Some of the nation’s top bass pros will compete Sept. 9-11, based at West Tawakoni City Park, for more than $250,000 and a first place prize package worth $45,000. Daily launches and the first two days’ weigh-ins will be at the park at 3 p.m. The final weigh-in will be at Bass Pro Shops in Garland at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Among the pros scheduled to compete are Zell Rowland, Harold Allen, Justin Rackley and Kelly Jordon of Texas, Edwin Evers and Bradley Hallman of Oklahoma, Pete Ponds and Paul Elias of Mississippi, John Crews and JT Palmore of Virginia, Jason Quinn of South Carolina and many more.

Located northeast of Dallas, the sprawling 37,900-acre Sabine River impoundment may be more well-known for its superb catfishing. But bass fishermen find enough action with largemouth to stay busy. The lake record is 13.33 pounds, and earlier this year a 10.22-pounder was caught during a spring tournament.

“For bass, it’s a shallow-style lake and I think we’re going to see a lot of guys fishing docks, stumps, laydowns, riprap and cover anywhere along the bank,” said Texas A&M pro Justin Rackley, who guides on Lake Fork east of Tawakoni.

“Because of that, it could fish small with everyone looking at a lot of the same things,” he said. “There’s some stain to it, too, which I like. We’ll see a lot of jigs, big worms, crankbaits and spinnerbaits … good power-fishing techniques, and I like that better than anything.”

Numerous coves dotted with docks, shallow backwaters with woody cover and several creeks will provide the PAA Tournament Series field with ample targets. Offshore opportunities will be available, too, although the majority of bass anglers will stay relatively shallow.

“It’s going to be a good tournament and will fish shallow,” said Yamaha pro Zell Rowland of Austin. “It has deeper water, but is mainly a shallow fishery. There are some quality bass in it, a lot of timber and maybe a little vegetation. I haven’t been there in a few years but I really believe we’ll see some good bags.”

Rackley agreed, noting the population of striped bass and catfish offshore that seem to keep largemouth in the shallow areas of the lake.

“It has some depth in the middle, but with all the stripers out there … when the bass spawn they don’t have a lot of cover out there so they stay closer to the bank,” he said. “I believe we’ll see a lot of guys fishing from 1-5 feet.”

Rowland added that getting upriver could be a key if an angler wanted to try that challenge.

“One of the big secrets there is to get upriver, but I don’t know how many or if any of these guys will bring a jet boat,” he said. “I don’t have one, so it won’t be me.”