2023 Top 150 Solo Series Opens Registrations Monday

ATHENS, Ala. – After a highly successful second season in which Rusty White, Jr. from Soddy Daisy, Tenn. won the inaugural American Bass Anglers Top 150 Solo Series Championship, Presented by Caymas Boats, anglers look forward to the 2023 season. Registration will open for all 2022 Season Contenders Monday, October 17, 2022. 

“I congratulate Rusty White as our first Top 150 Solo Series champion and all the other anglers who fished so hard throughout the 2022 season,” stated Morris Sheehan, Owner of American Bass Anglers. “I welcome them all back for the new season and anyone else who wants to experience intense competition for low cost with the possibility of advancement to higher levels of competitive bass fishing. I wish all the competitors the best of luck throughout the coming season and look forward to presenting a big check to the 2023 winner.”

Anglers can register to fish three events in each regional division, Southeast and Southwest. Anglers pay $600 to enter each divisional event. With a full field of 150 anglers participating, the winner of each divisional event will take home $20,000.

“I fished the first and second seasons,” explained Kevin Lasyone from Dry Prong, La., the 2022 Southwest Division Angler of the Year. “I love the format. Without a co-angler, it’s all on me. If I do something wrong, I have nobody to blame. There’s no other circuit where anglers can pay $600 with a chance to win up to $20,000 for each divisional event.”

During the season, each divisional event will consist of two days of competition. All competitors fish both days and everyone fishes alone. Payouts for events with less than 150 boats will be determined by total participation in that tournament. Anglers can register on line at www.americanbassanglers.com or by calling 256-232-0406.

“For a 1-day event, I usually just drive over and fish,” advised Lasyone who also fishes South Texas Division 10 in the ABA Open Series. “For a 2-day event, it takes a little more planning and preparation, especially when I’m going to lakes outside my normal area. When fishing a 2-day event, we want to catch a big bag on Day 1, but we don’t want to catch all the fish in one spot. We want to save some for the second day. On the first day of a 2-day event, I like to get a good limit and then go practicing or fishing for one big fish the rest of the day.”

Southeast Division

This Southeast Division opens the 2023 season at Lake Chickamauga, Tenn. on March 3-4. The event will run out of the Dayton Boat Dock, located at 175 Lakeshore Drive in Dayton, Tenn. 

Lake “Chick” covers 36,240 acres on the Tennessee River from the Watts Bar Dam to the Chickamauga Dam. The Hiwassee River flows into Lake Chickamauga. Several creeks also flow into the system. The impoundment dates to the 1940s, but the state began stocking Florida largemouths into it in 2000, making it a great lunker lake. In 2015, Gabe Keen landed a 15-pound, 3-ounce largemouth, setting a new Tennessee state record. Lake Chickamauga also produced the Tennessee record spotted bass, a 6-pound, 1-ounce fish. The lake also holds some smallmouth.

From there, the division anglers head to Lake Guntersville on April 21-22, 2023. The event will run out of Goose Pond Ramp, located at 417 Ed Hembree Drive in Scottsboro, Ala.

The largest reservoir in Alabama snakes 75 miles along the Tennessee River and spreads across 69,100 acres. Always an excellent lake for giant largemouths, Guntersville produces many double-digit bass, including some topping 14 pounds and countless bass in the 3- to 8-pound range. The lake also holds spotted bass in the 5-pound range and even a few smallmouth with some approaching six pounds. 

The division concludes its season on June 2-3, 2023, on Lake Eufaula. The event runs out of Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive near Eufaula, Ala.

Dating to 1962, Lake Eufaula garnered an early reputation as the “Bass Fishing Capital of the World.” Officially dubbed Walter F. George Reservoir, the impoundment covers 45,181 acres along the Chattahoochee River, spanning part of the Alabama-Georgia line. The main river and numerous creek channels combine to create 640 shoreline miles. Over the years, Lake Eufaula produced many double-digit largemouths. It still holds excellent numbers of 1- to 4-pound bass, abundant 5- to 8-pounders and some double-digit fish.

“We’re going to great fisheries in each division,” opined Paul Browning of Morrilton, Ark., who won the 2022 Southeast Division Angler of the Year honors. “I like fishing multiple-day events because if I don’t have a great first day, I can still go out on the second day and catch a big bag to make up some ground in the lakes we fish. It’s tough anywhere to catch a big bag two straight days.”

For more information on Southeast Division events, CLICK HERE. To register for Southeast Division events, CLICK HERE.

“My first year fishing the Series was 2022,” Browning said. “We fished a lot of great lakes in 2022. The tournaments were run very well. Floyd Vaughn did a great job. The entry fees are fair for people who want to get into higher levels of competition. One of the things I like most about fishing the Top 150 Solo Series is everyone fishes alone without co-anglers. I like fishing alone.”

For information on the Southeast Division, call Floyd Vaughn at (256) 230-5633.

Southwest Division

The Southwest Division will open its season at Lake Sam Rayburn on March 17-18, 2023. The anglers will take off from Cassel Boykin Landing near Zavalla, Texas.

