Top Ten Tournament 9-17-22

Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club ended the 2022 bass tournament schedule with their Annual Top Ten Bass Tournament on Saturday, September 17.  The tournament was held on Pine Creek Lake.  This tournament allows the top ten anglers in the club to compete against each other in the final tournament of the year.  The top ten anglers are, from number one to number ten, Ellis Silvey, Judd Thomas, Andy Cripe, Kane Miller, Craig Bartlett, Randy Janoe, Billy Latham, Billy Hensley, Mike Williams, and Forrest Cave.  The club allows up to five wildcard contestants.  These positions are for members that have not missed more than two regular season tournaments.  Only four members qualified for wildcard positions.  They were Brady Janoe, Joe Janoe, Michael Boren, and Kaleb Hensley.

Judd Thomas won the tournament with a stringer weight of 17.80 pounds.  Ellis Silvey finished in second place with a stringer weight of 16.33 pounds.  Third place went to Craig Bartlett.  His stringer weighed 14.84 pounds.  Andy Cripe was fourth with a stringer weight of 13.51 pounds. The  fifth and final place was won by Brady Janoe with a stringer weight of 13.14 pounds.  The big bass of the tournament was caught by Judd Thomas.  It weighed 4.30 pounds.  Each received a check for a share of the entry fees and the top ten prize pot.

Now that the bass tournament season has ended, members will turn their attention to the fall deer hunting seasons.  Members wishing to enter the club’s deer season contest must do so before a season begins.  Entry fees are $10.00 per season and can be paid at Silvey’s Tax.

END

Billy Latham, president

Pushmataha County Sportsman Club

McGee Creek Tourney 9-10-22

 Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their last regular season bass tournament of 2022 on Saturday, September 10.  The tournament was held on McGee Creek Lake.  Fifteen members participated in the event.

Anglers enjoyed mild, almost cool temperatures, at the start of the tournament but quickly warmed as the sun began to rise.  The lake level was 4.5 feet below normal.  Catching quality keeper bass proved to be a challenge for most of the anglers.  Eight anglers were able to catch a limit of a club limit of five bass.

Andy Cripe won the tournament with a stringer weight of 9.49 pounds.  Ellis Silvey placed second with a stringer weight of 7.74 pounds.  Randy Janoe finished in third place with a stringer weight of 5.88 pounds. The big bass of the tournament weighed 7.31 pounds and was caught by Andy Cripe.

The club will hold its Annual Top Ten Bass Tournament on Saturday, September 17.  This tournament will pit the top ten anglers against each other with up to five wildcard positions also being allowed to compete.  Those qualifying for this year’s top ten tournament (from number 1 to 10) are Ellis Silvey, Judd Thomas, Andy Cripe, Kane Miller, Craig Bartlett, Randy Janoe, Billy Latham, Billy Hensley, Mike Williams and Forrest Cave. Those who meet qualifications for a wildcard position are Brady Janoe, Joe Janoe, Michael Boren and Kaleb Hensley. Wildcard positions are offered to anglers that have not missed more than two tournaments until up to five positions have been filled. Those qualifying for the tournament must attend the club’s meeting on Tuesday, September 13, to pay their entry fee and vote on the lake to be fished.  If they cannot attend, they should send their entry fee with someone to the meeting.

Entry fees for the fall deer season contest will also be accepted at the Tuesday night meeting.  The club holds a contest for each of Oklahoma’s three deer seasons: archery, primitive and regular gun seasons.  Winners are determined by the size of the deer’s antlers using the Boone & Crockett scoring system.  Entry fees ($10.00 per season) must be paid before a season begins.  Entry fees can also be paid at Silvey’s Tax.  The club will not meet again until the second Thursday in December.

Sardis Lake Tourney 8-27-22

Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Saturday, August 27, at Sardis Lake.  Eighteen members participated in the tournament.  The lake level was 1.10 feet below normal. Only three anglers were able to catch a limit of tournament limit of five bass.  Five anglers were unable to boat a single keeper. 

Ellis Silvey caught a limit of bass that weighed 10.99 pounds to win the tournament.  Judd Thomas, also with a limit, had a stringer weight of 10.00 pounds to place second.  Brady Janoe finished in third place with a stringer weight of 9.45 pounds.  Ellis Silvey caught a bass that weighed 5.27 pounds to win the big bass of the tournament.

