For Immediate Release, Muskogee, Oklahoma
For weeks preceding the Oklahoma High School State Championship on the Arkansas River at Muskogee, Oklahoma flood waters and very high water flowage made everything uncertain. Would the river be safe to fish? Would the fish be in the mood to bite? What about all the barges that have been sitting waiting out the floods and itching to get going on the river? Would the locks be in play at all? These and many more questions were the angler’s dilemma for the 31 teams that registered for the event.
In the end, the river was pulled down to almost normal, there were many floating logs and debris on the river and it was scorching hot outside but it was safe to fish and the fishing was GREAT on practice day before the event. As is always the case, the real worry is the fish, will they bite on tournament day?
On tournament morning as the anglers were eager to take off from 3 forks Harbor, it was apparent to everything had changed overnight. It was still very hot and not a wisp of wind was to be had, the pool had dropped another 2 foot overnight now the questions was, would the fish still bit?
As is always the case, they will bite for someone but for most it was a tough day on the river.
Congratulations to Austin French and Dillion Nash of the Shidler, OK High School Tigers who managed to bring in a five fish limit that weighed a very respectable 14 pounds and 5 ounces! Austin and Dillion’s win earned them a spot in the 215 Southern Conference regional championship along with custom State Champions Jerseys, trophies and two Lews reels for also bringing in the days big bass of 3-11.
Finishing in second place and also qualifying for the conference championship was the team of Jacob Keenom and Kaden Knoch of the with 13-08 and the third and final team to advance was Rhett Meyer and Brent Girdner of the Stillwell High School Indians, they had a limit that weighed 11 pounds even.
Great job by all the teams who braved the heat to come out and fish, I think everyone there decided Oklahoma State Championship needed to be early next year to “beat the heat.”
The top 1 of each state championship advance so the three teams above will represent Oklahoma at the Southern Conference Regional event in Pine Bluff Arkansas in October. There they will attempt to qualify for the TBF/FLW High School National Championship next spring and a $10,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
Special thanks goes out to all the boat captains, the Muskogee Convention and Visitors Bureau , 3 Forks Harbor and to the Oklahoma Bass Federation of TBF for hosting the event.
Full results can be found on the results page HERE
Photo Albums are on our facebook page (be sure to “LIKE US”) HERE
