RIDGELAND, Miss. — Going back to catch what he left behind sums up the day for Billy Lemon, the Day 1 leader of the B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional tournament on Ross Barnett Reservoir.
“In practice I found an early bite, and this morning I lost a good fish there, so I went back,” said Lemon, of the North Oklahoma City Bassmasters. “I didn’t expect to catch that kind of weight.”
The lost fish stayed on his mind all morning. Returning at midday to check the spot proved to be a good idea. Lemon filled his limit of five bass weighing 18 pounds, 11 ounces from the same area. The day’s heaviest largemouth weighing 6-1 anchored the catch.
In second place with 17-3 is fellow Oklahoman Preston Frazell. He scored with a deliberate morning and midday bite at different depth ranges from the same location. It’s too early to tell, but having a solid area that can produce all day long is a plus on this impoundment.
“It’s all about the timing for me,” Frazell said. “I have two separate techniques, first shallow and then deep later in the day.”
“There’s a reset kind of timing with it because the action slows down some between the early and mid-morning bite," Frazell added.
The scenario is predictable during summer on the lowland, sprawling reservoir in central Mississippi. The lake offers an abundance of shallow water cover such as fields of lily pads that provide shade and cover for the bass. Here they feed early in the morning and then move nearby to cooler, deeper water for the remainder of the day.
“The morning bite is much better for me,” Frazell said.
He said adding balance to the bite by catching bass all day is a goal for Thursday. Lemon and Frazell made a big contribution to Oklahoma’s overall lead in the state team standings. The team’s cumulative weight is 113-2. Louisiana is second with 93-9, and Kansas has 92-7 for third place. The winning state team is awarded a Skeeter/Yamaha boat, motor, trailer and accessories package valued at $33,340.
The contenders from eight states qualified from local bass clubs and then advanced to state championships. Each team has 14 members. Two of those anglers are part of another competition underway here. State championship high school teams are competing alongside the adults to hone their skills at the higher level. Their cumulative weight is added to the overall score of the state team. Each adult angler who wins his state here advances to the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in November on the Ouachita River in Louisiana.
2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional 6/10-6/12
Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ridgeland MS.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Billy Lemon Sand Springs, OK (OK) 5 18-11 0
2. Preston Frazell Cleveland, OK (KS) 5 17-03 0
3. Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA (LA) 5 14-15 0
4. Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX (TX) 5 14-03 0
5. Kris Bosley Amarillo, TX (TX) 5 14-00 0