The largest reservoir entirely within Texas, “Big Sam” covers 114,500 acres on the Angelina River with more than 750 shoreline miles. The water drops to more than 80 feet deep in places. As a result, the lake can produce monster largemouths. Tommy Shelton caught the lake record, a 16.80-pound behemoth that hit a chartreuse and white frog.

From Big Sam, the anglers head to Lake O’ the Pines from April 28-29, 2023. The anglers launch at Lakeside Park, located at 5177 FM 726 in Jefferson, Texas. 

Also known as Ferrell’s Bridge Reservoir, Lake O’ the Pines covers 16,919 acres in Upshur and Morris counties. The lake drops to about 50 feet deep in places. The impoundment dates to 1956 and sits on Big Cypress Bayou near where the stream enters the Red River. Also known as Big Cypress Creek, the bayou flows about 140 miles and drains an area of about 850 square miles. The state frequently stocks the reservoir with Florida largemouth bass. The lake can produce many double-digit largemouth with some topping 15 pounds. Some big Kentucky spotted bass weigh more than five pounds.

The division season wraps up at Toledo Bend Reservoir on the Louisiana-Texas line on May 26-27, 2023. That event runs out of Lost Frontier, located at 5518 TX-21 in Hemphill, Texas. 

One of the best bass lakes in the nation, Toledo Bend Reservoir runs about 65 miles along the Sabine River and spreads across about 181,000 acres. It offers anglers more than 1,264 shoreline miles. The reservoir averages about 60 feet deep, but plunges to more than 110 feet deep near the dam.

Both Texas and Louisiana stock Florida largemouth bass into the reservoir. Every year, the ’Bend gives up many double-digit largemouths. The lake record topped 15 pounds.

“All of the tournaments on the schedule for 2023 should be good events,” Lasyone suggested. “At that time of the year, bass will be up shallow in each of those lakes. A few bass will be out on the deep spots. I really love the Top 150 Solo Series and will continue fishing them as long as they are running. I’m looking forward to fishing the 2023 Series and hope I can make Angler of the Year again.”

For details on the Southwest Division schedule, CLICK HERE. To register for Southwest Division events, see CLICK HERE. For information on the Southwest Division, call Chris Wayand at (256) 230-5627.

“I fish a lot of other trails, but this one fit my schedule so I fished it,” Browning commented. “I don’t mind traveling to fish. I’ve fished events from Florida to Michigan. I like that we have two different divisions where we can possibly make the championship. I fished the Southeast Division in 2022 because the Southwest Division didn’t fit my schedule. It looks like the Southeast Division doesn’t fit my schedule in 2023, so I’ll probably fish the Southwest Division. Find a division that fits your schedule and go fishing.”

At each divisional event, anglers accrue points based upon how they finished to determine the Anglers of the Year in each division. The angler with the most points in each division after the three events for the season will be named the division Angler of the Year. Also, the top 15 points leaders from each division qualify to fish the 2023 Top 150 Solo Series Championship. Anglers must compete in all three divisional events to qualify for the Championship.

In addition, anglers who did not qualify for the Top 150 Solo Series Championship by points, but who fished all three of the qualifiers in their division will be invited to a fish a 2-day Wildcard event. The top five finishers in the Wildcard will earn a slot to fish the 2023 Top 150 Solo Series Championship.

The 2023 Top 150 Solo Series champion will win $25,000. Moreover, the top five finishers in the Championship will advance to the 2024 Ray Scott Championship. Dates and venues for both the 2023 Championship and Wildcard tournaments will be released later.

Entry Fee – $600 per event

Priority Registration: Beginning 8:00 am CST on October 17, 2022, is reserved for entries from Solo anglers who fished the 2022 season entries by paying for all three events within a division of $1,800.00 total
Package Entry: Beginning at 8:00 am CST on October 18, 2022, anglers may begin registering for package entries by paying for all three events within a division of $1,800.00 total.
Deposits: Beginning at 8:00 am CST on October 18, 2022, anglers may secure their position by paying a non-refundable deposit of $900.00 (three events) in a division. The remaining balance of the entry fee is due on or before January 25, 2023, with no exceptions.  
Single Entries: Registration begins at 8:00 am CST on October 25, 2022, for all single entries. Single entries will be placed on a waiting list. No single entries will be accepted after Friday 5 pm CST the week before the event. 
Waiting List: Priority entry will be given to package and deposit entries. If an event has more than 150 entries, a waiting list will be established. Open positions for an event will be filled from this list beginning January 26, 2023. Anglers not getting a position will have their entry fee returned.  

Besides prize money, anglers could qualify for bonus money offered by sponsors, such as Caymas Boats, Garmin, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, MotorGuide and Power Pole. See each manufacturer’s website for details, rules and qualifications for more information on their contingency programs.

For more information or to register for any ABA Solo 150 event, see www.americanbassanglers.com/Top150. 

American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, Garmin Electronics, Power Pole, Lucas Oil, RT Outdoors, Sportsman Card, Optima Batteries, HotelPlanner.com and LurePartsOnline.com.

About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.

For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Series, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406

This story was written by ABA staff writer John N. Felsher. To submit articles of interest email info@americanbassanglers.com.
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