SYKORA WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS

SYKORA WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS

Pullins wins co-angler title

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OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (March 14, 2016) – Local angler Marcus Sykora of Osage Beach, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 24 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division tournament of 2016 on Lake of the Ozarks. For his victory, Sykora took home $6,336.

Sykora said he focused on the Bagnell Dam area, fishing steep banks that led into flatter pockets.

“The bass were grouped up in transition areas along an 18-mile stretch,” said Sykora, the 2014 BFL All-American Champion. “I used a chartreuse and white-colored War Eagle Spinnerbait and a 6th Sense Crush Flat 75X Crankbait. I threw the spinnerbait on the steeper structure, and the crankbait when it flattened out.”

The Missouri angler said his bait color was crucial to his catch and he caught 12 keepers throughout the day.

“With the stain we had in the water, those colors ended up attracting the largest fish,” said Sykora. “Even if the bite was slow, I knew I had to keep pushing on and sooner or later I’d trip over a big one. I ended up hitting nearly 25 different spots.”

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:

1st:          Marcus Sykora, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 24-15, $6,336

2nd:         Wes Endicott, Joplin, Mo., five bass, 22-8, $2,668

3rd:          Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., five bass, 20-10, $1,780

4th:          Jason Rhyne, Foristell, Mo., five bass, 20-3, $1,245

5th:          David Ryan, Levasy, Mo., five bass, 20-0, $1,067

6th:          Mark Dunbar, Jefferson City, Mo., five bass, 19-12, $978

7th:          Caleb Spinks, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 18-8, $889

8th:          Steve Ruff, Wentzville, Mo., five bass, 18-5, $800

9th:          Shawn Kowal, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 18-4, $712

10th:        Jake Seifert, Jefferson City, Mo., five bass, 18-2, $623

Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Greg Berhorst of Holts Summit, Missouri, caught a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $840.

Joshua Pullins of Bonne Terre, Missouri, weighed in five bass totaling 17 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to earn $2,668 and win the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers were:

1st:          Joshua Pullins, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 17-12, $2,668

2nd:         Michael Montgomery, Cuba, Mo., five bass, 16-13, $1,334

3rd:          Cody Millican, Highlandville, Mo., five bass, 16-10, $888

4th:          Brian Wilbert, Donnellson, Iowa, five bass, 16-2, $623

5th:          Ronald Smith Jr., Kansas City, Kan., five bass, 15-14, $534

6th:          Johnny Ward Jr., Waynesville, Mo., five bass, 15-5, $489

7th:          Robert Loyd, Strafford, Mo., five bass, 15-0, $445

8th:          Bob Keeth, Dixon, Mo., four bass, 14-15, $400

9th:          B.J. Hicks, Richmond, Mo., five bass, 14-8, $356

10th:        Michael Carter, Raytown, Mo., five bass, 14-7, $311

Rick Dahlman of Mokena, Illinois, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $420.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 27-29 Regional Championship on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Arkansas. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 50 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the BFL on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

The post SYKORA WINS FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE OZARK DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS appeared first on The Bass Cast.