Bassmaster Classic - Lake Conroe

The guys at Bass Zone / Bass Talk Live are saying that they are hearing the Classic is coming to Lake Conroe. Nothing official yet - just the rumor.

That would be awesome!

I heard this over the weekend and brushed it off as it seems there are always similar rumors. I would love to see them come to Conroe though!

It is true that they are coming to Lake Conroe. It'll be end of March, after the Houston Rodeo because the weigh in and expo will be held in Houston.

Hope so!!

If that is the case hopefully it will be past Spring break, I can't imagine the cluster **** that would be between all of the pleasure boaters and Classic Spectators.

yeah that would be a cluster, all i know is that it'll be sometime after the Houston Rodeo for obvious reasons lol

Those guys will hate that gnarly Houston traffic, worst ever...It'll be the first and last experience there, I promise.

Just imagine the crowds... Parking...

What kind of a crowd does the Classic bring as far as weigh in, would the Lone Star Convention Center accommodate it? That seems like a long *** drive from host lake to weigh in.

There is not a large enough climate controlled facility there to accommodate their needs.

Lone Star Convention Center is way too small...

I'm still waiting on Ray Roberts! I do believe that it could be there one day.

So where would weigh in be?

It could be at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco or actually by the time another slot opens up it could be at the Cowboys new indoor stadium in Frisco. All of these are within a 45 minute drive from Ray Roberts. I would probably end up being one of the most attended Classic of all time and it would be awesome to see these guys break down Ray Bob in February. I think they would all need to call old Pat Delaney....self proclaimed best Winter Bass Fisherman on Ray Bob Ever!!! Sorry Pat, couldn't resist.

Not enough Expo space in Frisco at present. Also, highly doubt they'd roll the dice on an outdoor weigh in. That would be suicide if the weather was bad. Also who's paying the host fee?

I'm still skeptical until I see a press release about it from Bassmaster.

Kent - I am willing to bet a bag of worms on it. Deal?

Lot of texas rumors, first it was ray roberts, then canyon with weigh-in @ san antonio, now conroe.

smoke=fire

I figured it was, but wasn't sure.

That is a long drive from the lake to Reliant, with no easy way to get there, depending on the time of day, even the weekends anymore, it could take 1.5 hrs to get there. Any mention of a host marina?

Deal! For the record, this is one bet I hope I lose.

Ike allegedly hinted at this recently.

Conroe would be awesome! I think they would have to take off from the same area the Toyota Bass Classic did, after putting in at the dam.

I hope this is true. I think it would make for a great venue if they can figure out the weigh in.

I heard it was coming to Lavon. . .

Anyone in Conroe noticed that they are extending the HOV lane all the way to South 336 in Conroe? Will be open in plenty of time for a March / April Classic. This could easily be blocked off at all entrances south of Conroe and they could run an open lane all the way to downtown Houston. With no I45 traffic it's about 45 minutes to downtown Houston from Conroe.

I heard Lake Athens. It's the best kept secret😝

I heard it was going to be held at either Camelot Belle or Lake Worth.

In theory, that is a great idea. I'm not sure a fishing tournament, that only 5% of the population of Houston is going to know about, will swing enough weight to take away the HOV lane of outbound Houston traffic on a Thursday and a Friday evening.

none of the pros know. I talked to one at the classic who is related to the friend I was there with and he said rumor has it that it is the California delta but that know one knows for sure

i'm not sure when the normal time is when they release the statement, but i do know it to be true. My source was sitting at the conference table when they signed the contract for it.

Then they might as well weigh in in Dallas. Probably a quicker drive than taking I45 South to Houston at that time of day!

^^^^This^^^^

I live East of Conroe, about the same distance from 45 as the lake. Google maps is showing right now from my house to Reliant, 1 hr & 18 min. - 1 hr & 28 min.

I think it is awesome that it is coming to Lake Conroe, and i hope i'm home for it, but that drive after them fella's have been grinding it out all day is going to suck!

Not any good venues to hold everything they need to close enough. Any thing in Houston would be a potential traffic nightmare. Nothing close to hold the Expo. Who would put up the money? A city the size of Houston can and does draw much bigger events with the room count, stadiums, convention centers, restaurants. The Classic is relatively small potatoes.

Can't see them even considering it.

The HOV lanes they are making on 45 North are the same as what they have on I10. There will be a lane northbound and a lane southbound with a concrete divider between the b two. That lane will end around hwy 99 from what I can see.

Have to agree with this.

The drive from Guntersville to Birmingham was just as long and from Grand to Tulsa is 1:30 each way. They don't really care about the drive for the anglers.

Houston has the money and if you think $20+ million in economic impact is small potatoes I want to party with you...

I'm shocked that a man "sitting at the table when the contract was signed" is involved in a conversation about it on the www.

