GROVE, Okla. (March 20, 2006) - Boater Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., earned $4,498 Saturday as winner of the Bass Fishing League Okie Division bass fishing tournament on Grand Lake. The tournament was the first of five regular-season Okie Division events and featured 129 boaters vying for the win, which earned Christie 200 points in the Boater Division.
Christie's winning catch of five bass weighed 17 pounds, 8 ounces. He threw a gold and purple Smithwick Rogue around chunk rock in 5 to 10 feet of water. He earned an additional $1,000 as winner of the Ranger Cup award.
Rounding out the top five boaters are Shonn Goodwin of Moore, Okla. (five bass, 16 pounds, 1 ounce, $2,249); John Wynn of Bentonville, Ark. (five bass, 15 pounds, 10 ounces, $1,498); Travis McKelvey of Jenks, Okla. (five bass, 15 pounds, 7 ounces, $1,050) and Jerry Corbett of Chouteau, Okla. (five bass, 14 pounds, 10 ounces, $900).
Dustin Lester of Talala, Okla., took Boater Division big-bass award honors, earning $645 for a 6-pound, 10-ounce bass.
Brandon Christian of Jay, Okla., bested 129 Co-angler Division competitors to earn $2,249 as the co-angler winner, thanks to four bass weighing 14 pounds, 5 ounces that he caught fishing a white/chartreuse spinnerbait. Christian earned an additional $322 as winner of the big bass award in the Co-angler Division, thanks to a 7-pound, 4-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Nick Cox of Sallisaw, Okla. (four bass, 11 pounds, 8 ounces, $1,125); James Marion of Tulsa, Okla., (four bass, 10 pounds, 15 ounces, $752) Jesse Martin of Edmond, Okla., (four bass, 10 pounds, 10 ounces, $525) and Wade Garcia of Alma, Ark. (four bass, 9 pounds, 10 ounces, $450).
Okie Division anglers will next visit Lake Texoma in Pottsboro, Texas April 22 for their second regular-season event, followed by an event on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Okla., May 13. The division's fourth qualifying event will be held on the Arkansas River in Gore, Okla., June 17. A two-day Super Tournament, the division's fifth and final event, will be held on Grand Lake in Grove Sept. 9-10.