The club’s next bass tournament, which is also the last regular season tournament, will be held on September 10, on Hugo Lake.  Fishing times will be voted on at the club’s monthly meeting on Thursday, September 8.  Launch site for the tournament will be the Frazier Creek boat ramp, providing the lake level is high enough for boats to launch from the ramp.  It the lake level is to low, other arrangements will be made at the club’s monthly meeting.  This tournament will be followed one week later, on September 17, with the Annual Top Ten Bass Tournament.  In this tournament, the club’s top ten anglers, along with up to five wild card positions, will compete against each other to conclude the 2022 bass tournament schedule.

Just for your information, bass fishing regulations will change on September 11.  Minimum length limits have been removed on most lakes.  Anglers may keep up to 6 bass per day but only one may be over sixteen inches in length.  This new rule applies to most lakes in Oklahoma.  These are set by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife.  Special provisions have been made for tournament anglers.  These will be discussed at the club’s September meeting.

Noon to Noon Bass Tourney 2022

Twenty-three anglers competed against each other in the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club’s Annual Noon to Noon Bass Tournament held on McGee Creek Lake.  The twenty-four hour marathon began at noon on Saturday, August 13, and ended twenty-four hours later at noon on Sunday, August 14.  A weigh-in was held at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night.   After weigh-in, members could return to the lake and continue fishing or go home and then return at their leisure to complete the tournament.  The stringer weights from both days were added together to determine the contestants final weight for the tournament.

The weather was pretty warm, with temps in the upper-nineties and a steady breeze on both days.   Catching quality bass proved to be difficult for most of the contestants although four anglers were able to catch a bass over the 16-22 inch slot limit.  Nine anglers caught their five fish club limit on Saturday.   Only six were able to do so on Sunday.  Four anglers, Judd Thomas, Ellis Silvey, Craig Barlett and Billy Latham, were able to catch a limit on both days.  Judd Thomas caught a bass weighing 6.55 pounds to win the big bass jackpot for Saturday.  Craig Bartlett caught a bass that weighed 6.39 pounds on Sunday to win the jackpot.  Only two other bass over the slot limit were caught:  Josh Johnson caught a 4.80 pound bass and Billy Henley caught a 6.25 pound bass.

Judd Thomas won the tournament with a stringer weight of 16.08 pounds.  Ellis Silvey finished in second place with a stringer weight of 13.74 pounds.  Craig Barlett took third place with a stringer weight of 12.78 pounds.

The club’s next bass tournament will be held on Saturday, August 27, at Sardis Lake.  Launch site for the tournament will be the Sardis Cove boat ramp.   Fishing times will be from “safe light” until 3:30 p.m.

Pine Creek Tourney: 7-23-22

On Saturday, July 23, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Pine Creek Lake.  The lake level was about 1.5 foot below normal with water temperatures reaching the upper eighties to low nineties.  Anglers started the day with mild temperatures and calm winds but that soon changed as the wind picked up and the temperature climbed into the upper nineties. 

Twenty-one anglers entered in the contest and all managed to catch their club limit of five bass over fourteen inches in length, with the exception of one angler that had boat motor problems and left early.  I believe this to be the first time in club history where every angler that showed up for weigh-in had their limit of bass. Jesse Ayers won the tournament with a stringer weight of 18.47 pounds.  Michael Boren finished in second place with a stringer weight of 16.75 pounds.  Craig Bartlett came in third. His stringer weighed 16.49 pounds.  Jesse Ayers caught a bass that weighed 4.16 pounds to win the big bass of the tournament.

The club’s next bass tournament will be the annual Noon-to-Noon bass tournament.  It will be held on McGee Creek Lake on August 13-14.  Stringer weights from both days will be added together to determine winners.  The club’s next meeting will be on Thursday, August 11.  Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and begin at 7:30 p.m.