I could be wrong, but this event would happen after the 2017 Super Bowl and Houston LSS and Rodeo? Y'all knew the SB is in Houston next year, right?

Bring it. Stop crying about traffic, it's bad in DFW too. Granted the lakes are within the cities. It would bring some serious $$$ to the Conroe-Willis area, I'm all for it.

Lol, I thought the same thing.

probably won't be that much difference than when they had the TTBC there for 5 years in a row.

also probably happening there because of the Toyota fat cats that support BASS that live around the lake

Get it right GILBOB, I'm the only winter fisherman on Ray Bob. Or I could pansy out an go to power plant lakes

I think the Fort Worth Chamber should cater another event on Eagle Mountain, like they did in 2005/06? Crowd was small at Will Rodgers, but times and the sport have changed too!

NRG Stadium can hold 72,000 people;)

Sure you guys aren't thinking of the 2016 BASS Nation Championship to be held on Conroe in late 2016?

it's on Palestine?

He was asking about the Lone Star Convention Center in Conroe. NRG and it's surrounding facilities are PLENTY big!

I never said "I" was the man sitting at the table, but I am related to the man that was.

If it's a done deal then why has it not been announced? Might ask you relative about that one.

Because they don't just sign the contract then announce it immediately i'm assuming. This was just done at the Classic in Tulsa just a few weeks ago. These things take time, i've never seen them announce a location of an event immediately. Most of the time they're set up well in advance before the official announcement. If you choose not to believe it then so be it, i just saw the post about where Basszone is talking about it so i figured i would put some truth along with the rumor of it possibly being held there.

A lot of deals are done way way before it is released to the general public, Just a FYI

Of all the lakes in Texas why Conroe? They could easily have it a Toledo and have the weigh-in at Shreveport? Can you imagine what a cluster it will be on the water with all the spectators. Bad choice in my book!

The lake is not the priority. The expo location and arena are. First priority is a host city that can afford a host fee. And if it is Conroe someone is going to catch 25-30lbs a day. You'll see multiple 10+ fish. FYI, that's awesome.

Let's just hope it is in Texas and be glad. I've watched people complain for years that Texas gets passed over and I'm sure that if Texas is selected they'll be someone to come along shortly and join you in complaining about the location and lake choice. Never fails.

Having it in Texas would be great, I would for sure make it and check it out.............

I agree with you that they will probably sack them and probably see some 10#+ fish. That was not my concern. The lake is just a cluster any given day and rough as hell. Add 500 spectator boats and who knows how many pleasure boats and it will be dangerous. Not only for the guys fishing but spectators also.

Any lake large enough to host a Classic will be large enough to be rough any given day. Wind does tend to blow in open spaces, regardless of location. Every Classic had a draw for spectator boats. As for pleasure boats, their presence is typically rather muted on Conroe in February as compared to warm weather months. I'm not a Conroe weekend-chaos fan, but I don't see February as a problem month for thongs of pleasure boaters. These comments/opinions are regardless of rumor basis.....

Iam just going to go out on a limb from what i have heard birdies saying Shreveport bossier on the red river.

2016 Lake Conroe BASS National Divisional Championship

Not my words - "National Divisional" just what was on the site.

Good food for thought. Looking at their past pattern they go east one year and west the next; and the Classic was in Oklahoma this year. SO I bet it is somewhere in the southeast next year, and if it is Conroe I bet it won't be until 2018

Look it is all rumors until April when the official announcement is made.

April 14th is when the announcement will be made.

Someone owes me a bag of worms!

I haven't forgot! PM your address and I hook you up!

The expo will be George r brown

Nah - it is all good. We are all (most) happy to see the Classic here. Conroe would not have been my choice but it will be convenient for some of us that live on or really close to the lake. When I get some time - maybe tonight - I will start populating the list of locals that can make some money or get their free baits by "giving" away their best spots. Clunn has already made comments about it as he saw guys fishing very subtle stuff during a TTBC that he says took him years to find. Keep this in mind - he fished the lake with a flasher. Regardless the lake fishes pretty simple in late March.

See you on the water...

ok... i have a condo for rent on lake conroe piney shores resort... PM me lol...


dont know if the bass would like to sit on houstons parking lot on rush hour. or maybe they are going to go on helicopter...seems that this BASS officials have not being in houston commuting

Friday afternoon traffic heading into Houston is a beotch and downtown will need more than a few escorts

Ever heard of police escorts?

And thanks to Mark Jeffreys (BassZone) and some unnamed others for the tip - I mean rumor...

It is Conroe and they will handle the traffic easily. It will be an escorted weigh in.

I've had a couple of those!


oh, wait.. maybe not in the same context.

March is usually the month, around mid March, when the Oakley Big Bass event is held there. That event just got a huge boost as well in terms of how many people will be fishing it.

