A massive weekend is set to unfold on the Sabine River in Orange on May 15-18 as Bassmaster Elite Series returns for its seventh pro-level fishing tournament hosted by the City of Orange. The last time the tournament was held in Orange was 2023 when the event set an attendance record of 42,448 people.
Hundreds of professional fishermen will be competing including 2023 tournament winner Brock Mosley, of Collinsville, Mississippi, who totaled an overall weight of 44.3 pounds.
With tournament water comprising the Sabine River and multiple tributaries spanning seven Texas counties, anglers have a vast playing field at their disposal. As Sumrall explained, most anglers will fish what’s considered the main waterways.
While the Sabine’s relatively modest fish size pales in comparison last weekend’s stop at the Texas monster factory Lake Fork, the Sabine River still has plenty of bass. According to Caleb Sumrall of New Iberia, Louisiana, the challenge will be weeding through quantity in hopes of finding quality.
“The goal is to find those 2 1/2- to 3-pound bass,” Sumrall said. “Every spring, a 7- to 9-pounder comes out of there. But if you catch a 5 or a 6, you have a fish that you can ride for a couple of days. That’s a really big fish for (May).
“I think a lot of people will have limits; there’s no shortage of 12-inch bass, but it’s a matter of who’s gonna break over that 8- to 10-pound a day mark to have a good check. The guy that catches 11 1/2 to 12 pounds a day will probably win it.”
A total of $455,250 will be paid out including $100,000 to the winner.
Daily takeoffs from City of Orange Boat Ramp (408 Pier Rd.) are 6:30 a.m. and weigh-ins each day back at the boat ramp at 2:30 p.m.
The tournament is held in conjunction with Orange County River Festival, which features a weekend full of live music, carnival, kids’ fishtank and food vendors – free to attend – at the Riverfront Pavilion near the boat ramp. Gates open at 2 p.m. on Thursday and 11 a.m. on Friday-Sunday.
Schedule to perform is Louisiana party band Boomerang (Thursday, 6:30 p.m.), Beaumont’s Britt Godwin (Friday, 6:30 p.m.), Texas country act Josh Abbott Band (Friday, 8:30 p.m.), Cole Whittlesey (Saturday, 6:30 p.m.) and Texas country star Casey Donahew (Saturday, 8:30 p.m.).
Abbott, from Lubbock, Texas, formed the band in 2006 and has steadily raised their profile while elevating their artistry to ever-increasing heights. To that end, their 2010 sophomore album “She’s Like Texas” debuted at No. 18 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and delivered gold-certified hits like its poignant title track and “Oh, Tonight” – a heart-stirring duet with Kacey Musgraves that marked their first song to chart on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs, peaking at No. 44.
After over two decades of making music, one thing has never changed for Donahew – it has always been and always will be about the song. The North Texas native began writing songs in high school, and credits past relationships as inspiration behind much of his early work, stating “Once you get your heart broken for the first time, you’ve got a lot to say, I guess.”
Popular tunes are “Kiss Me,” “Country Song,” “White Trash Story,” “Stockyards” and “What Cowboys Do.”
For detailed information, view orangetexaschamber.org.