The final Oklahoma Bass Federation qualifying tournament was held on the Arkansas River at the Three Forks Marina in Muskogee, OK on April 30 and May 1.  As it has been the norm this year, the weather was a big factor.  Thursday practice day was clear skies and not much wind.  Friday, as predicted, brought strong North winds, and during our pairing meeting, a downpour.  The heavy rain Friday night resulted in a rise of about 5 to 6 feet on the river to start the Saturday competition.  However, as usual, our fishermen still found the secret to bring in good stringers of bass.

Day 1

The day started with high water levels, swift currents and muddy creeks.  However, Stewart Ryan, Ada, brought one of the largest stingers of the year with a 5 fish limit weighing 19.23# with a 4.89 pounder to anchor his limit.  Mike Morris, Ada, was second with 5 fish weighing 15.19 pounds.  A pair of Bedlam anglers followed at 3^rd and 4^th with Jack Garrett’s limit weighing 13.47# anchored by the big bass for the day at 5.11# for 3^rd and Shane Blocker with a limit weighing 13.30# taking 4th.  Brandon Moss, Ada, had a limit weighing 12.35# for 5^th, while Darrel Dye, Ponca City followed at 6^th with 4 fish tipping the scales at 10.84#.  The only other 10 plus stinger was Ron Fuller’s, NEO, 5 fish limit at 10.23# for 7^th place.  Rounding out the top 10 was Sandy Hooker, Ponca City, at 8^th with a 9.84 limit, Dean Matts, Central, followed with a limit weighing 9.24# for 9^th and Mike Morgan, Ada, 10^th with 4 fish weighing 8.05#.  John Garcia, Bedlam, and Shawn Lewis, Ponca City, were the only others to bring a 5 fish limit to the scales for 11 with 8.05 and 12 place at 7.62, respectively.

Day 2

The second day looked promising with no rain in sight and the river down to about 1 to 2 feet over normal.  However, the current was still strong and the fish discovered there were anglers trying to move them from their places of residence to the Three Forks Marina weighin site.  Only three anglers broke the 10 # mark on the final day.  Stewart Ryan, Ada, again led the tournament with a limit weighing 13.81#.  Following in second was Brian Browning, Bedlam, with the second with one of the only four limits of the day tipping the scales at 11.51#.  Chuck Nelson, Ada, had 4 bass weighing 11.21# to capture the number 3 spot followed by Jake Beam, Ponca City, with a limit of 5 for 9.75# finishing at fourth place.  Brannon Whipple, NEO, took 5th place with 4 fish weighing 9.30#.  Clayton Coppin, NEO, was 6 th place at 8.92# followed by Shane Blocker, Bedlam, at 7 th with only 2 fish weighing 7.46# with the big bass of the day at 5.25#.  The top 10 included Brandon Beck, Ada, at 6.38 at 8 th,  Jody Linder, Ponca City, with 6.00# at 9 th and Mike Morgan, Ada, duplicated his 10 th place finish the first day with 5.95#.  Wes Carey, NEO, was 11 th with 5.54# and rounding out the top 12 was the fourth limit by Jeff Linder at 5.09#.

Final 2016 Results

The final State Qualifying Tournament schedule has been completed.  This year’s events had a dual purpose to select our final Central Division Team and determine the qualifiers that will fish the 2016 TBF National Semi-Finals tournament.  The Central Divisional will be held on Truman Lake out of Bucksaw Marine the last week in June while the NSF will be held on the Arkansas River/Three Forks Marina September 24 and 25.  The top 2 anglers from our Divisional will qualify for the 2017 TBF National  Championship, number 1 as the boater and 2 as the co-angler.  The top boater and co-angler in the NSF  will join the Divisional qualifiers for an elimination round at the 2017 TBF Nationals.  (Note: If there are 50 or more OBF contestants in the NSF we will be able to qualify two boaters and two co-anglers to the TBF Nationals.)

