Hugo Lake 4-8-23

The Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Saturday, April 8, at Hugo Lake. The lake level was about one and a half feet above normal with water temps in the low sixties.  The day started off fairly cold with temps in the upper forties but quickly warmed to the mid-seventies.  Catching bass after the passing of a cold front and with the lake level falling can be challenging and this proved true for many of the tournament anglers.  Only five anglers were able to catch a limit of five bass.  Eleven anglers were unable to catch a single keeper bass.

Derick Chumley won the tournament with a five fish limit that weighed 12.52 pounds.  Ellis Silvey finished in second place with a stringer weight of 9.67 pounds.  The third place stringer was caught by Hank Elliott.  His stringer weighed 9.43 pounds.  The big bass of the tournament was caught by Jon Tucker and weighed 3.86 pounds.

The club’s next tournament is scheduled to be the Annual Big Bass Rodeo on April 22-23.  However, with the extremely high lake level and camping areas under water, plans are being made to postpone the Big Bass Rodeo until June 24-25. If permits for the tournament can be approved by the Corp of Engineers, it will be postponed. Area merchants have been 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 13, or at Silvey’s Tax.