GROVE, Okla. (April 18, 2015) – Bradley Hallman of Norman, Oklahoma, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 22 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win the Rayovac FLW Series Central Division tournament on Grand Lake with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 65 pounds, 15 ounces. For his victory, Hallman earned $40,000.
“I had an absolute great week this week,” said Hallman, who earned his second win in FLW competition, first at the Rayovac FLW Series level. “My wife and kids made it out to the weigh-in today to watch me and this whole experience has just been really special.
“I was sight fishing all week. I came back home after the Rayovac tournament on Sam Rayburn last weekend and jumped into a local tournament. So many fish were on beds, so I knew that would be huge player in this tournament. I spent my entire practice just looking for fish on beds and if I found one that looked four pounds or better, I’d mark it.”
The strategy definitely paid off for Hallman, as the local started the tournament on Thursday morning with 107 different marks to target. He caught six keepers on day one, then 10 on day two by Texas-rigging an unnamed white tube or a green-pumpkin Zoom Ultra Vibe Speed Craw with ¼-ounce weight and 20-pound test fluorocarbon line.
“Today it was raining pretty good and I knew that it would make it really tough to sight fish, but I really felt like I could catch them on a Zara Spook,” Hallman said. “I have a ton of confidence in that bait. As soon as I picked it up and started throwing it this morning I caught a four-pounder, and I kept getting bit. Two of the fish that I weighed in came on a white Spook and I think that decision really turned out to be the key to my win.”
As the rain cleared and the sun came out Saturday, Hallman actually had his most productive day on the water, catching 15 total keepers. He said that he targeted beds from Duck Creek and Browning Creek down to the dam.
“I caught fish all week long and it feels really good to finish it,” Hallman went on to say. “I do have to give special credit to two very good friends of mine – Steve Williams and Larry Bryant. They have done so much for me on this pond and I would not be here today without their guidance. I would say that 90-percent of what I know as an angler, I learned from them. What a week this has been.”
The top 10 pros on Grand Lake were:
1st: Bradley Hallman, Norman, Okla., 15 bass, 65-15, $40,000
2nd: Jonathan Henry, Grant, Ala., 15 bass, 60-11, $15,500
3rd: Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 59-6, $12,000
4th: Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas, 15 bass, 58-13, $10,000
5th: Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla., 15 bass, 57-6, $9,000
6th: Robbie Dodson, Harrison, Ark., 15 bass, 56-7, $8,000
7th: James Watson, Springfield, Mo., 15 bass, 52-12, $7,000
8th: Jeremy Lawyer, Sarcoxie, Mo., 15 bass, 52-9, $6,000
9th: Dylan Hays, Sheridan, Ark., 15 bass, 51-1, $5,000
10th: Brandon Perkins, Counce, Tenn., 15 bass, 50-9, $4,000
Tommy Brown of Louisville, Tenn., caught the Bridgford Big Bass of the tournament in the pro division Thursday – a fish weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces that earned him the day’s Big Bass award of $300. Kyle Triplett of Washington, Mo., won the co-angler division and a Ranger Z117C with an Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor, with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 39 pounds, 6 ounces. The top 10 co-anglers on Grand Lake were:
1st: Kyle Triplett, Washington, Mo., 15 bass, 39-6, Ranger Z117C with a 90-horsepower outboard
2nd: Steven Meador, Bella Vista, Ark., 15 bass, 38-5, $5,000
3rd: Matt Krekovich, Granite City, Ill., 14 bass, 35-4, $4,000
4th: Lance Baker, Huxley, Iowa, 14 bass, 33-8, $3,500
5th: Jeffery Smith, Knob Noster, Mo., 14 bass, 32-1, $3,000
6th: Erick Fernengel, Lake Waukomis, Mo., 11 bass, 29-9, $2,500
7th: Jason Sandidge, Centerton, Ark., 11 bass, 26-2, $2,000
8th: Clint Williams, Fayetteville, Ark., 11 bass, 25-11, $1,750
9th: Randy Baskins, Owasso, Okla., 11 bass, 25-0, $1,500
10th: Richie Riddle, Columbus, Ind., 11 bass, 23-15, $1,250
The Rayovac FLW Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the no-entry-fee Rayovac FLW Series Championship. The 2015 Rayovac FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 29-31 on the Ohio River in Paducah, Kentucky.