Prvonozac Prevails on Grand Lake
Ohio pro claims first Costa FLW Series title (updated)
Spring in Oklahoma can be a weatherman’s nightmare. From strong storms one minute, to bright sun the next, stable weather is hard to count on. This week’s second stop of the Costa FLW Series Southwestern Division presented by Ranger Boats featured more of the nasty weather the region is known for, and in turn, making it a tough event for the field. Ultimately, Nick Prvonozac of Warren, Ohio, would conquer the conditions and win the event wire-to-wire.
Two years ago, Prvonozac traveled to Grand Lake in Oklahoma to fish a Costa FLW Series event in April. During that particular event, Grand was uncharacteristically low and clear giving Prvonozac the rare opportunity to see exactly where and how Grand Lake bass set up to spawn.
“It was really a neat tournament because I could see everything – it was like fishing in an aquarium,” Prvonozac recalls. “I finished 15th in that event and I really learned a lot about the places these fish like to bed: under dock cables, behind walkways, little rock transitions on those 45-degree banks.
“I couldn’t wait to come back here because I remember so many of those places so well,” he adds. “So this week, I went looking in the same areas, found a few on beds, but mostly just knew what kind of places to pitch my bait to based on memory.”
On day one, Prvonozac hauled in 19 pounds, 12 ounces to take the early lead. Day two of the event was cancelled due to severe storms and lightning. Prvonozac returned to the water today to back up his lead with a 16-10 catch, which put him in victory lane with a two-day total of 36 pounds, 6 ounces.
During both days Prvonozac fished the lower end of the lake in the clearest water he could find. On the first day he caught two bass sight-fishing and the rest came from pitching his primary bait – a YUM Vibra King Tube (green pumpkin) – to places where he marked beds from practice or likely spots where beds should have been.
Prvonozac rigged the tube on two different outfits, using each one for different applications. One tube was rigged on a baitcaster with a ¼-ounce weight and 17-pound test Silver Thread fluorocarbon. And the other was a more finesse version, rigged on a spinning rod with a 3/16-ounce weight and 10-pound test Silver Thread.
“I used the baitcaster when pitching into heavier cover like bushes, limbs or debris,” he details. “The spinning rod was more for bare banks or skipping behind docks or under cables.”
Prvonozac invested a lot of time wrestling his boat back in behind dock walkways and cables to get to places others weren’t fishing.
“When I fished here two years ago, those were the places that had a lot of beds,” he explains. “Way back in where it’s protected, between the bank and the docks. So it didn’t bother me to pull my boat back into those spots just to make one or two flips – that paid off a couple of times.”
Prvonozac also caught a couple of weigh-in bass on an old school Smithwick Rattlin’ Rogue.
“I think some of the ones I saw were guarding fry,” Prvonozac says. “They would roam all over the place and not sit still. When that happened, I’d twitch the Rogue on them and it worked to put a couple of decent fish in the bag.”
With this victory, Prvonozac not only notches his first Costa level win, but also brings home over $42,000 and a Ranger Z518C with a 200 hp outboard.
“This feels great to win at this level,” he says. “I’ve won a couple of BFL’s, but to get one of these Costa trophies is pretty special to me.”
Top 10 pros:
1. Nick Prvonozac – Warren, Ohio – 36-6 (10)
2. Matt Arey – Shelby, N.C. – 33-10 (10)
3. Chad Warren – Sand Springs, Okla. – 30-11 (10)
4. Matt Cooper – Smithville, Texas – 30-0 (10)
5. Tommy Martin – Hemphill, Texas – 28-12 (10)
6. Albert Collins – Nacogdoches, Texas – 28-10 (9)
7. Dave Donham – Highlandville, Mo. – 28-7 (10)
8. Jim Moynagh – Carver, Minn. – 28-6 (10)
9. Tye Smith – Fort Gibson, Okla. – 28-5 (10)
10. Todd Castledine – Nacogdoches, Texas – 27-15 (10)