This year’s final results were the closest race between the top 14 spots than any of the previous 36 years history of the Divisional format.  Stewart Ryan, again, took the State Championship with 396 points.  Mike Morris was the State Runner-up with 385 points, both fish with the Ada club.  Now the ties.  We had two way ties for 3 and 4 with 384, 5 and 6 with 377 points, 7 and 8 with 366, 13 and 14 with 362 points, and a three way tie at 10, 11, and 12 with 363 points.  The tie breaker is the total number of fish weighed in for the four days used to reach the anglers total points.  The second tie breaker is the number of live fish brought to the scales and finally, the third being the total weight for the four days.

Ron Fuller nosed out Jody Linder with 19 fish verse 17 to garner 3 place and placing Jody at 4^th.  Dean Matts, the only angler to finish with 4 limits/20 fish, bettered Brandon Moss’s 15 for the 5^th place slot.  Brandon thus became the final boater on the Divisional team with his 6^th place finish.  Donnie Combrink, our first former Junior angler contestant to make our Team, took the 7^th place with 370 points.  Mike Morgan and Brannon Whipple not only tied in points, they also were deadlocked on fish weigh-in as well as the number of fish alive, 16.  The final tie breaker showed Mike weighing in 34.87# to take 8^th verses 32.62# for Brannon for 9^th.  The three way tie at 10 thru 12 was Kyle Tudor, Don Linder, and Shane Blocker.  Tenth pace went to Don with 16 fish followed by Kyle weighing in 15 fish for 11^th.  Shane Blocker rounding out the Top 12 with his 12 fish total.  The other tie at 13 and 14 was between Jeff Linder and Brandon Beck.  Jeff got the 13 spot with 18 fish and Brandon notched the 14^th place with 14 fish.  Rounding out the top 15, with his second place finish the final day, was Brian Browning, Bedlam, with 258 points.

The team that will represent you at the Divisional June 19-24, 2016 will consist of 4 first timers, 3 for the second, 2 for the fourth, 2 with 22, and 2 with over 30 state team appearances.  Dean and Don will fish in the last of the Divisional tournaments while having fished the first in 1981 on Toledo Bend.  Stewart and Jody have represented us over 20 times while Jeff and Ron have had 4 trips.  All others are going for their 1^st or 2^nd trips.  This team will also have one of the youngest to make the team and the oldest.  Donnie Combrink, 18, is second youngest to make our team.  Wyatt Ryan who made the team two years ago at 18 was 2 months younger at the time than Donnie’s present age.  The other part of history for these two is that Donnie comes from our Junior program and Wyatt was part of our High School/SAF program.  On the other side, Don is the oldest to make the Team.  This will be the second time that three from the same family have made the team, Jody, Jeff and Don.

The second of the three weekend Oklahoma Bass Federation qualifying tournaments was held on Lake Eufaula April 2 and 3.  The 56 anglers faced muddy to heavily stained water for the second qualifier, matching the conditions in our first weekend qualifiers at Texoma.  During the practice days the Gentle Giant was very accommodating, the winds were at a minimum and the weather was very mild.  The only problem was the water was very murky, some areas muddy.  There was not any areas on the lake that provided clear water.  Also, it appeared to many that the lake dropped about 2 to 3 feet Thursday night, making the practice days difficult to locate fish.

 ONE

The day started with colder weather compared to our practice day, a low wind and not a cloud in sky.   The biggest catch was Michael Morris’, Ada, five fish weighing 14.38#.  Michael’s stringer was anchored by a 4.37# lunker.  Ron Fuller, NEO, was second with 5 fish weighing 14.09#.  Brandon Moss, Bedlam, followed at 3^rd with 13.43# while Jody Linder, Ponca City, had 12.65# for 4^th.  Dean Matts, Central, was 5^th with 10.98#.  Jeffrey Linder, Ponca City, nosed out his partner, John Becerra, Bedlam, by 0.01 pounds.  Jeff had 10.52 while John had 10.51.  Brannon Whipple, NEO, garnered 8^th with 10.15# while Johnny Babb, Ada, at 10.08# and Donnie Combrink, Ponca City, with 9.73 rounded out 9^th and 10^th, respectively.

