GROVE, Okla. – This year the Okie Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine will kick off the season on Grand Lake, on Feb. 8, in northeast Oklahoma. A solid wintertime fishery, Grand has a strong tournament pedigree and should give anglers a variety of options to catch big bass.

New for 2025, the BFLs will feature an expanded slate of Regional events, which will give anglers more chances to qualify for the All-American and further minimize travel costs. This expansion ensures that grassroots anglers can fish closer to home on lakes they know and love for a chance to win a $50,000 Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard as a boater and a new $20,000 cash award as a co-angler, plus qualification into the BFL All-American.

What to expect

Umbrella rigs are always a good bet in the winter on Grand. Photo by Matt Brown

Last year’s Fishing Clash Angler of the Year in the Okie Division, Camden Kozikoski is looking forward to a good start to the season.

According to Kozikoski, the lake looks good, with fairly clean water and typical wintertime conditions in play. So, it should make for a fairly straightforward tournament.

“I’m a big believer this time of the year in the umbrella rig,” he said. “But, I really think a jerkbait is going to come into play this year. I had a lot of luck on it last year. And on some of those shallower piles and those shallower hard spots and stuff like that, I really do think a [deeper] jerkbait will be a huge player this year. I also think a jig will work for how some of these fish were set up this past week, if they sit anything like that, I think a jig will come into play on certain steeper banks and stuff like that.”

A wintertime tournament can put some folks on their backfoot before takeoff, but Oklahoma and the Ozarks are stocked with anglers who thrive in the cold.

“I’m definitely a cold water fisherman,” Kozikoski said. “I love it. The colder it is, I think the better the fishing is. I think you get bigger bites. You can catch them on a minnow at Grand and stuff like that, but I think my favorite part is probably ‘Scoping piles. I love throwing an [umbrella rig] and jerkbaits – you get to see the fish come up and look at them, and it really does make those big bites happen.”

For weights, Kozikoski has high expectations.

“I think this year, it’ll probably take 21 to 23 1/2 to win, I’d say,” Kozikoski said. “I lean more towards the 23, the heavier side is what I like to lean at. And, I really do think to cut a check, you’re gonna be looking 14 or 15 pounds.”