Hugo Lake Bass Tournament 7-9-22

The Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Saturday, July 9, at Hugo Lake.  Sixteen members braved the heat to participate in the event.  The lake level was just about normal level, although the water was very shallow at the Frazier Creek Boat ramp.  Anglers had to use their trolling motors to cross the silted-in sand to reach the creek channel.  The weather was extremely hot with temperatures reaching 105 degrees by the 3:30 weigh-in.   A slight breeze did offer some relief from the heat.  Catching a catching a keeper bass, over fourteen inches in length, did prove to be a challenge. Only two anglers were able to catch a tournament limit of five bass.  Three anglers were unable to catch a single keeper bass.

Billy Hensley managed to catch a limit of bass that weighed 8.88 pounds to win first place in the tournament.  Ellis Silvey finished in second place with stringer weight of 8.13 pounds. Randy Janoe took third place with a stringer weight of 7.87 pounds.  Kane Miller caught the big bass of the tournament.  It weighed 4.18 pounds

The club’s next event will be a bass tournament on Saturday, July 23, at Pine Creek Lake.  Fishing times will be voted on the club’s monthly meeting on Thursday, July 14. Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and Museum and begin at 7:30 p.m.

Sardis Bass Tournament: 6-25-22

 

Sardis Lake Bass Tournament

6-25-2022

Very warm temperatures greeted members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club as daylight broke over Sardis Lake on Saturday, June 25.  It was eighty-two degrees at sunrise and a very warm one hundred degrees at the 3:00 p.m. weigh-in.  Nineteen members were competing in a bass tournament.  The bite was slow; however, some were able to put together a decent stringer. Only eight members were able to catch and weigh at least one bass over the fourteen inch minimum length limit.  Three members were able to catch a tournament limit of five bass.

Judd Thomas won the tournament with five bass that weighed 9.21 pounds.  Ellis Silvey came in second with a five fish limit that weighed 9.03 pounds.  Kane Miller finished in third place, also with five fish that weighed 7.38 pounds.  Craig Bartlett caught the big bass of the tournament.  It weighed 4.71 pounds.

The club’s next event will be a bass tournament on Hugo Lake.  It will be held on Saturday, July 9.  Fishing times will be from “safe light” until 3:30 p.m.   The next club meeting will be on Thursday, July 14.  The club meets the second Thursday of each month.  Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and begin at 7:30 p.m. 

Pine Creek Lake Bass Tournament

 Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club competed in a bass tournament at Pine Creek Lake on Saturday, June 11.  Both the weather and the fish cooperated for a change.  The day started off with cloudy and cool with light rain in some areas of the lake but skies cleared quickly and warmed to the low nineties by weigh-in.  The lake was 4.5 feet above normal and slowly rising. Catching keeper bass was not too difficult as eighteen of the twenty-four anglers that were entered caught their club limit of five bass.

Johnny Ivey won the event with a five fish limit that weighed 18.10 pounds.  Craig Bartlett took second place with a five fish limit weighing 17.36 pounds.  Forrest Cave finished in third place, also with a five fish limit that weighed 15.65 pounds.  Forrest also caught the big bass of the tournament.  It weighed 4.64 pounds.

The club’s next activity will be the annual fish fry held during the Antlers Homecoming celebration.  Any member that is able to help out is urged to attend.  Members will start gathering at First Bank Park sometime around 3:30 or so on Saturday, June 18, to start getting cookers ready to fry fish.

The club’s next bass tournament will be held on Saturday, June 25, at Sardis Lake.  Fishing times will be from “safe light” until 3:00 p.m.  Launch site for the tournament will be the Sardis Cove boat ramp.

Husband-Wife Bass Tournament: 6-4-2022

On Saturday, June 4, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their annual Husband-Wife Bass Tournament at McGee Creek Lake.  Couples did not have to be husband and wife but did have to be a male & female team to compete.  The day started off cool with temps in the sixties and a light breeze but quickly warmed up to the low eighties with a brisk breeze.

To say the fishing was tough would be an understatement.  Catching a bass of any size proved to be quite difficult.  There were no limits caught and two teams were unable to boat a single keeper. The team of Don and Sherry Deems won the tournament with a stringer weight of 3.14 pounds. Josh and Paige Johnson finished in second place with a stringer weight of 3.08 pounds.  Finishing in third place was Jim and Sherri Sallee.  They had a stringer weight of 2.77 pounds.  The big bass of the tournament was caught by Billy Latham.  It weighed 1.74 pounds.

