When the ARKLA Team Trail Championship qualifiers launch their boats Thursday morning, October 12^th on Lake Darbonne, all the year’s preparation, hard work, and competition will begin the final stages of the year’s tournament journey, leading to a climatic end.  No more fishing for points or point standings.  All ninety-eight anglers will have a single goal on their mind: winning the ARKLA Team Trail Championship.

A finicky fishery awaits the anglers, as Lake Darbonne, long known for it’s early year and springtime tournament catches, will be a foot lower than its usual pool stage, still warmer than normal water temperatures and caught between the late summer and early fall patterns.  There is nothing quite like a level playing field when it comes to tournament bass fishing and this year the playing field is as level as ever.

Will the deep-water anglers have the advantage?  Will the grass bite come into play?  Will someone discover a hidden pattern or stumble on an overlooked area?  What will be the cut weight?  Will their be a change in the weather patterns leading up to the official practice days after a two week off limits period.  These questions and many more are running through the anglers minds in preparation for this championship challenge.  The team that comes out the winner, will have earned it!

Besides the lake itself, another thing to consider from a competitive standpoint is the tournament format.  Instead of a single day or a normal two-day championship, this year’s event will consist of three days of competition.  The first two days of the tournament, October 12th and 13th, the anglers will launch at safe daylight and weigh-in beginning at 3:00 PM out of Darbonne Point.  The last day, Championship Saturday, October the 14^th, the field will consist of the top twenty teams who survived the two day cut and the Lake Darbonne State Park will host the launch and weigh-in. 

Also, prior to the tournament, there will be an awards banquet on October 11, 2023, starting at 6 PM at the Farmerville Recreation Center.

The 2023 ARKLA Team Tournament Trail Championship on Lake Darbonne is being sponsored by the town of Farmerville, the Union Parish Police Jury, the Union Parish Chamber of Commerce and the Union Parish Tourism Committee, and their contributions to the success of this event are appreciated!