State Champions – Stewart Ryan & Wendel Reaper

The Oklahoma Bass Federation completed their six tournament State qualifying tournament trail.  The State Championship team was Stewart Ryan and Wendel Reaper representing the Ada Bass Club.  The teams were ranked based on their point totals using the four highest finishes in the six events.  These rankings will be used to set a priority list qualifying boaters and co-anglers to the 2017 TBF District 6 National Semi-Finals that will be the next step in qualifying contestants to attend the TBF National Championship in 2018.

The State Champion Team, Stewart and Wendel, had one first place finish, two second places and a sixth place finish to compile a total of 393 out of a possible 400 points.  Second and Third place ended in a tie with two teams garnering 385 points.   Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink (Ponca City Hookers) tied with Dean Matts and Scott Callaway (Central Bassmasters).  The tie breaker rule is, first, the number of fish caught in the four tournaments used in calculating the final score, both teams had limits all four days.  The second comparison is the number of fish weighed in alive.  Gene and Donnie weighed-in 20 fish alive to take second while Dean and Scott moved to third with 19 of their 20 alive.  John Garica and Brett Taylor, Bedlam, and Mike Morgan and Blake Rouch, Ada, tied for fourth and fifth place with both getting 380 points, however, John and Brett weighed-in 18 fish compared to 17 for Mike and Blake.  Sixth place went to Mike Morris and Chris Terron, Ada, with 377 points while Ron Boyd and Brian Browning, Bedlam, was seventh with 374.  Only one point separated eighth and ninth place. Marc and Julie Downs, Bedlam, registered 372 points for eighth pushing Jack Garrett, NEO, and Cameron Adams, Ponca City, to ninth with 371.  Rounding out the top ten was a three way tie at 370 points.  The three teams were Jody Linder and Jake Beam, Ponca City, Jeff Linder and Brett Kreiger, Ponca City, and Jason Conaway and Larry Conaway, Chickasha.  Following, at thirteenth was Jackie Husmann and Sandy Hooker, Ponca City Hookers, with 367 followed at fourteenth was Andy Beloat and Derek Lewis, NEO, with 364 while Wyatt Ryan and Kelton Hendrix, Ada, taking fifteenth with 363 points.  Brandon Beck, Ada, took the sixteenth slot with 362 points followed by Jeremy Vantuyl and Mike Graddis, PC Hookers, only one point behind at 361 at seventeenth.  Completing the Top 20 teams were Brandon West and Chris Angier, Bedlam, with 357 points at eighteenth, John Becerra and Keith Whitmire, Bedlam, with 353 points at nineteenth, and Shane Blocker and Matt Columbus, Bedlam, number twenty with 349.

Big Bass – Jack Garrett

These tournaments are the first step on the Oklahoma Bass Federation’s tournament trail to qualify anglers, boaters and co-anglers, to participate in the District 6 TBF NSF tournament September 17 and 18 on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR.  The top 18 boaters and top co-anglers have qualified from these 6 tournaments.  There will be one more chances to qualify by participating in the June 3 and 4 Top six or team tournament on Grand Lake.  We may also be allowed a few more sloths since OBF club members that participate in other of our events can be used in calculating the number of eligible contestants.  Also, each club participating in our State tournaments will be allowed to select a boater and co-angler to attend the District 6 National Semi-Finals event.

The OBF Board of Directors, at a recent Board meeting, set the 2018 Qualifying program to remain the same as 2017.  Therefore, we will have three weekends, one in March, April, and May, with two events during each date.  The lakes selected will be Texoma, Grand, and Eufaula, not necessarily in that order.  The only change will be an entry fee of $400 per team while keeping an 80% payback at all six events.  The $400 is a one time fee and allows teams to fish one or up to all six tournaments at no extra charge.  Once again this will be the first step in the road to qualify for the 2019 TBF National Championship.

Anyone interested in our program can contact any of our clubs or officers listed on our web site.

Runner Up – Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink

3rd – Dean Matts and Scott Callaway

We would like to invite any and all your school bass teams to the 5th Annual Veteran & Wounded Warrior Freedom Boat Bass Tournament at Ft Gibson White Horn Cove on July 15 from 6am to 2pm.   Come take a veteran with you out Fishing or just interact with the Veterans. After weigh in we will have trophies, food and door prizes also the families are invited to be at the weigh in. Even if the family member wants to fish they can fish also, ideally we would like to have a Veteran in every boat not mandatory.