6. Kevin Vaughan Nowata, OK (OK) 5 13-09 0
7. Frank Morton Purvis, MS (MS) 5 13-07 0
8. Trevor Yates Norman, OK (OK) 5 12-06 0
9. David Cavell Prairieville, LA (LA) 5 12-04 0
10. Samuel Anthony Independence, LA (LA) 5 12-03 0
11. Wyatt Smith Stroud, OK (OK) 5 12-01 0
12. Ryan Lavigne Gonzales, LA (LA) 5 11-10 0
13. Benjamin King Garnett, KS (KS) 5 11-03 0
14. Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE (NE) 5 10-14 0
15. Will Major Port Allen, LA (LA) 5 10-08 0
16. Jason Citta Hershey, NE (NE) 5 10-07 0
17. John Soukup Jr Agra, OK (OK) 5 10-04 0
18. Chris Johnson Enid, OK (OK) 5 10-03 0
19. Chuck Halbert Jr West Helena, AR (MS) 5 09-14 0
20. Chris Torkleson Sand Springs, OK (KS) 5 09-11 0
21. Brandon Pedigo Durant, OK (OK) 5 09-08 0
22. Jason Buchanan Burnet, TX (TX) 5 09-02 0
23. Brandon Lee Ratcliff, AR (AR) 5 09-01 0
24. Blake Betz Baton Rouge, LA (LA) 5 08-12 0
25. Doug Thompson Mabelvale, AR (AR) 4 08-09 0
26. Creighton Sawyer Houston, AR (AR) 5 08-07 0
27. Josh Wray Omaha, AR (AR) 5 08-01 0
28. Brian Penning Wichita, KS (KS) 5 07-15 0
29. Bo Middleton Lawton, OK (OK) 5 07-13 0
30. Donald Adcock Richland, MS (MS) 5 07-11 0
30. Jim Simpson Canyon, TX (TX) 5 07-11 0
32. Paul Huse Omaha, NE (NE) 5 07-11 0
33. Trevor Rogge San Antonio, TX (TX) 5 07-07 0
34. Michael Valentine Laurel , MS (MS) 5 07-05 0
35. Matt Roberts Pulaski, IA (MO) 5 07-04 0
36. Mark Floyd Blue Mountain, MS (MS) 5 07-03 0
37. Johnny Starks Wellington, KS (KS) 5 07-02 0
38. Ken Caldwell Wylie, TX (TX) 4 07-02 0
39. Larry Brumley Topeka, KS (KS) 5 07-01 0
39. Kris Lee Coweta, OK (OK) 5 07-01 0
41. Troy Morrison North Little Rock, AR ( 5 07-00 0
41. Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK (OK) 5 07-00 0
43. Jay Rogers Arlington, TN (MS) 5 06-14 0
44. Craig Torkleson Sand Springs, OK (KS) 5 06-13 0
45. Larry Fralick Wichita, KS (KS) 5 06-11 0
46. Josh Stapleton Arlington, TX (TX) 5 06-10 0
47. Jody Herring Meadville, MS (MS) 5 06-10 0
48. Ron Snyder Georgetown, AR (AR) 5 06-09 0
49. Brad VanRiette Iola, KS (KS) 5 06-08 0
50. Jerry Pape Milford, IA (NE) 5 06-05 0
51. Ralph Leonard Tekamah, NE (NE) 4 06-03 0
52. James McKee Springdale, AR (AR) 5 06-02 0
53. Danny Carter Hernando, MS (MS) 5 06-01 0
54. Cary Beard Gonzalez, LA (LA) 5 05-14 0
55. Beau Branine Haysville, KS (KS) 5 05-13 0
56. Jeffery Lemoine Des Allemands, LA (LA) 5 05-09 0
57. Doug Guins Lake Charles, LA (LA) 5 05-04 0
57. Paul Kremers Clarksville, AR (AR) 5 05-04 0
59. Kyle Dragulski Mansfield, TX (TX) 4 05-04 0
60. Troy Montgomery Granbury, TX (TX) 3 04-15 0
61. Duane Crenshaw Irving, TX (TX) 2 04-15 0
62. Scotty Smith Taylor, AR (AR) 1 04-02 0
63. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA (LA) 4 04-00 0
63. Sam Leintz Linwood, KS (KS) 4 04-00 0
65. Faron Morris Clarksburg, MO (MO) 2 04-00 0
65. Richard Risewick Norton, KS (NE) 2 04-00 0
67. Larry Stoafer Leavenworth, KS (MO) 2 03-10 0
68. Mark Boggs Beggs, OK (OK) 2 03-09 0
69. Dan Chickering Bloomfield, IA (MO) 3 03-05 0
