample opportunities for a successful fishing experience. This week, anglers should find Lake Guntersville continuing its reputation as one of the top fishing tournament destinations.

Justin and Ben noted that, “When we typically visit Guntersville early in the year, we find the fish in a pre-spawn pattern. However, currently, the fish are in a full wintertime pattern. While some fish may be found in shallow waters, the majority are deeper, following their winter patterns. Recently, water temperatures have been in the 40s, but a warming trend is expected for the day of the event, followed by a significant cold front.” The team continued, "We prefer to fish pre-frontal conditions rather than post-frontal ones. However, there's a considerable chance of rain predicted for tournament day. Additionally, having a good boat number will be crucial in this event. If you draw a low number, you'll have the opportunity to reach a productive area and do most of the damage in one spot. We believe most teams will likely need to spend the day moving around and covering lots of water to win this event.  We are excited to fish the ABT 100. Fewer boats will allow everyone to fish more water, increasing the chances of finding areas that haven't been fished by other teams."

Lake Guntersville is known for producing large bass, but given the current seasonal patterns and weather conditions, the team expressed doubt about achieving the weight totals seen in November and December of last year. They predicted that the winning weight would be around 30 pounds. While they acknowledged the possibility of catching an impressive bag weighing around 34 pounds, they noted that fishing conditions were not as favorable as they had been at the end of last year. Consequently, the expected weights may be lower, with possibly twenty to twenty-five bags likely falling in the mid to upper-20-pound range. They suggested that this outcome would be more in line with the ABT North event held a few years ago.

When asked about baits and patterns for this weekend, Justin and Ben stated, “Of course, there will be teams focusing on the bridges, but that's typically more common later in the year. Currently, there is definitely a strong grass bite happening. Teams will target these areas using lipless crankbaits or Chatterbaits. However, for a team to win by doing this, they will need a lot of things to go their way, but it can certainly lead to catching a big one. The main point to consider right now is that we are before a cold front, and although rain is predicted, we need sunshine. Sunshine is crucial during this time of year, and we may not get the amount we need. Many teams might choose to position themselves under the bridges to stay out of the rain. Additionally, some will utilize Garmin LiveScope to locate fish. Typical wintertime patterns are expected to be effective during this event. Overall, the weather will again play a significant role in determining the outcome of the competition.”

All anglers must attend the check-in on Thursday, January 16, 2025 at City of Scottsboro Civic Center, 876 Ed Hembree Drive, Scottsboro, AL 35769. Check In: 5:00 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. Everyone needs to be seated by 6:30 P.M. for the pre-tournament meeting.

Tune in to the Alabama Bass Trail 100 Facebook page and the Alabama Bass Trail 100 Website (www.alabamabasstrail100.org) for live on-the-water coverage and live weigh-in. All friends and family are welcome to attend this event; bring lawn chairs and dress warm. Blast off and weigh-in will take place at Goose Pond Marina, 417 Ed Hembree Drive, Scottsboro, AL 35769. Launch will be at 7:00 A.M. or safe daylight. The first flight is due in at 3:00 P.M. Download and listen to the ABT Podcast on your favorite Podcast app by searching for “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast.”  The Podcast is released each week on Tuesday. 

The 2025 Alabama Bass Trail Sponsors Include: Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Landers – McLarty Chevrolet, McGraw – Webb Chevrolet, Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports & Outdoors, Jack’s, Garmin, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, American Trailer Rental, Yamaha, Anheuser-Busch, American Baitworks, E3 Sports Apparel, FishAlabama.org, Sweet Home Alabama, and Alabama Mountain Lakes.