The cost to non-veterans is $50 plus $10 big bass and 1st responder, Veterans are free but pay $10 for big Bass, every fisherman will get a free T-shirt.

You can go to our website ( veteranwoundedwarriorfreedomboat.com ) to get entry form/release of liability and please call Ed Napier at 918-406-5100 to inform him you’ll be fishing.

All fisherman/woman must have fishing license and minors must have release form from parent.

Thanks,  Ed Napier

FLYER        ENTRY FORM       MINOR RELEASE FORM

The Oklahoma Bass Federation held their second week-end tournament April 22 and 23, 2017 on Eufaula Lake.  It appears that the weather coordinates with our events since we seem to attract ever changing conditions during our practice and tournament days.  Thursday, our first practice day, the weather was an excellent day to check the low levels of Eufaula with little wind.  True to predictions, Friday brought a strong front with most of the anglers getting hit by strong winds and more than enough rain to disrupt their practice.  However, the anglers, fishing to qualify for the September 16 and 17 TBF National Semi-Finals at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, AR, adjusted to the ever-changing conditions and confirmed that we have an excellent group of anglers to choose from, one boater and one co-angler, to advance to the 2018 TBF National Championship.

DAY 1

The first day greeted the anglers with temperatures in the high 40’s and high winds.  Trying to find a favorite fishing location, we were one of seven tournaments on the waters on Saturday and with the high winds many of the areas that some of the anglers wanted to fish were covered with other boaters.  However, Andy Beloat and Daren Lewis, NEO, fought the wind and elements to weigh a limit of 15.20# stringer with an anchor Big Bass of the day at 5.58# to garner first place.   Being a good boat guide, Andy allowed his co-angler Daren to catch the lunker.  John Garcia and Brett Taylor, Bedlam, nailed down the 2^nd place position with a limit of fish weighing 13.85#.  The limit included a 4.69# lunker with a combination of largemouth and smallmouth bass.  Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink, Ponca City Hookers, nosed out Mike Morris and Chris Terren, Ada, for 3^rd with a limit of 13.37# while Mike and Chris was 0.22# for a 4^th place total of 13.15#.  Fifth place went to Dean Matts and Scott Callaway, Central, with their five fish tipping the scales at 12.10# pushing fellow Central Club members, Richard and Matt Schwalbach to 6^th with a limit weighing 11.73#.  Stewart Ryan and Wendel Reaper, Ada, and Ron Boyd and Brian Browning rounded out the 11 plus pound limits with Stewart and Wendel posting 11.56# to best Ron and Brian’s 11.34#.  The Ada pair took 7^th while the two from Bedlam posted the 8^th place finish.  Brett Kreiger, fishing alone while this partner was fishing the NBAA National’s, made  his first outing as a boater and trolling motor operator pay off by garnering his 9^th place finish and his first limit weighing 10.72#.  Brett is with Ponca City and lives in Dallas.  Rounding out the top ten was Marc and Julie Downs, Bedlam, with a limit at 10.37#.

DAY 2

The second was more like a mild winter morning with temperatures in the low 40’s, however the winds were more in the 8 to 10 mph out of the North with a clear blue sky.  Although there were 21 limits, Jack Garrett, NEO, and Cameron Adams, Ponca City, brought in the biggest limit of the tournament with 5 fish weighing 18.28# for 1^st place.  The limit included the big bass of the weekend at 6.43# and was accompanied by an additional six pounder.  Stewart Ryan and Wendel Reaper, Ada, moved up from their 7^th place on day one to take the number 2 spot with a limit weighing 14.22#.  The only 12 pound limit brought to the scales on day 2 was by Mike Morgan and Blake Rouch, Ada.  Their 5 fish tipped the scales at 12.34# for their 3^rd place.  Dean Matts and Scott Callaway, Central, moved up one place from their first day catch from 5^th to 4^th with 11.83#.  The fifth presented us with our first tie since using the digital scales that weigh to the nearest 0.01#.  Two teams weighted in limits of 11.56#, therefore, Andy Beloat and Daren Lewis, NEO, and Mike Morris and Chris Terren, Ada, shared the 5^th and 6^th place positions.  John Becerra and Keith Whitmire, Bedlam, took 7^th with an 11.22# bag.  Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink , PC Hookers, had a limit weighing 10.92# for 8^th place.  Ninth place went to day one 2^nd place finishers, John Garcia and Brett Taylor, Bedlam, with 10.65# limit and was followed by Jackie Husmann and Sandy Hooker, PC Hookers, at 10^th with a limit weighing 10.42#.