70. Jeremy Tibben Stanton, IA (NE) 2 03-05 0
71. Cody Graff Glenvil, NE (NE) 3 03-04 0
72. Mike Ford Peculiar , MO (MO) 2 03-04 0
73. Jeff Hamilton Blue Springs, MO (MO) 3 03-03 0
73. Aaron Olsen Lenexa, KS (NE) 3 03-03 0
75. Justin Foster Bude, MS (MS) 2 03-00 0
75. Kevin Parker Sumrall, MS (MS) 2 03-00 0
77. Felix Appelt Goliad, TX (TX) 1 02-15 0
78. Chuck Wisdom Jr Beebe, AR (AR) 3 02-14 0
79. John Blankenbeker Camdenton, MO (MO) 1 02-13 0
80. Terry Reed Willils, TX (TX) 3 02-10 0
80. Kyle Robertson Austin, AR (AR) 3 02-10 0
82. Chris Brokman Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 2 02-08 0
83. James Parsons Topeka, KS (KS) 3 02-07 0
84. Donald Switzer Clarinda, IA (NE) 2 02-01 0
84. Greg Voss Jefferson City, MO (MO) 2 02-01 0
86. Joshua Alleman Gramercy, LA (LA) 2 01-12 0
87. Charlie Harrington New Cambria, MO (MO) 2 01-11 0
88. Darrin Herndon Soso, MS (MS) 1 01-11 0
88. Heath Willard Brookhaven, MS (MS) 1 01-11 0
90. Harold Stark Eldon, MO (MO) 1 01-10 0
91. Jeff Saunders Kearney , MO (MO) 1 01-07 0
92. Robert Degraffenreid Oklahoma Cty, OK (OK) 1 01-01 0
93. Rob Werner Denham Springs, LA (LA) 1 00-14 0
94. Jason Boswell Corning, IA (NE) 0 00-00 0
94. Mike Jackson Cuba, MO (MO) 0 00-00 0
94. Dusty Scott Rector, AR (AR) 0 00-00 0
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 55 363 623-03
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55 363 623-03
TEAM STANDINGS Day 1
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State Lbs-Oz
1 OKLAHOMA 113-02
2 LOUISIANA 93-09
3 KANSAS 92-07
4 TEXAS 86-14
5 MISSISSIPPI 74-07
6 ARKANSAS 68-11
7 NEBRASKA 59-13
8 MISSOURI 34-04
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 1
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KANSAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Preston Frazell Cleveland, OK 5 17-03 0
2 Benjamin King Garnett, KS 5 11-03 0
3 Chris Torkleson Sand Springs, OK 5 09-11 0
4 Brian Penning Wichita, KS 5 07-15 0
5 Johnny Starks Wellington, KS 5 07-02 0
6 Larry Brumley Topeka, KS 5 07-01 0
7 Craig Torkleson Sand Springs, OK 5 06-13 0
8 Larry Fralick Wichita, KS 5 06-11 0
9 Brad VanRiette Iola, KS 5 06-08 0
10 Beau Branine Haysville, KS 5 05-13 0
11 Sam Leintz Linwood, KS 4 04-00 0
12 James Parsons Topeka, KS 3 02-07 0
OKLAHOMA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Billy Lemon Sand Springs, OK 5 18-11 0
2 Kevin Vaughan Nowata, OK 5 13-09 0
3 Trevor Yates Norman, OK 5 12-06 0
4 Wyatt Smith Stroud, OK 5 12-01 0
5 John Soukup Jr Agra, OK 5 10-04 0
6 Chris Johnson Enid, OK 5 10-03 0
7 Brandon Pedigo Durant, OK 5 09-08 0
8 Bo Middleton Lawton, OK 5 07-13 0
9 Kris Lee Coweta, OK 5 07-01 0
10 Chad Warren Sand Springs, OK 5 07-00 0
11 Mark Boggs Beggs, OK 2 03-09 0
12 Robert Degraffenreid Oklahoma Cty, OK 1 01-01 0
LOUISIANA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jamie Laiche Gonzales, LA 5 14-15 0
2 David Cavell Prairieville, LA 5 12-04 0
3 Samuel Anthony Independence, LA 5 12-03 0
4 Ryan Lavigne Gonzales, LA 5 11-10 0
