Big limits on Days 1 & 2 and solid bags on Days 3 & 4 earned Tim Horton a ninth place finish at the Bassmaster Elite Series Lone Star Shootout at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in eastern Texas, and Horton’s key bait throughout the event was an XCalibur Xr50 Rattle Bait.
Horton, who won the BASS Angler of the Year in his rookie season fishing the pro tour and who has qualified for seven consecutive Bassmaster Classics, weighed in more than 18 pounds on each of the first two days and more than 11 pounds on the third and fourth day. Horton's four-day total of 61 pounds, 14 ounces earned him $14,000.
Horton worked several areas where he had located fish and used thee different lures to
catch fish. In addition to a Rattle Bait, he fished with a 10-inch YUM Ribbontail Worm and a 4 ¼-inch YUM Vibra King Tube. He fished all three baits on 17-pound-test Silver Thread.
Horton has a reputation for fishing big lures and has used a Vibra King Tube to win two different Bassmaster events. Overall, Horton has scored three Bassmaster wins, and this week's ninth place finish was his 17th Top 10 in a BASS event.
While all three lures put fish in the boat, the Rattle Bait produced most of Horton’s largest fish and was his go-to offering. Part of the new XCalibur Hi-Tek Series, the Xr50 Rattle Bait is 2 ½ inches long, weighs 5/8 ounce, has ultra-loud rattles and kicks out a tremendous amount of vibration.
XCalibur Hi-Tek Series lures all offer etched details, high-sheen finishes, raised red gill plates and 3-D red eyes. They also come equipped with top-of-the-line components, including Tx3 Trebles with VMC InLine Technology.
The Lone Star Shootout was the second of 10 Bassmaster Elite Series Tournaments. Next on the schedule is the Santee Cooper Showdown on South Carolina's Santee Cooper Lakes March 30 to April 2