SUMMARY

The total catch for both day were about the same.  On Saturday, with the high winds and overcast skies, there were 116 fish weighed in with a total weight of 237 pounds, which is an average of 2.05 pounds per fish.  The Sunday, with light winds and clear blue skies, brought 113 fish to the scales for a total weight of 230 pounds for a 2.04 pound average.  The big bass for day one was a 5.58 pounder boated by Daren Lewis, NEO, while Jack Garrett took the second day and overall weekend Lunker with a 6.43 pounder. The Day 1 Ranger Cup winner was Gene Vogt, PC Hookers, with his third place finish while Stewart Ryan, Ada, took Day 2 Ranger Cup honors with his second place finish.

The first four of our six tournaments of our 2017 schedule have been completed.  The final two events will determine both the Oklahoma Bass Federation Team State Champion and the top qualifiers to advance to the TBF District 6 National Semi-Finals in September.  The current leading team is Stewart Ryan and Wendel Reaper, Ada, with a four day total of 378 points.  There are two other teams in the 370 class was Dean Matts and Scott Callaway, Central, garnering second with 375 points followed by Jason and Larry Conaway, Chickasha, at third with 370 points.  Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink, PC Hookers, edged out Mike Morris and Chris Terren, Ada, by one point registering 368 points for fourth place to Mike and Chris’ fifth place finish with 367 points.  Sixth place was taken by Mike Morgan and Chris Terren, Ada, with 365 points.  Wyatt Ryan and Keltyn Hendrix, Ada, charted 363 points to capture seventh place while Marc and Julie Downs was eight with 362 points.  NEO’s Andy Beloat and Daren Lewis took the ninth place position with 360 points.  Tenth ended in a tie between two Bedlam teams.  The team of Brandon West and Chris Angier matched John Garcia and Brett Taylor with each team getting 357 points.

The final two tournaments will be on Lake Hudson with the weighin at the Snowdale State Park.  The headquarters will be at the Holiday Motel, 918-864-1967, with a meeting at 6:30 pm for fishing times and off limits.

The Oklahoma Bass Federation started their 2017 tournament series on Lake Texoma to qualify anglers and co-anglers to the District 6 Bass Federation (TBF) Nationals Semi-Finals (NSF) at Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark., September 16-17.  The top boaters and co-anglers from both Arkansas and Oklahoma will advance to the 2018 TBF Nationals to try to capture a trip to the 2018 TBF National Championship, presented by FLW.   The top boater from the 49 States at the TBF Nationals will earn a $100,000 “Living the Dream” prize package, which includes the use of a wrapped Ranger boat powered by Evinrude, a tow vehicle, fully paid entry into the 2018 FLW Tour, a cash award and automatic berths into both the 2018 BFL All-American and the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup.  First place on the co-angler side also receives a “Living the Dream” prize package, including paid entry fees into the 2018 FLW series, a cash award and an automatic berth into the 2018 BFL All-American.

Day 1 Leaders: (Back LR) Mike Morris and Chris Tarron, Ada; Tyler Waggoner and Bryce Harris, Ada; Brandon West and Chris Angier, Bedlam (Front LR) Jason and Larry Conaway, Chickasha; Wyatt Ryan and Kelton Hendrix, Ada

The OBF will qualify 10% of the anglers and co-anglers that participate in our qualifying events.  Texoma was the first of these events.  We will follow this event with two more Team events in April, at Eufaula, and May, at Hudson.  Anglers in these three events must fish at least 4 of the tournaments to qualify.  Following in June will be our Top 6 and a Team tournament for those either fishing in the Top 6 or others that did not make their individual club teams.  We will then take 10% of the total number of OBF members participating in these events and they will be able to advance to the NSF.  In addition to these qualifiers, each OBF club, in good standing, will be allowed to select a boater and co-angler to the NSF provided they have participation in one of our qualifying events.

The tournament at Texoma was a normal Oklahoma weekend with wind during practice, a front passing through Friday night, clear to partly cloudy on Saturday and blues skies on Sunday.  Also, as usual, many of the anglers adjusted to the pre-spawn pattern and 24 limits were brought in on Saturday and 23 on Sunday.

