Josh Teply of Harrah, made an impressive statement at Lake Eufaula this past weekend, securing the victory at the first ABA Pro League tournament of the season for the Oklahoma division.
Despite limited practice due to severe windstorms that reached speeds up to 80 mph on Friday, Teply relied on his previous experience on the lake to bring in a solid five-fish limit weighing 21.81 pounds. His catch was anchored by a notable 5.76-pound bass, which also earned him Big Bass honors.
Teply received $3,400 for his first-place finish, along with an additional $440 for the biggest fish of the day. The challenging weather conditions significantly impacted the overall weights brought to the scales.
“I figured out these fish are where they want to spawn,” Teply explained. “Water temperatures were in the low to mid-50s most of today, but I found pockets yesterday morning where temperatures reached 64 degrees. I just focused on spawning areas and threw spinnerbaits all day. It was tough—I broke off a few fish and lost several big ones, but still managed to land about 12 keepers. Around 10 a.m., we finally got some sunshine and a breeze, and that really turned the fish on.”
Sand Springs resident Darin Anderson took second place with a fivefish limit totaling 17.13 pounds. Anderson’s catch included an impressive bass weighing 4.38 pounds, earning him a payout of $1,500.
“I caught most of my fish throwing jerkbaits,” Anderson said. “I missed a couple of bites early but made a key color change, which made all the difference. I stayed in 7 to 8 feet of water throughout the day. Overall, I caught about eight fish, six of which were keepers, so while it wasn’t extremely busy, it was definitely productive.”
Third place went to Barry Hoehne of Newalla, who brought in a fivefish limit weighing 14.21 pounds. Hoehne earned $1,200 for his efforts.
“I found the warmest water I could and did what I hate doing: throwing a spinnerbait,” Hoehne remarked humorously. “I know it’s almost sacrilege because bass typically avoid spinnerbaits here in Oklahoma, but that’s what they were biting today, so that’s what I threw. I stayed in one area all day and kept grinding. I caught about seven keepers, which allowed me to cull a couple of times.”
Eli Brumnett from Wagoner and Bill Bean from Eufaula tied for fourth place. Both anglers weighed exactly 13.85 pounds and each received a check for $900.
For anglers who missed this event, there’s still plenty of opportunity to qualify for the Ray Scott Championship.
Points needed for qualification can be earned from any ABA division nationwide and participating in just one event makes anglers eligible for the two-day tournament later in the fall.
The next tournament will take place at Lake Tenkiller, launching from Sizemore Ramp, on April 26.