The first day resulted in 134 fish being weighed in weighing 272.34#.  That resulted in an average weight per fish at 2.02#.  There was 14 limits brought to the sales and 13 anglers that were not able to find an elusive keeper.  All 134 fish were returned to the lake which gave us a 100% of the fish weighed in were alive.  The average daily weight per contestant was 4.85#.

DAY TWO

The second day was greeted with another 43 degree morning.  As predicted, the skies were clear and the winds increased during the day, however, the lake seemed to stabilize overnight.  The result was that the wining weights were somewhat larger.  Don Linder, Ponca City, weighed in his largest stringer during his 43 years of competing in OBF events with a 5 fish limit and the biggest weight during the weekend at 17.9#.  The limited was anchored with a 5.74 pounder.  Mike Morgan, Ada, was 2^nd with a 15.75# limit with a 4.41 kicker.  Adding to the 15# class for the day, Wes Cary, NEO, had 15.01# with a 5.07# big bass, for 3^rd.  Fourth went to Stewart Ryan, Ada, with 13.14# supported by the big bass for the day, a 6.47# lunker.   Donnie Combrink, Ponca City, and Ron Fuller, NEO, repeated their 10 place finishes the first day with catches of 11.67# and 11.59# for 5tth and 6^th, respectively.  Wyatt Ryan, Ada, was 7^th with 10.96# followed by Shawn Lewis, Ponca City, 9.86# at 8^th.  Shawn’s weight included a 5.29# anchor.  Michael Morris, Ada, after winning the first day dropped to 9^th with 9.74#.  Keltyn Hendrix, Ada, made his first finish in the top 10 with a 9.33# stringer.

The total fish weighed in the second day was 140 that averaged 2.11#, a little larger than the first day.  The total weigh for Sunday was 295.24#, 25k# more than day one.  The number of limits were 12, a few less than day one.  However the average weight per contestant increased to 4.85#. All 140 fish were returned to the lake alive.   An historical note for this second day is that the oldest angler, previously, for winning an OBF event was L.E.”Porky” Collins from Chickasha at 68 years of age.  That record was at Eufaula in 1990 and his boater was Don Linder.  Collins’ record as oldest contestant to win an OBF event has now been replaced by his 1990 partner, Linder, who is 77 years old.

STANDAINGS AFTER TEXOMA

The leader after the first four qualifiers is Jody Linder with 378 points.  Dean Matts has 368 for second followed by Michael Morris only one point back at 367.  Fourth is held down by Ron Fuller with 362, followed by Donnie Combrink with 360.  Rounding out 6^th and 7^th is father/son pair, Don and Jeffrey Linder at 355 and 352, respectively.  Brandon Moss at 350 holds down 8^th followed by Brandon Beck, 345, and Kyle Tudor, 342, at 9^th and 10^th.   Wyatt Ryan, 331, and John Beccera, 330, round out the top 12, respectively.  The road to the National Seimi-Finals will include the top 34 anglers, 17 boaters and 17 co-anglers.  After the first four events, 34 place is 244 points.

The Ranger Cup winners for each day were Michael Morris on day one and Don Linder for day two.  Each will receive $75 for their efforts.  Ranger will award the top registered Ranger Cup finisher at each of our next 2 qualifiers a check for $75.  If you are a Ranger Boat owner, go to bassfederation.com or Rangerboats.com web site and sign-up.

The next tournament weekend is April 30 and May 1 on the Arkansas River in Muskogee.  The weigh-in each day at the Three Forks Marina.  Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce and Recreation and Tourism committee will be our host at this event.