Question, as for Combs, I agree he would have to be one of the favorites, but doesn't he have to qualify just like everyone else? When is the last time he qualified for a classic?

Yes, he has to qualify. Pretty sure he's fished the last four or five Classics in a row. He's currently 2nd in AOY points.

Correction. He's fished five Classics but missed 2013. He fished it in 11,12,14,15 and 16.

About a month ago where he placed in the top 10.

Don't look now but he is 2nd in the AOY race. Pretty safely inside the cutline right now.

Wow, 50 miles from lake to weigh-in site?

That isn't the problem. The problem is idiot drivers in Houston who ignore LEO directions oughta be interesting for sure

It was 90 miles from Tulsa to Grand Lake, that was a piece of cake. Big difference here will be the Friday afternoon traffic but that will be inbound and with the police escorts should be ok. The morning commute shuttles back into Houston at 730am for those that went to takeoff could be interesting

But as much planning that goes into this event I am sure BASS has this all under control, and I for one am so glad its coming to my HOME STATE of TEXAS


Debra

They can have all the police escorts in the world, but it will all fail when traffic is at a standstill at either the: I-45/Grand Parkway/Hardy Toll Road, or the I-45/Sam Houston Tollway, or at I-45/Gulf Bank curve, or at I-45/Loop 610 interchange, or at I-45/I-10 interchange, or at any other random interchange along this route where people like to crash and burn, flip the car, or breakdown in the center lanes, or a combination of any of the above. Other than those traffic hotspots, the drive should be a breeze.

Also, for those who think I'm trying to be funny, I am not. This is typical Houston traffic on any given day of the week, Monday through Sunday, 24/7/365. It might be an easy commute one day, but take you 1.5 hours the next. Let's hope and pray traffic behaves, otherwise, the fish will be really stressed.

I got really excited at first, being Conroe is my home lake. But after thinking about it, I'm actually quite scared of this coming to Conroe. The pleasure boaters in March are going to be crazy. There obviously will be lots of spectators on the water as well. And if you have ever fished Conroe on a weekend there is hardly enough room for the weekend warrior fishermen with all the pleasure boaters. They chose to take the grass out and turn it into a recreational lake. The lake is not big enough for spring break and the largest tournament in fishing. The one thing I'm most fearful of is the fact it will be during the spawn with the best anglers in the world catching all the big females from Lake Conroe and then hauling them downtown. Me being a fisherman fish health is my big concern and protecting all are spawning fish in Lake Conroe. The best in the world catching the largest fish in the lake and hauling them downtown on one of the most congested freeways in the state during rush hours. In my eyes the lake will never be the same afterwards.

Surprising to me. They can get to Minute Maid by 45 and Hardy Toll rd. Friday might be a little interesting.

If they're willing to shut down HOV lane to outbound traffic those days, by then they can run it from Conroe all the way into downtown just blocks from Minute Maid... That's for the experts to figure out though... Just excited to have this deal going down in my backyard and chance to attend the expo one day. Great news/benefit for the Conroe/Montgomery/Willis area as well!

Much different pattern will prevail than when he won the TTBC. Not that he can't win just it will need to be a different way.

I swear guys will complain about the sky being blue....

I'm pretty sure someone on that committee has done their research on the logistics of a freaking classic. I highly doubt they will show up the day of the event only to realize Houston has bad traffic...

Bingo ^^^^

This just in, they've got a few years of experience running derbys, managing events and handling fish care. They've been working on the Houston deal for months and they've got a full year to manage logistics. Step away from the panic button. Lol.

Bad traffic is a reality...I'm allowed to complain about it because it is my reality

I really hope you are right and someone on the committee has done their homework...but IMHO, their homework was based on a $pread$heet, not operational logistics. Let's not kid ourselves as to why ANY event is planned in a particular location, whether it is the Olympics, Super Bowl, the Final Four, or the Bassmaster Classic, it is about the event planners chasing money. Yet another reality.

Regardless, it will be fun to attend one of the weigh-ins.

I know all about the traffic in Houston as do most of the people on here. I used to live in spring and work in Katy. They have driven twice as far for classics in the past.

I bet they will get them there I hope they have a good turn out of fans so they will want to have it here in Texas again

It's 40 miles from Conroe to Houston on 45. Maybe another 7-8 max on 105 to where they'll launch. They'll be headed inbound so Friday won't be as bad as some think. Add in police both escorting the procession and blocking entrances to the road for five minutes, all along the route, and they'll make the trip in an hour. 105 E to 45 S to Hardy Toll Road S to 610 W to 59 S to Hamilton St. Exit will put them right at the ballpark on the E side of downtown. I've made that same drive, w/o the SH 105 leg, a hundred times in the past two years. It takes 45 minutes to an hour on average. Without LE escorts. In Monday morning rush-hour traffic.

