Sabine River Bassmaster Elite Series 2025: Schedule, Conditions & Live Coverage Info

Tournament Overview: Dates, Location & Prize Details

The sixth stop of the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series is about to get started on the notoriously challenging Sabine River, in Orange, Texas. From May 15th to the 18th, the Bassmaster’s top level pros will all be battling for their chance to take home a big, blue trophy and the $100,000 first prize.

How to Watch the Bassmaster Elite Series LIVE at the Sabine River

Watch Live: Bassmaster LIVE
Realtime Unofficial Weights During Competition: BASSTrakk
LIVE Daily Weigh In: Weigh In Show
T.V. Coverage on FOX/FS1: Broadcast Schedule Here
The ROKU Channel: Free Access to Elite Coverage

The event takes off from Orange Boat Ramp at 6:30 a.m. each morning and weigh-ins start at 2:30 p.m. every afternoon. Plus, there will be a free, family-friendly, bass fishing expo on the weekend in conjunction with Orange County River Festival featuring live and activities for all ages.

Bassmaster Elite pro Brock Mosely in his boat on the Sabine River, celebrating with a nice bass craddled in his arm. — The last time the Bassmasters came to the Sabine River in 2023, Brock Mosely took home the big blue trophy with a 4-day total of 44-3. | B.A.S.S.

Fishing Conditions & Expert Predictions for the Sabine River

B.A.S.S. has made the Sabine River a fairly regular stop over the past decade or so. It seems like it’s never easy and the bass are never especially large, but they do typically end up as interesting, exciting, memorable tournaments.

Last time they visited in 2023, Brock Mosley earned his first Elite Series victory. He finished Day 1 in 12th with 9-15, took a 1/2-pound lead after Day 2 with 11-7 then increased it to 3-1 with 12-14. Another 9-15 on Day 4 gave him his winning total of 44-3.

The word on this year’s event seems to be extra tough. The water is high and muddy and a strong south wind predicted to blow throughout the event, means it will likely get worse and definitely not get better.

According to reporting on bassmaster.com in articles by Craig Lamb and Mike Suchan, Elite pro Paul Marks said, “You can only get so far back into the clear water in the flooded woods to find them. I think it will be tough to find clear water. You might have to give it up and fish in the mud.” But then added optimistically, “They live in it here anyway.”

Close up of a dock on the Sabine RIver showing the brown muddy color of the water. — The Sabine River is never crystal clear, but expect extra high and muddy water this week. | B.A.S.S.

South Carolina pro Patrick Walters added, “It’s going to change the fishery; it’s going to fish smaller, even though we have more water and places to fish. It’s harder to find clear water, and on top of that, places where fish are willing to bite. It’s going to fish smaller and be a grinder.”

When asked what these challenging conditions mean to a game plan, Drew Cook said, “A dead fish penalty. Losing a 1 3/4-pounder is huge here. It won’t take much to crash a game plan. You’ve got to catch everything that bites, and you’ve got to make sure you take care of them, because 4 ounces could be about 20 places.”

Brandon Lester summed it up. “All those fans who’ve been wanting an old-school grinder are about to get it.”

Two competitors in their bass boats fishing a relatively small area. — THe pros are saying the negative conditions are going to make the giant river system fish much smaller. | B.A.S.S.

Weather Forecast for Orange, Texas During the Tournament

The weather forecast for Orange, TX during the Bassmaster Elite tournament. — While it's not really expected to rain, the strong south winds will keep the muddy water from flowing out of the system. | wunderground.com

Championship Sunday: Pat Schlapper Wins First Bassmaster Elite Series Title at Sabine River 2025

Elite Pro Pat Schlapper on stage cradling his first Elite trophy at the Sabine River in Texas. — Wisconsin angler Pat Schlapper earns his first Bassmaster Elite Series win with a wire-to-wire performance on the Sabine River. | B.A.S.S.

Wisconsin pro Pat Schlapper took the lead of the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Sabine River event with 12-2 on Day 1 and never let go. His three additional daily limits of 8-7, 8-9, and 9-10 brought his total to 38-12 and put him 2 pounds, 4 ounces in front of second place finisher Patrick Walters. This was Schlapper’s first Elite Series victory and earned him $101,000...FULL STORY HERE.

2025 Lake Fork Bassmaster Elite Rules

The tournament playing field is massive and bit more complicated to define than most events. But if you want to know the specifics, here you go. This is per B.A.S.S.’ official tournament info sheet.

Sabine River and all rivers, creeks and canals connecting to the Sabine River inside the boundaries listed below. Only that water open to ALL public fishing will be considered tournament waters.

Sabine River - Both TX & LA River Shoreline of the Sabine River bank to bank to Toledo Bend Dam. The common boundary waters of the Sabine River bank to bank are considered tournament waters. Within the common boundary waters of the Sabine River, any defined channel that leaves the main Sabine River channel on the LA side is considered LA waters and is off-limits.

NO FISHING in any LA backwaters beyond the Sabine River that includes no cuts, canals, creeks, rivers, inlets, coves, bays, bayous or any channel cut-throughs. Treat all those areas as a brick wall from point to point. However, you can navigate through a Sabine River MAIN channel cut-through that is only considered LA waters on the main Sabine River channel. You CANNOT navigate through a LA side channel off the Sabine River.

The allowed Texas Counties – Chambers, Galveston, Hardin, Jefferson, Liberty (South of U.S. Hwy 90), Newton, & Orange including any public waters that border with adjacent counties bank to bank. If fishing a river that borders a TX county that is not considered an allowed county you can fish the common boundary waters bank to bank and any pockets connected to the main river but any defined channels, creeks, canals, and lakes that leave the river in a non-allowed county is not considered tournament waters and is not allowed

The daily limit is 5 bass with a 12 inch minimum.

The full field will start competition on Days 1 and 2. On Day 3 the field will be cut to the top 50. Only the Top 10 after Day 3 will qualify to fish on the fourth and final day, Championship Sunday.

Reminder of the New Electronics Rules for the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series

1. Total Screen Size
Boats are restricted to no more than 55 inches of screen size. Inches are measured per the (diagonal) display screen size listed on each manufacturer's website rounded to the nearest inch.

2. Limited Live Transducers
Each competitor’s boat is limited to one (1) live transducer and this transducer must be mounted on the trolling motor shaft at the bow area of the boat.

3. Electronics Placement
All electronics must be mounted in a way not to obstruct the competitor’s line of sight while piloting the boat on plane. It is recommended that console electronics be mounted in a manner where the tops of graphs are no higher than 26 inches from the steering column where it exits the console, and bow electronics be mounted in a manner where the tops of graphs are no higher than 18 inches from the front deck.