We are fishing for the top six boaters and next six point getters to round out our State team that will represent us at the final Central Division Tournament on Truman Lake in Missouri, June 19 -24.  We will also be accumulating points to select the top 34 anglers that will qualify for the National Semi-Finals to be held on the Arkansas River in Muskogee with Arkansas.  The top boater and co-angler at that event will qualify for the TBF National Championship.  Entry to the NSF will be $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers.  There will be a 75% payout for the top 20% entered.  Also, we may have as many as two boaters and two co-anglers qualify if we have 50 or more Federation anglers enter the NSF.  Of course, each club that participates in our qualifiers, can enter a boater and co-angler into the NSF tournament.  After our six qualifiers, you will also have an additional chance to qualify by entering the Top 6 or the Team Tournament in September.

The first of three weekends of Oklahoma Bass Federation qualifying tournaments was held on Texoma Lake March 12 and 13. The 52 anglers faced muddy to heavily stained water and occasional rain during the practice days, however, the Saturday and Sunday competition days proved to be mild weather and most of all, little to no problems with the wind. Both days resulted two to three times more anglers blanking than those bringing limits to the scales.

DAY ONE
The day opened with threatening skies but essentially no wind and with a 12 inch limit on spotted bass and 14 inch on large and smallmouth bass only 7 limits were brought to the scales. Dean Matts, Central Bassmasters, weighed-in the big stringer of the tournament with a 5 fish limit of 16.12 pounds, anchored by a 4.7 pound lunker. Jody Linder, Ponca City, nosed out Kyle Tudor, NEO, 12.89 # to 12.67 # for second place. Brian Browning, Bedlam, and Ron Fuller, NEO, added their limits of 10.46# 10.12 # for fourth and fifth. Donnie Combrink, Ponca City, the only angler in the top 8 without a limit, brought 3 fish in for a total of 8.35 # for 6 place. Michael Morris, Ada, and Curtis Bryan, Bedlam, had the two final limits of 5 fish weighing 8.03 # and 7.75 # to capture 7 and 8th, respectively. Rounding out the top 10 were Brandon Beck, Ada, at 9th (7.13#) and Garrett Daggs, Bedlam, with 6.98# for 10th.
The first day resulted in 91 fish being brought to the scales weighing 178.74# with an average weight per fish at 1.96#. There was 7 limits brought to the sales and 15 anglers that were not able to find an elusive keeper. All 91 fish were returned to the lake, which gave us a 100% of the fish weighed in were alive.

DAY TWO
The second day was greeted with an excellent weather forecast, however, the light winds were predicted to change during the day and they did. Only 6 anglers had limits while 17 failed to weigh-in a legal fish. Jake Beam, Ponca City, claimed his first win in our organization with 5 fish weighing 12.6#, he is also our first Junior State Champion to win an event. Stewart Ryan, Ada, garnered 2nd with a limit weighing 12.30# while Kyle Tudor repeated his first day finish for another third place finish with 4 fish weighing 10.55# with the Big Bass of the weekend of 5.13#. Brandon Moss, Bedlam, had 4 fish weighing 9.59# for fourth. Jody Linder again placed in the top 5 with 5 fish weighing 9.46# for fifth. Don Linder, Ponca City was 6th with 5 fish weighing 8.72#. Johnny Babb, Ada, squeezed by Shane Egger, Bedlam, with 4 fish at 8.50# to Shane’s 8.45# limit. Ninth went to Jeffrey Linder with a limit of 8.32# followed by John Fulller, NEO, with only 2 fish weighing 7.90# with a 4.58# lunker.

The second day result brought several first in our organization. The first Junior State Champion to win and the first time to have four from the same family place in the top 10 for a tournament. In fact, 4 of the 6 limits were registered by that family. (Note: a grandson, two sons and their father.)

