Cool, congrats.

The boater will have a storage box behind your seat to put your gear. I bring one tackle tray with hard baits that will vary based upon the recommendations of the angler. I bring a small tackle box with hooks, weights, etc. I load the boxes in a backpack with a selection of soft plastics. The pro should call you the night before to tell you what they are fishing and what to expect. If worse comes to worse, just drag a wacky senko. the boater will have a cooler on board. you can put drinks in the cooler but you can also leave drinks in your back pack. If you are comfortable backing down the pro's boat, volunteer to do so. You can ask the pro to set you up on the ramp to back it down. be ready to get out of the way of the boater if they need to come to the back deck fighting a fish. If it looks like the boater is headed to the back of the boat, clear your line and be ready to get out of the way.

an experienced boater gives clear verbal cues as to what to expect when he is ready to move. he will say just one or two more casts and we are taking off. pack up your gear and be ready with life jacket on and in your seat ready to go. Also, especially if you are fishing soft plastics, if you get hung, don't be shy about breaking it off. Especially if the boater is spot locked on a spot or brush pile.

It's going to be awesome and CHALLENGING Lewisville is naturally a tough one BUT that lake has some big Bass i promise i gettum all the time you just got to figure them out....can't wait I'll see y'all there!! LINES IN !! 🎣

Awesome! Thank ya'll for the encouragement and info. I've been working on putting together a small travel bag with just enough stuff to get by, thanks for the suggestion on the backpack. I'll try to not take up much space in the boat. Will narrow down to a just a few rods as well. I'm more excited about learning than trying to win the tournament. Never fished on Lewisville.
Hope to see ya'll there good luck!

Hopefully you guys draw real Pro’s and not some wannabe. $475 to be treated like a second class citizen is only worth it if you have someone up front you can learn from.

Co’s pay money and are fishing a tournament as well so don’t let some “Richard” treat you like a burden.

14 on the wait list as of today.

My status shows waitlisted

Im going to skip it.... with people wait listed for it, I dont want to take a spot from someone who really wants to do it.

I was just thinking of doing it for something to do. Ive gotten some pm and I guess its often guys who want to learn the lake, learn some stuff etc.

I fished the open at Rayburn as a co-angler. It was a great experience. But, I wouldn't go in there with any strategies that are set in stone as you are not the decision maker. You have to be flexible to insure you're not disappointed.

Also, I'm not 100% sure the partner draws are on the up and up. There was a co-angler from the local Chamber of Commerce who played a part in B.A.S.S. coming to Rayburn who was interviewed in the Top 12 weigh in. He had drawn Keith Combs, Brian Schott, and another top pro that I can't remember. Pretty fishy.

Thanks Jeff. Will let you know how it turns out.

Folks have been getting waitlisted for about 15 days or so.

"Pretty fishy" pun intended?? LOL

I fished as co at the B.A.S.S. OPEN at Rayburn. I had a great day 1 , and then stunk it up on day 2, ended up 27th.. got a nice little check.. As I recall through this entire process, BASS has been struggling to fill all co spots, even at Rayburn, there were a few boaters who didn't have co's. You'll have no problem getting in if you pay up before 10/20, that is the cut-off/ balance deadline.

I signed up today and it says waitlisted. Any idea how to find out where you are on the wait list?

I dont know about numerically on the list but I emailed and got the count of 14 at the time a day or two later.