WEBBER FALLS, Okla. (June 18, 2007) - Boater Charles Christie of Sallisaw, Okla., won the Bass Fishing League Okie Division bass fishing tournament on the Arkansas River Saturday with a five-bass catch weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces. The victory earned Christie $3,329 plus a $587 Ranger Boat contingency bonus and placed him one step closer to qualifying for the Wright Patman Lake Regional Championship in Texarkana, Texas on Oct. 25-27, where he could ultimately win a new 519VX Ranger boat and a Chevy truck.
Christie fished a black and blue ½-ounce swimming jig in the weeds. He caught fish all day but caught larger ones in the afternoon.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Walter Andries of Coweta, Okla. (four bass, 11-06, $1,958); Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla. (four bass, 11-00, $1,307); Chris Jones of Pocola, Okla. (four bass, 10-15, $914) and John Garcia of Mustang, Okla. (four bass, 10-14, $783).
Darren Hahne of Ottawa, Ill., took home the Boater Division Big Bass award, earning $520 for a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.
Nathan McCartney of Enid, Okla., earned $1,958 as the co-angler winner Saturday thanks to three bass weighing 9 pounds, 4 ounces.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Clayton Coppin of Muskogee, Okla. (three bass, 7-04, $816); Nick Muzljakovich of Wagoner, Okla. (three bass, 7-04, $816); Mark Johnson of Henryetta, Okla. (two bass, 7-01, $457) and Brent Haggard of Gans, Okla. (three bass, 7-00, $392).
McCartney earned $260 as the co-angler Big Bass winner after catching a 5-pound, 3-ounce bass.
The Okie Division's next event will be a two-day Super Tournament held Sept. 15-16 on Grand Lake in Grove, Okla.