STANDINGS AFTER TEXOMA
The leader after the first two qualifiers is Kyle Tudor, NEO, with his two third place finishes with 196 points. Jody Linder, Ponca City, was the only other to place in the top 10, second and fifth, for a 195 point second place standing. Dean Matts, Central, and Brandon Moss, Bedlam, are tied at 183 for third while Brandon Beck, Ada, holds down fifth at 181. John Fuller, NEO, sits at sixth with 178 with Michael Morris, Ada, and Curtis Bryan, Bedlam tied for seventh at 175. Jeffrey Linder and Donnie Combrink, both from Ponca, are ninth at 173 while Brian Browning, Bedlam, is eleventh with 172 while a three way tie for the 12 place at 168 are Jake Beam, Ponca, Ron Fuller, NEO, and Don Linder, Ponca.
The Ranger Cup winners for each day were Jody Linder on day one and Stewart Ryan for day two. Each will receive $75 for their efforts. Ranger will award the top registered Ranger Cup finisher at each of our next 4 qualifiers a check for $75. If you are a Ranger Boat owner, go to bassfederation.com or Rangerboats.com web site and sign-up.
The next tournament weekend is April 2 and 3 on Lake Eufaula with the weigh-in each day at the pavilion north on Eufaula Cove. That is by the volleyball court and the north entrance to Eufaula Cove from the main lake.

We are fishing for the top six boaters and next six point getters to round out our State team that will represent us at the final Central Division Tournament on Truman Lake in Missouri, June 19 -24. We will also be accumulating points to select the top 32 to 34 anglers that will qualify for the National Semi-Finals to be held on the Arkansas River in Muskogee with Arkansas. The top boater and co-angler at that event will qualify for the TBF National Championship. Entry to the NSF will be $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers. There will be a 75% payout for the top 20% entered. Also, we may have as many as two boaters and two co-anglers qualify if we have 50 or more Federation anglers enter the NSF. Of course, each club that participates in our qualifiers, can enter a boater and co-angler into the NSF tournament. After our six qualifiers, you will also have an additional chance to qualify by entering the Top 6 or the Team Tournament in September.

The Oklahoma Bass Federation will start the 2016 year by completing the 36 year old program and start our new, future program.

First, we’ll again qualify a 12 man team to fish the final Central Division Tournament on Truman Lake in Missouri, June 19-24. This will be the top 6 boaters and next 6 highest finishers at our three state qualifying tournaments (SQT). These events will be at Texoma, March 12-13, Eufaula April 2-3 and Muskogee, April 30-May 1. Each weekend event will be two separate tournaments with the winner getting 100 points, 2nd 99 and one less for each place. The final results will be the total of the four highest days. The top two team members at the Divisionals will advance to the National Finals with the highest being the boater and the other the co-angler.

Now the second part, the new program will run parallel to the above in 2016 and then stand alone in 2017 and the future. In 2016, we’ll run this along with the 12 team qualifying event. Here’s the difference; we’ll qualify 10% of the field to the Nationals Semi-Finals (NSF). That will be 10% of the total individuals with paid entry to our SQT’s along with the Top 6 and the State Team tournament. The Top 6 and the State Team event will be held at Muskogee, September 17-18.

An example of this is as follows: if we have 50 contestants at each of our 6 qualifiers that would give us 300 contestants allowing 15 boaters and 15 co-anglers to advance to the NSF. Likewise, using this past year’s numbers, we had 48 in the Top 6 and 54 in the State Team events. That would allow 5 boaters and 5 co-anglers, in addition to, the SQT qualifiers. The new program allows each club to send a boater and co-angler to the NSF. For a club to be eligible, they must have at least 2 entrants in any of the above events (it requires the two to enter and attend at least 2 of the SQT weekend events). The NSF will have an entry fee of $200 for boaters and $100 for co-anglers. This event will be run using rules establish by the TBF and all entries will be made through the TBF office.

The NSF will be held in Muskogee Sept. 24-25. We’ll fish with Arkansas in this event in a home/home format, next year, we’ll fish in Arkansas. We’ll advance the top boaters and co-anglers to the TBF National Championship. Those advancing will be based on one pair for every 50 entrants in the NSF. In the example above, we would send the top 2 boaters and co-anglers to the Nationals along with the two qualifying from the Central Division Tournament. At Nationals, our three boaters and three co-anglers will compete on Monday and Tuesday in an elimination tournament with the top boater and top co-angler advancing to the National Finals.

This is open to all Members meeting the requirements of the OBF. If you are interested, call 580-761-8094.