5 Will Major Port Allen, LA 5 10-08 0
6 Blake Betz Baton Rouge, LA 5 08-12 0
7 Cary Beard Gonzalez, LA 5 05-14 0
8 Jeffery Lemoine Des Allemands, LA 5 05-09 0
9 Doug Guins Lake Charles, LA 5 05-04 0
10 Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 4 04-00 0
11 Joshua Alleman Gramercy, LA 2 01-12 0
12 Rob Werner Denham Springs, LA 1 00-14 0
NEBRASKA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Jared Knuth Wahoo, NE 5 10-14 0
2 Jason Citta Hershey, NE 5 10-07 0
3 Paul Huse Omaha, NE 5 07-11 0
4 Jerry Pape Milford, IA 5 06-05 0
5 Ralph Leonard Tekamah, NE 4 06-03 0
6 Richard Risewick Norton, KS 2 04-00 0
7 Jeremy Tibben Stanton, IA 2 03-05 0
8 Cody Graff Glenvil, NE 3 03-04 0
9 Aaron Olsen Lenexa, KS 3 03-03 0
10 Chris Brokman Council Bluffs, IA 2 02-08 0
11 Donald Switzer Clarinda, IA 2 02-01 0
12 Jason Boswell Corning, IA 0 00-00 0
MISSOURI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Matt Roberts Pulaski, IA 5 07-04 0
2 Faron Morris Clarksburg, MO 2 04-00 0
3 Larry Stoafer Leavenworth, KS 2 03-10 0
4 Dan Chickering Bloomfield, IA 3 03-05 0
5 Mike Ford Peculiar , MO 2 03-04 0
6 Jeff Hamilton Blue Springs, MO 3 03-03 0
7 John Blankenbeker Camdenton, MO 1 02-13 0
8 Greg Voss Jefferson City, MO 2 02-01 0
9 Charlie Harrington New Cambria, MO 2 01-11 0
10 Harold Stark Eldon, MO 1 01-10 0
11 Jeff Saunders Kearney , MO 1 01-07 0
12 Mike Jackson Cuba, MO 0 00-00 0
ARKANSAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Brandon Lee Ratcliff, AR 5 09-01 0
2 Doug Thompson Mabelvale, AR 4 08-09 0
3 Creighton Sawyer Houston, AR 5 08-07 0
4 Josh Wray Omaha, AR 5 08-01 0
5 Troy Morrison North Little Rock, AR 5 07-00 0
6 Ron Snyder Georgetown, AR 5 06-09 0
7 James McKee Springdale, AR 5 06-02 0
8 Paul Kremers Clarksville, AR 5 05-04 0
9 Scotty Smith Taylor, AR 1 04-02 0
10 Chuck Wisdom Jr Beebe, AR 3 02-14 0
11 Kyle Robertson Austin, AR 3 02-10 0
12 Dusty Scott Rector, AR 0 00-00 0
MISSISSIPPI
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Frank Morton Purvis, MS 5 13-07 0
2 Chuck Halbert Jr West Helena, AR 5 09-14 0
3 Donald Adcock Richland, MS 5 07-11 0
4 Michael Valentine Laurel , MS 5 07-05 0
5 Mark Floyd Blue Mountain, MS 5 07-03 0
6 Jay Rogers Arlington, TN 5 06-14 0
7 Jody Herring Meadville, MS 5 06-10 0
8 Danny Carter Hernando, MS 5 06-01 0
9 Justin Foster Bude, MS 2 03-00 0
9 Kevin Parker Sumrall, MS 2 03-00 0
11 Darrin Herndon Soso, MS 1 01-11 0
11 Heath Willard Brookhaven, MS 1 01-11 0
TEXAS
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Total $$$
1 Albert Collins Nacogdoches, TX 5 14-03 0
2 Kris Bosley Amarillo, TX 5 14-00 0
3 Jason Buchanan Burnet, TX 5 09-02 0
4 Jim Simpson Canyon, TX 5 07-11 0
5 Trevor Rogge San Antonio, TX 5 07-07 0
6 Ken Caldwell Wylie, TX 4 07-02 0
7 Josh Stapleton Arlington, TX 5 06-10 0
8 Kyle Dragulski Mansfield, TX 4 05-04 0
9 Troy Montgomery Granbury, TX 3 04-15 0
10 Duane Crenshaw Irving, TX 2 04-15 0
11 Felix Appelt Goliad, TX 1 02-15 0
12 Terry Reed Willils, TX 3 02-10 0