DAY 1

The first day of our State Qualifying Tournament (SQT) started with mild winds, for Texoma, overcast skies, with temperatures, both air and water, around 60 degrees and warming to the low eighties by weighin time.  Mike Morris and Chris Tarron, Ada Bassmasters, brought the largest limit of 5 bass, weighing 19.03# with a 4.24# lunker to anchor their stringer.   Another Ada team, Tyler Waggoner and Bryce Harris had limit that weighed 17.10# and was anchored by the Big Bass for the day at 5.35# to take the second place money.  Third was garnered by Brandon West and Chris Angier, Bedlam Bass Club, with 5 fish tipping the scales at 15.59# with a 4.94# big bass.  The father/son team of Larry and Jason Conaway’s, Chickasha,  limit weighed 14.30# for fourth place nosed out Wyatt Ryan and Kelton Hendrix, Ada, by 0.10# at 14.29# for fifth place.  Sixth went to Dean Matts and Scott Callaway, Central, with a limit weighing 14.07#, followed by Ron Boyd and Brian Browning, Bedam, with 13.73# at seventh.  Rounding out the top 10 was Shane Blocker and Matt Columbus, Bedlam, at eighth with 13.56#, Marc and Julie Downs, Bedlam, with 13.43# ninth, and tenth was Jackie Husmann and Sandy Hooker, PC Hookers, with 13.27#.

Day 2 Leaders: (Back LR) Marc and Julie Downs, Bedlam; Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink, Ponca City; Jeffrey Linder and Brett Krieger, Ponca City (Front LR) Jason and Larry Conaway, Chickasha; Mike Morgan and Blake Rauch, Ada.

DAY 2

The second tournament of our SQT started with a clear blue sky, no wind.  Although the conditions seemed to indicate difficult fishing conditions, once again, our anglers proved they could adjust.  After a first day finish of ninth place, Marc and Julie Downs moved to first on Sunday by bringing  in 5 fish weighing 18.64# with a 4.85# anchor.  According to Julie, she caught the  fish on Saturday and decided to net Marc’s on Sunday.  Second place went to Gene Vogt and Donnie Combrink, PC Hookers, with a limit weighing 17.01# and a 4.89# anchor.  Third was garnered by Jeff Linder and Brett Krieger, Ponca City Bassmasters, with 16.27# with a big bass of 4.89#.  Larry and Jason Conaway, Chickasha, took fourth place, repeating their first day finish, with a limit weighing 15.95#.  Fifth went to Mike Morgan and Blake Rauch, Ada, with 15.77# including  the Big Bass, for the day and the weekend, weighing 6.39#.  Sixth was taken by Stewart Ryan and Wendle Reaper, Ada, at 15.44# nosing out Wyatt Ryan and Kelton Hendrix, Ada, by 0.26# at 15.18# for seventh.  Jody Linder and Jake Beam, Ponca City, captured eighth with 14.95# followed by Jeremy Vantuyl, and Michael Gaddis, PC Hooker, with 14.75#.  Tenth went to John Garcia and Brett Taylor, Bedlam, with a limit weighing 14.69#.

SUMMARY

The first weekend of our SQT saw 24 limits on the first day with 134 fish weighed in.  The average weight was 2.47# per fish with a big bass weighing 5.35#.  The second day yielded 23 limits for a total of 130 fish.  The average for day 2 was 2.70# per fish including the big bass for the weekend at 6.39#.  The big bass for both days were the only bass weighed over the 5# class.

The race for the 2017 State Champion Team title will result from the sixth SQT events, using the total of the four highest results.  During our first two events, we had zero  blanks so everybody is in the race.  The point system used is 100 point for first, 99 for second and one less  per place.  Our present leading team with 194 points is Larry and Jason Conaway being the only two to cash a check both days.  They had a total of 30.25# for an average weight of 3.03# per fish.  The husband/wife pair of Marc and Julie Downs is a close second at 192 points.  They registered the biggest weekend total weight at 32.07# for a 3.21# per fish, they are also the first husband/wife team to win an OBF event.  Wyatt Ryan and Kelton Hendrix was third at 190 followed by Jeff Linder and Brett Krieger, 187, at fourth.  At fifth was Stewart Ryan and Wendel Reaper with 185 followed by Dean Matts and Scott Callaway, 182, Brandon West and Chris Angier, 181, Jody Linder and Jake Beam, 179, Tyler Waggoner and Bryce Harris, 179, and rounding out the top 10 was a three way tie between Mike Morgan and Blake Rauch, Shane Blocker and Matt Columbus, and Johnny Babb and Cain Brinlee at 178.

The Ranger Cup winners were Mike Morris Saturday and Gene Vogt on Sunday.  This program is open to all Ranger boat owners who can register and join.  Each winner at our tournaments will receive $75.  The total pay back to our team at each of the 6 events will be $1125 paying the top 5 teams and a blind draw for the 6^th place.