Gonna be the biggest Classic attendance ever! Quite possibly the heaviest winning weight since 1984, too.

I am sure they never even considered the possibility of heavy traffic.

These should work so great out there also

Looks like spelling was not the priority^^^^^

Bingo, you're lake will be ruined for years to come. I'm against tournaments during the spawn and yours will be pounded into submission and fish will die. I am so grateful that it's going to a lake that I don't frequent.

I just copy and past! Lol

I did not read every post in this thread so I have a concern. When they had the Texas Toyota Bass Classic on Conroe, the pros launched at a private ramp near the dam. Is the Classic going to do the same thing? Isn't one of the big draws of the BMC being able to be at the ramp when the boats leave and come back? Or are they going to launch somewhere else???

It's three days with ~50 anglers cut to 25 on the last day. Fish care is pretty easy in March. If it's was May or later then fish care is much more difficult. If they killed every fish they caught for 3 days with every angler catching a limit all 3 days that's 625 fish maximum. That isn't going to kill the lake. BASS has been taking care of fish for a long time. They will do everything they can to keep the mortality low. The Anglers will do the same. Too much at stake for them.

Also a lot of fish will be post spawn by then. It's in late March.

They'll launch from a public location most likely where the TTBC went out of in 2013.

I seriously doubt 40 guys fishing a 30,000 acre lake for 3 days will decimate an entire year's spawn. Then again I am not a fisheries biologist like so many on here are.

Oh how I would love to be a fly on the wall at the next series of lake homeowners association meetings!

That tournament will have zero impact on the spawn. If you are concerned about tournaments and the bass spawning, move to Wisconsin...

Or you can just not participate in them, not all of the lakes in Texas are stocked to the gill like Fork.



On a good note though, they should have great service for the live portions & weigh ins.

this is awesome i may go next year if i can get off work ive never been to one

Yes fitter, that would be interesting. The bent water and Walden crowd have no idea what is coming. Also, TPWD always did a great job taking care of the fish during the TTBC. I am sure they will be heavily involved in making sure those fish make the 100 mile round trip safely back to the lake. 50 fisherman are NOT gonna kill the lake! My God.

Keith Combs is clearing out a spot for his Classic trophy as we speak!

Turns out this guy did have inside information and was correct...........

I for one am excited about the classic at Conroe. I believe the traffic concerns are way overblown and it's likely to be a non issue. In terms of baits in the water, the classic is actually a pretty small tournament as compared to many others we see now days. It's not going to destroy the lake. It'll be fun to see it on a new body of water, and interesting to see it on a body of water that sets up like many of the other reservoirs here in Texas. Plus for the first time in my life anyway, I'll get to see one up close and personal! Maybe I'll learn a trick or two to help me figure out this lake which has always fished tough for me up to this point. Positive vibes people.

i dont like the idea of the classic in houston and lake conroe. BUT i will be there enjoying the event beating the traffic and driving from conroe to the expo etc...

Isn't that the truth. There are a few I wish could qualify through the opens to see how they would stack up against the "Elites"

There will have to be a TFF get together. Would be nice to meet people from this forum. I'm going to volunteer Fouzman to put it together!
!

Pretty sure if the city of Houston can accommodate an American President's brigade and halt traffic, they should have zero issues with a brigade of 60 bass boats getting wherever/whenever they need.

From what I know, they did not launch from a "public" location. I was told they launched from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary site on FM 105.

You are correct Rayzor but you knew that already.

I'm with Rayzor. I attended the Classic and the FLW Cup on the Red River. Being able to stand beside the ramp watching them launch and then to be on the ramp as they went through everything was pretty dang cool.

Just a random comment, but haven't other venues built new facilities specifically to be used by the Classic? Or at least upgraded existing? Not sure on Conroe where this could happen.

And I got a kick out of the comment about the HOA's in Bentwater and Walden, I'd love to be a fly on the wall when this comes up.

Looking forward to the Classic and the Expo, don't plan on being on the water.

They launched from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary site but the actually take off was around the corner with room for fans on the docks. With the Classic though, fans might be restricted from the docks where the angler's boats are tied up or poled down. There were lots of happy fans interacting with the TTBC anglers in a laid back atmosphere.

I live on Conroe about half the year. No its not gonna ruin the spawn or kill the lake. And I realize theres alot of good things that will come out of the tournament.

But I do have mixed emotions about the whole thing-the media frenzy, the masses of people. And you are right, I live in Walden on the lake and people here have no idea whats coming their way.

My biggest concern-there are gonna be some heavy sacks weighed and the publicity will draw alot of fishermen to the lake. Conroe isn't that big of a lake-20,000 ac. Don't like the idea of other guys catching MY fish.