Hugo Lake Tourney: 5-20-23

The Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held a bass tournament on Saturday, May 23, at Hugo Lake. The lake level was about two feet above normal and rising due to some heavy rainfall upstream on Friday.  The weather was nice, with moderate temperatures, cloudy skies and a moderate north wind.  Fishing was fair, with most anglers finding some keeper bass.  Only thirteen anglers entered in the tournament and all but one managed to catch a keeper bass.  Only three anglers were able to catch a limit of five bass.

 Ellis Silvey won the tournament with a stringer weight of 9.64 pounds.  Johnnie Ivey finished in second place with a stringer weight of 8.74 pounds.  The third place stringer was caught by Randy Janoe.  His stringer weighed 8.10 pounds. Randy also caught the big bass of the tournament.  It weighed 3.76 pounds.

 The club’s next event will be the Annual Husband-Wife Bass Tournament on June 3, 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.  The entry fee is $25.00 per person. This takes place on Oklahoma’s free fishing weekend so a fishing license is not necessary.  Each team member will be able to keep 5 bass of any size with the tournament permit.  Stringers weights of each team member will be added together to determine stringer weights and winners.  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: 5-13-23

On Saturday, May 13, members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club held their annual free youth fishing tournament.  The tournament was held at McGee Creek Lake.  Thirty-two young anglers competed in the event.  The young anglers enjoyed nice weather, after a rainy start, and most were able to catch a few fish, with perch being the most common catch of the day. The youths could catch and weigh in any legal species of fish.

Levi Calicoat was the first-place winner.  Levi had a stringer weight of, and this is not a typo, 44.95 pounds.  Levi also caught a carp that weighed 21.95 pounds, once again not a typo, to win the plaque for the biggest fish caught during the tournament.  Kyia Holiman finished in second place with a stringer weight of 17.43 pounds, which was also a large carp.  Nolan Cannon caught the third-place stringer.  It weighed 12.60 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.  There were enough prizes available that all that attended the hotdog cookout actually received two prizes each. 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. Over sixty 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 20.  Fishing will begin at “safe light” or as soon as everyone is unloaded, and will end at 3:00 p.m. The finish time may be extended to 3:30, depending on how long it takes to get everyone unloaded and possible cloud cover affecting the time that “safe light” will occur.  The tournament will launch from the Frazier Creek boat ramp and you must be a member to compete.

McGee Creek 5-6-23

Members of the Pushmataha County Sportsman Club started their bass tournament on McGee Creek Lake with mild temperatures and a light breeze.  The day heated up rapidly and the wind did not stay light for long. The tournament was held on Saturday, May 6.  Fishing proved to be pretty good for most of the anglers.  Sixteen of the twenty-three anglers that were entered managed to catch a limit of five bass.  A total of 145.43 pounds of bass were caught, weighed and released.

Tony Derby won first place with a stringer weight of 17.16 pounds. Finishing in second place was Judd Thomas.  Judd had a stringer weight of 16.50 pounds and he also had the big bass of the tournament with a 5.44 pound bass.  Jesse Ayers was third with a stringer weight of 15.46 pounds.

The club’s next event will be the annual free youth fishing tournament.  It will be held on Saturday, May 13, 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.  The young anglers can fish with artificial or live bait.  They may fish from a boat, the shore or the fishing pier located in Buster Hights Park. Adults with the children should not fish but only assist the young anglers.  Any legal fish may be kept and weighed for their stringer weight.  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 at the pavilion in Buster Hights Park.  As always, prizes will be awarded until the supply of prizes is exhausted.

The club will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 11.  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.