In the ladies big bass division, Paige Johnson took top honors with a bass weighing 1.17 pounds.   The second place big bass caught by the ladies weighed 1.06 pounds and was caught by Sherry Deems.  Finishing in third place, with a bass weighing .86 pounds, was Amanda Cripe.  Sherri Sallee placed fourth with a bass that weighed .68 pounds.  Karlie Hensley took the fifth and final place with a bass that weighed .67 pounds.  Each lady will receive a plaque at the club’s next meeting.

The club’s next event will be a bass tournament on Pine Creek Lake.  It will be held on Saturday, June 11, at the Little River South boat ramp, aka, Rock Creek ramp.  Gates to this area are not opened until 6:00 a.m.  Starting time for the tournament will be as soon as we can get in and get everyone unloaded. The tournament will end nine hours later.  This is a club tournament and is open only to club members.  Open enrollment into the club is closed for the remainder of the year.  Anyone wishing to become a member may attend a monthly meeting and request membership.  Membership will be accepted if passed by a sixty percent majority vote of members present.  The club’s next meeting will be on Thursday, June 9, at the Wildlife Heritage Center & Museum.  Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m.

Husband-Wife bass tournament

Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club will hold their Annual Husband/Wife Bass Tournament this Saturday, June 4, at McGee Creek Lake. Launch site will be the Potapo boat ramp. Fishing times will be from 7:00-2:00. Entry fee for the tournament is $15.00 with an optional $5.00 for the big bass pot.

Couples fishing the tournament do not have to be husband and wife but do, however, need to be a male and female team. One team member must be a member of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club. This is Oklahoma's free fishing weekend, so a fishing license is not needed to participate.

Plaques will be awarded to the ladies, first thru fifth place, for the largest bass caught by them. Members that do not have a partner may still participate, but only for the big bass pot.

Hugo Tournament 5-21-22

The Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Saturday, May 21, at Hugo Lake. The lake level was near normal with water temps in the eighties.  The weather was nice, with moderate temperatures, cloudy skies and light to moderate wind.  Fishing was fair, with some anglers finding some keeper bass while others were unable to boat a single keeper.  Of the twenty-eight anglers entered in the tournament, eight were unable to boat a keeper bass.  Only four anglers were able to catch a limit of six bass.

 Jesse Ayers won the tournament with a stringer weight of 15.76 pounds.  Jesse also caught the biggest bass of the tournament.  It weighed 4.15 pounds.  Ellis Silvey finished in second place with a stringer weight of 15.74 pounds.  The third place stringer was caught by Judd Thomas.  His stringer weighed 12.48 pounds.

 The club’s next event will be the Annual Husband-Wife Bass Tournament on June 4, at McGee Creek Lake.  Launch site will be the Potapo boat ramp. Fishing times will be from 7:00 until 2:00.  Teams do not have to be a husband and wife couple but do need to be a male and female team.  One member must be a current club member.  This takes place on Oklahoma’s free fishing weekend so a fishing license is not necessary.  First, second and third place prizes will be awarded.  Also, plaques will be awarded to the ladies, first through fifth place, for their biggest bass.  Members that do not have a partner may fish, but can only compete for the big bass prize. 

Free Youth Fishing Tournament 2022

 

On Saturday, May 14, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their annual free youth fishing tournament.  The tournament was held at McGee Creek Lake.  Thirty-five young anglers competed in the event.  The young anglers enjoyed nice weather, although it did get pretty warm, and most were able to catch a few fish, with perch being the most common catch of the day.

Benton Rector was the first-place winner.  Benton had a stringer weight of 8.15 pounds.  Jaylee Jones finished in second place with a stringer weight of 7.95 pounds.  Jaylee also caught a catfish that weighed 7.95 pounds to win the plaque for the biggest fish caught during the tournament.  Gary Dunham caught the third-place stringer.  It weighed 5.08 pounds. These young anglers each received a plaque and a prize.  All of the other contestants also received a prize, regardless of whether they caught a fish or not.  The young anglers were allowed to fish with live bait or artificial lures. They could also fish from a boat or from the shore.  After the tournament was over, all that attended, along with their parents, were treated to a hotdog cookout with all the trimmings and soft drinks. Approximately fifty-five adults and children were served.

