The number 1 consideration for Classic site selection is the location having a Convention and Visitors Bureau that will fork out the cash to bring the event there, and also has the facilities to host the Classic Expo, which is pretty large. 95% of the lakes people mention here do not have either of those. You can't compare places that host Elite Series events, as there is no offsite event.

I'm not knocking Canyon, but I just don't think it has the size/population to support a multi day event with anglers of this caliber. People would be fishing on top of each other, which on this stage, is not acceptable. 8,000 acres and low, and a lake that can fish a little small anyway.

I may end up eating crow, but I stick with my original thought that this is nothing more than dock talk.

Also, the drive to weigh in is not that big of a factor. The drive from Birmingham to Guntersville was 70miles. What does that tell you? Dallas and Houston have no interest.

Also, the attendance to the expo is not nearly as good when they go to bigger cities. They do a lot better when they go to mid sized cities where there isn't as much to do and the Classic is considered a "big deal" for the city.

The only place I see them considering launching out of Roberts would be the main state park. A main part of the event is the morning launch, photos and interactions with fans. And I don't see Roberts having a chance at this.

I hear ya T54. Ive seen this about Canyon on two forums now, may have been the same person, could be dock talk for sure. Someone said they were going to stock the lake and filler back up! LOL not sure about that one.

I think its an early April fools joke

Grapevine would be my guess. TPaW has babied the lake, Though it is small, it has LMB and smallies. BPS and jerrah world. Hotels everywhere.
If there is any chance, just watch the lake stocking reports on the lake in question this year. They will prolly get a jump on stocking up and making the lake prime. If Grapevine has a few monster smallies this year, who knows.

Ray Hubbard...they could all line up along 30 and everyone could wave at them.

They aren't going to have it on a slot lake.

You don't think they could lobby to remove the slot by 2017? That much money talks when it comes to TPWD

How in the heck could they ever fill it with all the water being sold from out of it. That's not a question but rather a statement.

I would imagine Texoma would have the best shot at getting it. They have held it there before but that was in 1979. It's a bit more commercialized now though. Sherman, Denison, or Durant's economy would welcome the boost I would imagine and the lake has the facilities like Highport to handle it.

I wish Ray Roberts still had an 18" MLL or a slot!! It was a much nicer and more peaceful place to live and fish back then!

P.S. I am not opposed to tournaments and I even fish a few I just don't like all of the pressure on my home lake! I am kinda selfish that way.

Sam rayburn lacks a venue for the weigh in close enough to fish it. the closest civic center is in Lufkin 40 miles from cassel boykin and its super small compared to the ones they used at the red river and grand lake in OK. Unfortunately rayburn and toledo's remoteness hampers their ability to draw something that big, and the money required by bass to put the tournament on would probably exceed the budget of most of the chamber of commerce's in the area.

the elites have come to Toledo and Rayburn in years past, but up front money is less for a regular season event and the weigh in doesn't require an arena.

For those of you saying Ray Roberts, have you ever fished it in February? My guess is that it would be as tough as nails to fish that time of year..