MOUNT IDA, Ark. (March 4, 2013) – Shawn Gordon of Russellville, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to win the Bass Fishing League Arkie Division tournament on Lake Ouachita. For his victory, Gordon earned $3,514.
“I thought I would get a check and that would be about it,” said Gordon. “I didn’t think that I was going to win. Normally it takes a lot more weight to win on this lake. I think the key to my victory was slowing down and not running around too much.
“All I did was fish main lake points,” Gordon continued. “If it was real windy, I would throw an XCalibur Rattle Bait, and when it was less windy, I would throw a ¾-ounce Booyah football jig. All of my fish were in 10 feet of water or less. I was throwing out to where you could see the bottom and pulling it back to the drop-off.
“I had seven bites throughout the day and only landed five of them,” Gordon went on to say. “I broke one off on a jig and lost one on a Wiggle Wart. I was pretty lucky to get the bites I did.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Mark McDonnel, Benton, Ark., five bass, 14-12, $1,757
3rd: Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 14-0, $1,172
4th: Matthew Mize, Ben Lomond, Ark., five bass, 12-10, $820
5th: Dennis Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 12-9, $703
6th: Danny Gwinn, Mount Ida, Ark., five bass, 12-7, $644
7th: Cody Kelley, Conway, Ark., three bass, 10-13, $586
8th: Terry Cordum, Fort Smith, Ark., five bass, 10-7, $527
9th: Kevin Fant, Kirby, Ark., five bass, 10-4, $469
10th: Larry Gragg, Pine Bluff, Ark., four bass, 10-2, $410 + Evinrude Bonus: $300
Josh Tittle of Warren, Ark., weighed in four bass totaling 11 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday to win $1,757 in the co-angler division. Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Jeff Reece, Dardanelle, Ark., five bass, 9-9, $879
3rd: Jason Yarbrough, Amity, Ark., five bass, 9-7, $585
4th: Brian Choate, Conway, Ark., four bass, 7-14, $410
5th: Daimon Mitchell, Little Rock, Ark., three bass, 7-11, $351
6th: Austin Pittman, Maumelle, Ark., two bass, 6-10, $322
7th: Pete Clark, Malvern, Ark., three bass, 5-13, $293
8th: Tom Olson, Benton, Ark., two bass, 5-11, $264
9th: Jamie Green, Hot Springs Village, Ark., three bass, 5-9, $234
10th: Joe Coble, Malvern, Ark., two bass, 5-8, $205
The next BFL Arkie Division tournament is scheduled for April 6 on Millwood Lake in Ashdown, Ark. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 Regional Championship on Lake Texoma in Pottsboro, Texas. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.