The club’s next event will be a bass tournament on Hugo Lake.  It will be held on Saturday, May 21.  Fishing will begin at “safe light” or as soon as everyone is unloaded, and will end at 3:30 p.m.  The tournament will launch from the Frazier Creek boat ramp and you must be a member to compete.

McGee Creek 5-7-22

 

McGee Creek, 5-7-22

Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club started their bass tournament on McGee Creek Lake with mild temperatures and calm winds.  The day heated up rapidly and the wind did not stay calm for long. The tournament was held on Saturday, May 7.  Fishing proved to be pretty good for most of the anglers.  Twenty of the twenty-seven that were entered managed to catch a limit of six bass.  Many anglers reported catching several “slot fish” that to be released due to the slot length limit on McGee Creek.  Largemouth bass between 16 and 22 inches must be released immediately.

Ellis Silvey won first place with a stringer weight of 8.96 pounds. He also caught a bass weighing 4.76 pounds to win the big bass of the tournament as well.   Finishing in second place was Chuck Beck.  Chuck had a stringer weight of 8.40 pounds.  Kane Miller was third with a stringer weight of 7.80 pounds.

The club’s next event will be the annual free youth fishing tournament.  It will be held on Saturday, May 14, at McGee Creek Lake.  Launch site will be the Buster Hight boat ramp.  Fishing times will be from 8:00 a.m until 12:00 noon. Any youth that is 16 years old or younger may participate.  After fish have been weighed, the young anglers and their parents will be treated to a hot dog cookout with soft drinks and all the trimmings. As always, prizes will be awarded until the supply of prizes is exhausted.

The club will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 12.  Members who entered the spring turkey contest are reminded season will end on May 16.  Turkey beards will be measured during the June meeting to determine winners.  Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and begin at 7:30 p.m.

Top Ten Standings: Latest update

 Well, I posted the old version rather than the new version on my last post.  Hopefully this is the correct version here.

Latest Top Ten Standings as of 5-3-22

 Here is what I can find and update on the Top Ten Standings.  Let me know if you see an error.

Latest Top Ten Standings Update

 Still discovering glitches in the Top Ten Standings.  Here is the latest update.

Updated Top Ten Standings

 Here is the new, updated Top Ten Standings.  Some stringer weights were incorrect on the previous version.  Hopefully this is now correct but if anyone sees an error, please let us know.

51st Big Bass Rodeo

 

On April 23-24, the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club hosted the 51st Annual Big Bass Rodeo on Pine Creek Lake.  Seventy-four boats with one hundred forty-eight anglers competed in the big bass tournament.  Every contestant received a free cap with the Big Bass Rodeo logo on it, courtesy of Pruett’s Food and AmeriState Bank.  The weather conditions were fair with high temps in the seventies but anglers had to deal with very stiff breezes.  The lake level was near normal and fishing was good, with almost every angler weighing in a bass over the 16 inch minimum length for the tournament

Dakota Christian won the tournament with a bass that weighed 5.78 pounds.  For his first place finish, he received 25% of the entry fees plus an additional $300.00 from Hank’s in Rattan. Finishing in second place, with a bass weighing 5.00 pounds, was M.R. Murphy.  In addition to his share of the entry fee money, he received 200.00 from Thomas Land Work, Judd Thomas owner.  Third place was won by Monty Tollett with a bass weighing 4.97 pounds.  Monty received an additional $100.00 from Mill’s Quick Lube and Wash in Antlers in addition to a share of the entry fees.  Matthew Dial caught a 4.92 pound bass to take fourth place.  Matthew received a share of the entry fees and an additional $100.00 from Southeast Oklahoma Land Company. Bradley Pierce finished fifth with a bass weighing 4.79 pounds and received a share of the entry fees.  Each received a trophy, courtesy of FirstBank.

