MUSKOGEE, Okla. (June 16, 2008) - Boater Christopher Jones of Pocola, Okla., won the Bass Fishing League Okie Division bass fishing tournament on the Arkansas River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces. The victory earned Jones $3,087 and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Lake Ouachita Regional Championship in Mount Ida, Ark., Oct. 23-25, where he could ultimately win a new 198VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
"This win felt really good, especially on my home waters," Jones said. "And to do it on Father's Day weekend made it even more special." Jones said he fished a swimming jig and a topwater frog to catch his limit of bass.
"In the first five minutes I caught a three-pounder and missed another big one," Jones said. "We messed around for about 10 more minutes to try to catch that one. Then we moved to another area where I knew I could catch some fish and I had my limit by 7 a.m."
Jones fished other areas he knew to try to cull his smaller fish, but said he never got the big bite he was looking for.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Robert White of Moore, Okla. (five bass, 13-08, $1,816); Chance Lawless of Durant, Okla. (five bass, 12-15, $1,210); Kirk Washburn of Harrah, Okla. (five bass, 12-05, $847) and Joe Erwin of Claremore, Okla. (five bass, 11-13, $726).
Charlie Apperson of Jay, Okla., took home the Boater Division Snickers Big Bass award, earning $465 for a 5-pound bass he caught on a creature bait. Donny Murrell of Sapulpa, Okla., earned $1,816 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to five bass weighing 15 pounds even that he caught flipping a black jig in grass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Scott Suchak of Oklahoma City, Okla. (four bass, 12-04, $908); John Williams of Dewey, Okla. (three bass, 10-09, $606); Justin Phillips of Checotah, Okla. (three bass, 9-12, $424) and Ronnie Stiek of Skiatook, Okla. (four bass, 8-09, $363).
Michael Purse of Springfield, Mo., earned $232 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 4-ounce bass on a 10-inch plastic worm.
Okie Division anglers will visit Grand Lake in Grove, Okla., Sept. 6-7 for a two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event.