Veteran angler in PAA lead
BY KELLY BOSTIAN World Outdoors Writer
Friday, September 14, 2012
9/14/12 at 4:41 AM
Thursday's weigh-in at the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series at Three Forks Harbor near Muskogee was lightning fast - rain fell, lightning flashed all around and organizers processed the anglers quickly.
Forty-two professionals from the BASS and FLW tours and a like number of amateurs are fishing the Professional Anglers Association Tournament through Saturday. At stake are top prizes with cash and boat-motor packages and season rankings that will determine PAA Angler of the Year and who will make the series' top tournament, the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, held at the end of this month at Texas' Lake Conroe.
Guy Eaker, of North Carolina, who has more than 40 years on the Bassmaster trails, is atop the leaderboard with five fish weighing 14.39 pounds. Close on his heels is longtime local favorite, Bassmaster Elite pro, Tommy Biffle of Wagoner with 14.12 pounds.
Biffle hit a good anchor spot along the river early to pick up a limit and said he, "picked along all day and culled a few."
"I had a pretty good day," he said.
Biffle welcomed more rain in the forecast for Friday and Saturday, indicating the cloudy cooler weather should play will into his fishing strategy. "I don't think it will rain enough to muddy it up," he said.
Eaker said the water level dropped Thursday, just a little, from the practice days and that it hurt a few of the anglers.
Eaker said the last time he fished the Arkansas at Muskogee was during the June 2010 BASS Elite tournament that was moved to Fort Gibson Lake due to flood conditions. His scouting during that practice on the river two years ago is paying off. "I kept all my maps and everything of the places where I found them," he said.
Although old maps are helping this week, the veteran nonetheless smiled when asked about his odds of keeping the lead tomorrow, commenting that a person never knows how conditions might change on a river.
One of those handicapped by water changes Thursday was Fred Roumbanis of Bixby. Roumbanis lost his shot at Angler of The Year with a bag that fell short with just two fish and a total just less than 3 pounds. He found fish, he just couldn't get them in the boat. "I lost two fours and a three today," he said. Shallow water put fish in a position such that they were picking up his jig and swimming toward him as he set the hook, he said.
Another local angler found misfortune after he said he was confused about the off-limits boundaries set up for the tournament. Dale Hightower of Sand Springs was disqualified after the weigh-in Thursday.
Park Hill FLW pro Jason Christie had fair day. With just more than 11 pounds, he is in the top 10.
All anglers in the field will fish again Friday with the weigh-in at 4 p.m. at Three Forks Harbor. The field will be cut to the Top 10 for Saturday with a results weigh-in finale at Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow set for 4:40 p.m.
Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament
Where: Three Forks Harbor, Muskogee
Weigh-in: 4 p.m. Friday at Three Forks
Final Weigh-in: 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Bass Pro Shops, Broken Arrow
Day 1 Pro Angler Results
| Number | Big Bass | Total |
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1. Guy Eaker | 5 | 4.57 | 14.39 |
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2. Tommy Biffle | 5 | | 14.12 |
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3. Chris Jones | 5 | 4.55 | 12.73 |
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4. Mark Rose | 5 | | 12.37 |
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5. Chad Morgenthaler | 4 | 5.02 | 12.25 |
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6. Mark Tyler | 5 | | 12.22 |
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7. Billy McCaghren | 5 | | 11.87 |
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8. Harold Allen | 5 | | 11.86 |
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9. Jason Christie | 5 | | 11.31 |
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10. Greg Vinson | 5 | | 11.22 |
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11. James Niggemeyer | 5 | | 11.08 |
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12. Joey Nania | 5 | | 10.82 |
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13. James Watson | 5 | | 10.03 |
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14. Jeff Hager | 5 | | 10.02 |
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15. Mike McClelland | 5 | | 10.01 |
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16. Steve Kennedy | 5 | | 9.71 |
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17. Gary Yamamoto | 5 | | 9.58 |
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18. David Hendrick | 5 | | 9.57 |
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19. Russ Lane | 5 | | 9.55 |
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20. Jeff Cloud | 5 | | 9.30 |
Day 1 Co-Angler Results
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| Number | Big Bass | Total |
|
1. Shannon Prophet | 3 | 5.48 | 9.69 |
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2. Pete Jones | 3 | 4.26 | 8.63 |
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3. Clayton Coppin | 3 | | 7.95 |
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4. Ken Coats | 3 | | 7.39 |
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5. Butch Lansford | 3 | | 6.83 |
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6. Sheri Glasgow | 3 | | 6.53 |
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7. Craig Torkleson | 3 | | 6.40 |
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8. Joel Howell | 3 | | 6.20 |
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9. Rusty Brown | 3 | | 6.07 |
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10. Stanley Grice | 2 | | 5.53 |
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11. Curtis Bales | 3 | | 5.16 |
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11. Steve Core | 3 | | 5.16 |
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13. Wayne Long | 3 | | 5.06 |
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14. Robin Babb | 3 | | 5.01 |
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15. Don Hill | 3 | | 4.98 |
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16. Undre Montgomery | 3 | | 4.69 |
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17. Deshon Orr | 2 | | 4.30 |
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18. John Smith | 2 | | 4.12 |
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19. David Ferrel | 3 | | 4.06 |
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20. Garry Steiner | 3 | | 3.98 |
Kelly Bostian 918-581-8357
kelly.bostian@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Veteran Guy Eaker holds two of the bass from his leading bag Thursday in the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament under way this week at Three Forks Harbor near Muskogee. KELLY BOSTIAN/Tulsa World
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