Also this year, prizes were awarded to anglers that were age twelve and under and to anglers age 13-15.  Tadpole’s Marine in Hugo and Mead Oklahoma sponsored the youth division and awarded the winner in each division $200.00 for their big bass. The 12 and under division was won by M.R. Murphy with a bass of 5.00 pounds.  M.R. received a plaque, courtesy of Kiamichi Kreations, and donated his prize money to the second place finisher, which was Kallen Hobbs.  Racin Hilton won the 13-15 age division with a bass that weighed 4.52 pounds. Racin received a plaque and $200.00.

Tadpole’s Marine also awarded the angler that was closest to 4.00 pounds, without going over, a cash prize of $100.00.  Jon Tucker won this prize with a bass that weighed 4.00 pounds.  Southeast Oklahoma Land Company awarded $100.00 to the angler that caught a bass closest to 3 pounds, without going over.  This was won by Josh Johnson with his bass of 3.00 pounds. After prizes had been awarded, a drawing was held for a Lew’s Tournament Speed Spool casting reel donated by Janoe’s Garage, Use Cars & MinnKota Service Center.  Molly Murphy was the winner of the reel.

Anglers that placed sixth or lower were awarded prizes or gift certificates provided by area merchants.  Businesses had donated prizes, gift cards or cash for prizes.  Our local merchants were so generous that approximately fifty anglers were able to receive a prize.  Those prizes included items such as rods, reels, lures, marine batteries and other items related to outdoor activities. The Pushmataha County Sportsman Club would like to say “Thank you” to all these merchants.  Their support is what has kept this tournament going for fifty-one years.

Club members will hold a bass tournament on May 7, at McGee Creek Lake.  Launch site will be Buster Hight landing.  Fishing times will be from “safe light” to 3:30 p.m.

Hugo Lake 4-9-22

 

Hugo Lake Bass Tournament

April 9, 2022

The Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Saturday, April 9, at Hugo Lake. The lake level was about six inches above normal with water temps in the low sixties.  The day started off foggy and cold with temps at or slightly below freezing.  Catching bass after the passing of a cold front can be challenging and this proved true for many of the tournament anglers.  Only four anglers were able to catch a limit of six bass.  Twelve anglers were unable to catch a single keeper bass over the fourteen inch minimum length limit.

Judd Thomas won the tournament with a six fish limit that weighed 21.86 pounds.  Derick Chumley finished in second place with a stringer weight of 16.27 pounds.  The third place stringer was caught by Kane Miller.  His stringer weighed 13.67 pounds.  The big bass of the tournament was caught by Billy Hensley and weighed 4.73 pounds.

The club’s next tournament will be the Annual Big Bass Rodeo.  It will be held on Pine Creek Lake on April 23-24.  This is the 51st consecutive year that the club has held the big bass tournament.  Final preparations for the Big Bass Rodeo will be made at the club’s monthly meeting.  Area merchants are very generous with their donations and   there will be lots of cash, trophies and prizes to be won.  For more information check out the club’s Facebook page or the club’s web page at www.pushcountysportsmanclub.blogspot.com.

Turkey season for all of Oklahoma will open on April 16 and will run through May 16.  The club holds a spring turkey hunting contest.  Members wishing to enter the contest must do so before season begins.  The entry fee for the contest is $10.00 and can be paid at the club’s monthly meeting on Thursday, April 14, or at Silvey’s Tax.

Sardis Lake 3-26-22

 

Sardis Lake Bass Tournament

March 26, 2022

On Saturday, March 26, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club competed in a bass tournament on Sardis Lake. Anglers enjoyed nice weather that started off pretty cool but warmed up nicely. The lake level was slightly above normal with the water temperatures in the mid-fifties to low sixties.  The weather may have cooperated but the bass did not.  They seemed to have a severe case of lock jaw. Sixteen anglers were unable to catch a single keeper over the fourteen inch minimum length limit and no one was able to boat a limit of six keepers.

Andy Cripe won first place with four fish that weighed 9.50 pounds.  Judd Thomas came in second with a stringer weighing 7.76 pounds.  Joe Janoe finished in third place with a stringer weight of 6.24 pounds.  Joe also caught the biggest bass of the tournament.  It weighed 4.65 pounds.

The club’s next event will be a bass tournament on Hugo Lake.  It will be held on Saturday, April 9.  Launch site for the tournament will be Frazier Point boat landing.  Fishing times will be from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm.

