The Oklahoma Bass Federation held their third and fourth tournaments April 21 and 22 on Lake Texoma. As predicted by the weatherman, we were greeted with winds from all directions during the two days and wind gust from 20mph down to very calm conditions. However the anglers overcame wind, rain, and low temperatures to bring in large numbers of fish. The water in the cumberland and glasses section of the lake was murky but fishable while the Red River arm had good visibility. The area around the dam was very clear. Water surface temperatures ranged from 58 to 64, depending were you fished.
First Day
The tournament on Saturday, April 21 started with temperatures in the 40’s and mild winds. However, the predicted rain did arrive and we experienced winds from almost all directions. Although the weather was very challenging our anglers adjusted to bring in the most limits that we have had in the last several years. The weighin revealed limits by 75% of the teams. Mike Zachary and Derek Rowsey (Ada) led the field with a 5 fish limit weighing 23.18 pounds anchored by the big bass for the day at 7.07 pounds. Second place was garnered by Marc and Julie Downs (Bedlam) with a limit tipping the scales at 18.03#. Jackie Husmann and Sandy Hooker (PC Hookers) took third with 5 fish weighing 17.97 # followed at fourth with the only other 17 plus stringer was Stewart Ryan and Alex Lane (Ada) with a limit weighing 17.14pounds. Johnny Babb and Cain Brinlee (Ada) took fifth place with 5 fish weighing 15.84#. Following by only 0.03 # for sixth place was Dean Matts and Scott Callaway (Central Bass Club) with a catch weighing 15.81#. Mark Jones and John Pritchett (Claremore) took seventh with the last of the 15# limits with 15.07#. Jason and Lynn Conaway (Chickasha) had the only 14# stringer at 14.27# to take eighth place. Ninth and tenth places went to two team from the Bedlam Bass Club. Ron Boyd and Steve Carlon took ninth with 13.85# followed by Brandon West and Chris Angier only 0.06# behind at 13.79#. Only three pounds separated the next three teams with Mike Morgan and Brandon Beck (Ada) at eleventh with 13.32# followed by Jack Garrett (Ada) and Brad Hopkins (NEO) finishing twelfth posting 13.24. Thirteenth went to Gene Vogt and Donnie Rea (PC Hookers) with 13.02#. The others with limits at fourteenth were Jeremy Vantuyl and Cody Hunt (PC Hookers) with 12.62# and John Garcia and Brett Taylor (Bedlam) at 10.66.
Second Day
The weather was much better for the Sunday, April 22 tournament day. Although there was predicted of high winds out of the northwest, however, the conditions never restricted the anglers from fishing their desired locations. As usual, the second day catch was less than day one but 50% of the teams boated limits. Mike Zachary and Derek Rowsey once again took first with a healthy 19.3#. Dean Matts and Scott Callaway moved up from sixth in day one to take second place with a 17.02# limit. Third place went to Mark Jones and John Pritchett with 16.93# followed at fourth by Ron Boyd and Steve Carlon with 16.02#. Johnny Babb and Cain Brinlee duplicated their first day fifth place finish with 15.44 pounds. Sixth place was garnered by Jake Garrett and Brad Hopkins with 14.59# followed by Jackie Husmann and Sandy Hooker at seventh boating 13.86#. Eighth place went to Jeremy Vantuyl and Cody Hunt with 12.52# anchored by Cody’s 6.26# big bass for the day. Stewart Ryan and Alex Lane took ninth with 11.77# limit while Gene Vogt and Donnie Rea rounded out the top ten with 11.36#. Marc and Julie Downs dropped to eleventh place at 10.64# while Bobby Walker and Cameron Adams (Ponca City Bassmasters) moved up to twelfth with a catch of 9.65# on day two with John Garcia and Brett Taylor followed at thirteenth with a catch weighing 9.40#. Brandon West and Chris Angier had a limit that weighed 9.03# while Mike Morgan and Brandon Beck closed out the top fifteen with a catch weighing 8.61#.
Summary
There were 90 fish brought to the scales on day one weighing 258.1# resulting in average weight per fish at 2.87#. The second day catch was only two fish less at a total of 88 fish but the average weight per fish was only 2.59#. The total catch for Sunday was 227.82#. Therefore, there were a total of 178 fish brought to the scales for a total weight of 485.92# for the weekend. Due to the excellent care of the fish in the live wells, we released 99.4% of the fish back to the lake.
The payback for each of our tournaments is $1150 per day which is 75% of the entry fee to 20% of the field. We paid the top four and had a blind draw for the fifth place. There is also a $100 bonus to the qualified Ranger Cup angler each day. The total payback for the weekend were as follows: Mike Zachary – $850, Marc and Julie Downs – $400 (includes day one Ranger Cup), Dean Matts and Scott Callaway – $300, Mark Jones and John Pritchett – $300 (includes day two Ranger Cup), Jackie Husmann and Sandy Hooker – $200, Stewart Ryan and Alex Lane – $150, Ron Boyd and Steve Carlon – $150. The winners in the blind draw were Johnny Babb – $75 for day one and Don Linder – $75 for day two.
Our final two events will be May 5 and 6 on Lake Eufaula. The boaters and co-anglers that qualify will advance to the District 6 TBF National Semi-Finals to be held on Grand Lake June 16 and 17. Arkansas and Oklahoma Federations make up the district. There will be three practice days for the event with the lake going off limits Sunday evening, June 10. Pre-fishing will start Wednesday, June 13. The top boater and co-angler from each state will advance to the 2019 TBF National Championship to compete for over $250,000 in cash and prizes.