The club’s next monthly meeting will be held on Thursday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m.  Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and Museum.  One of the main items to be discussed during the next meeting will be the club’s 51st Annual Big Bass Rodeo.  This year’s Big Bass Rodeo will be held on April 23-24 on Pine Creek Lake. Keep up with club activities on the web at www.pushcountysportsmanclub.blogspot.com and also on Facebook.

TOP TEN STANDINGS

McGee Creek Bass Tourney 3-19-22

 

McGee Creek Bass Tournament

Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their first bass tournament of the year on Saturday, March 19.  The tournament was held on McGee Creek Lake.  Thirty-four members competed in the event.  It was a cold start to the tournament with temps near freezing but the day warmed up nicely to the low seventies by weigh-in time.  Even though the day heated up, the fishing did not.  Exactly half of those entered were unable to put a single keeper bass in the boat.  Only three anglers were able to catch a limit of six bass. 

Andy Cripe won the tournament with three fish that weighed 9.68 pounds. One of those bass was over the 16-22 inch slot length limit and weighed 7.75 pounds which also gave Andy the big bass of the tournament.  Ellis Silvery finished in second place with a six fish limit that weighed 7.02 pounds.  Craig Bartlett finished in third place with a six fish limit that weighed 5.22 pounds.

The club’s next bass tournament will be on Saturday, March 26, at Sardis Lake.  Launch site for the tournament will be Sardis Cove ramp.  Fishing times will be from 8:00 until 5:00.  

TOP TEN STANDINGS:

2022 Awards Banquet

 

On Saturday, March 5, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their 51st  Annual Awards Banquet.  The banquet was held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and Museum.  Members and their families were treated to a meal of smoked pork, smoked polish sausage, soft drinks and side dishes prepared by the members & spouses.  Members were recognized for their achievements during the 2021 hunting and fishing contests.

The first awards to be presented were for the 2021 spring turkey season contest.  The length of the turkey’s beard determined winners. Winning first place was Billy Hensley.  He was the only member entered into the contest that harvested a bird.  Billy received a plaque and a check for a share of the entry fees.

Anglers that placed in the club’s Top Ten Bass Tournament that was held in September were next to be recognized.  The top ten anglers, along with five anglers that qualified for wildcard positions, competed in the tournament.  Kindle Holiman placed fifth, Josh Johnson fourth, Randy Janoe third, Chuck Beck second and Billy Hensley finished in first place.  Billy received a plaque for his win.

The Top Ten Anglers of the Year were recognized next.  Each angler usually receives an embroidered patch but this year, a perpetual plaque was awarded. Each year an angler makes the Top Ten, he will receive a year plate to be added to his plaque.  The Top Ten Anglers for 2021 were (from number 10 to number 1) Forrest Cave, Kindle Holiman, Billy Hensley, Andy Cripe, Randy Janoe, Chuck Beck, Kane Miller, Ellis Silvey, Billy Latham, and Bass Angler of the Year, Judd Thomas.  Judd received his plate for his perpetual plaque, a plaque for the Angler of the Year, and a check for $100.00.  Judd was also presented with a custom “Bass Angler of the Year” shirt printed by club president, Billy Latham.

The Big Bass of the Year award was presented to Jesse Ayers.  Jesse caught a bass weighing 0.81 pounds at McGee Creek Lake during the July bass tournament.   Randy Janoe won the award for the Heaviest Stringer of the Year.  He had a stringer weight of 18.06 pounds that was caught during a tournament in August on Pine Creek Lake.  Both were presented with a plaque.

The “100 Pound Club” award goes to members that are able to catch at least one hundred pounds of bass during the club bass tournaments in a season.  Only one member was able to catch over one hundred pounds.  That member was Judd Thomas with 137.47 pounds for the year.  Judd received a plaque.

In the club’s deer archery season contest, Colby Chandler won first place honors with Judd Thomas winning the award for second place.  Winners are determined by measuring the buck’s antlers using the Boone and Crockett scoring system.  Both received a plaque and a check for their share of the entry fee money.

Billy Hensley took first place honors in the deer primitive firearms contest.  Billy Latham finished in second place.  Both received a plaque and a share of the entry fee money.

There were no deer taken for the rifle season contest,

The Grand Slam Award is given to members who are able to harvest a deer in all three seasons; archery, primitive and rifle seasons.  This year there was no one that qualified for the award.

Each year the club recognizes a sponsor that consistently supports the club and the Big Bass Rodeo.  This year, two sponsors were recognized and presented a plaque.  The “Sponsor of the Year” award was presented to The Convenience Center in Antlers, OK and Tadpoles Marine in Hugo and Mead, OK.

The club’s most prestigious award is the Sportsman of the Year Award.  The winner of this award is determined by a point system based on club participation and success in the field.  The 2021 Sportsman of the Year was Billy Hensley. Billy received a plaque and a check for $100.00.

Each year the club recognizes the president of the club by awarding him a plaque for his service.  This year, club president Billy Latham, was awarded a perpetual plaque acknowledging his service of twenty-five years as club president.

The ladies door prize, a $100.00 prepaid MasterCard, was won by Stephanie Hensley.  The men’s door prize, a Lew’s Tournament Series speed spool baitcast reel, was won by Judd Thomas.  As always, every child that attended was awarded a door prize consisting of games, sports balls, fishing equipment and more.

The club’s first bass tournament of 2022 will be at McGee Creek Lake on Saturday, March 12.  Launch site for the tournament will be the Buster Hight boat landing.  Fishing times for the tournament will be voted on at the club’s monthly meeting on Thursday, March 10.  Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and begin at 7:30 p.m. You can keep up with club activities on Facebook or on their web page at www.pushcountysportsmanclub.blogspot.com.

END

Billy Latham, president

Pushmataha County Sportsman Club

ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

 The Annual Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, March 5. It will be held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and Museum and will begin at 6:00 p.m. The club will furnish a meat dish, bread, and soft drinks. Members will provide the rest of the meal with a covered dish. As a suggestion and to keep things simple, members whose last name begins with A-G, bring a desert, H-R bring a vegetable dish, and S-Z should bring a salad.

There will be no speaker this year, just good food, fellowship and awards. Members will receive awards for their achievements during the previous year. After awards have been presented, door prizes will be awarded: one for the men and one for the women. Men will be able to buy chances, at $1.00 each, on a Lew's Tournament Series LFS bait cast reel, valued at $159.99. The ladies' door prize will be a prepaid $100.00 Mastercard. Also, every child that attends will receive a door prize. These may include rod and reels, basketballs, games, dolls, camping supplies, etc. Make plans to attend and we hope to see you there.

The club will hold its first bass tournament of the year the next Saturday, March 12, at McGee Creek Lake. Memberships for 2021 have expired so the banquet or first tournament would be a good time to renew them. Membership dues are $20.00 per year. Open membership enrollment will remain open thru the Big Bass Rodeo.

January Meeting 2022

 Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their monthly meeting on Thursday, January 13. All previous officers were re-elected to their respective positions: Billy Latham, president; Judd Thomas, vice-president; Ellis Silvey, treasurer; Billy Hensley, secretary. Board members were also elected. They are Randy Janoe, Joe Janoe, Forrest Cave, Colby Chandler, Julian Baily and Andy Cripe. The 2022 bass tournament schedule was finalized, and all permits have been approved. A copy of the schedule is attached to this post.

Deer antlers were measured to determine the winners of the 2021 deer season contests. In archery season, Colby Chandler is in first place with Judd Thomas in second place. This could change is someone harvest a buck in the few remaining days of archer season. In primitive firearms season, Billy Hensley took first place with Billy Latham finishing in second place. There were no bucks taken in rifle season. The club will meet again on Thursday, February 10.

Big Bass Rodeo

 Mark your calendars. The 51st Annual Big Bass Rodeo has been set for April 23-24 on Pine Creek Lake. Permits have been approved and we are good to go. Headquarters will NOT be at the pavilion on Rock Creek Point as it was previously reserved. We will set up our canopy close to the water as we have done in years past when the pavilion was not available.

The club will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, Jan. 13. Elections will be held for officers and board members, although it is just a formality since only current officers were nominated for their respective positions. Finalized bass tournament schedules will also be available at the meeting. Meetings are held at the Wildlife Heritage Center and Museum and begin at 7:30 p.m.