Treece takes Okie event on Arkansas River

Martin lands co-angler crown
Image for Treece takes Okie event on Arkansas River
Kevin Treece of Fort Smith, Ark., won the July 20 Okie Division event on the Arkansas River with a 17-pound, 4-ounce limit. For his efforts, Treece cashed nearly $4,000 in tournament winnings.
July 20, 2013 • MLF • Archives

MUSKOGEE, Okla. – Kevin Treece of Fort Smith, Ark., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 17 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win the Walmart Bass Fishing League Okie Division event on the Arkansas River. For his victory, Treece earned $3,889.

Treece capitalized on muddy current for his first BFL win.

“I locked down into Kerr and fished main-channel current breaks that had some coontail and hydrilla around them,” said Treece. “I felt like I was in the right area to win. I think a key was that a lot of people shied away from the colored water, and there weren’t many people around me.”

Treece said he fished a chartreuse and blue Rapala DT-6 and a hand-tied Okie Craw-colored jig with a green pumpkin Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver to catch most of his fish.

Rounding out the top 10 pros:

2nd: Charley Slanton, Valliant, Okla., five bass, 16-7, $1,944

3rd: Casey Sullivan, Vian, Okla., five bass, 14-5, $1,297

4th: Rayovac pro Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla., five bass, 13-13, $907

5th: Don Turner, Wagoner, Okla., five bass, 13-10, $778

6th: Kevin Ledoux, Choctaw, Okla., five bass, 13-1, $713

7th: Jason Gilstrap, Owasso, Okla., five bass, 12-14, $648

8th: Christopher Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., five bass, 12-11, $551

8th: Don McFarlin, Gordonville, Texas, five bass, 12-11, $551

10th: Billy Lemon, Sand Springs, Okla., five bass, 12-5, $454

Complete results can be found here.

Martin wins co-angler title

Co-angler Jesse Martin of Edmond, Okla., won the July 20 Okie Division event on the Arkansas River with a 14-pound, 6-ounce limit. Martin walked away with over $1,900 in prize money for his efforts. Jesse Martin of Edmond, Okla., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 14 pounds, 6 ounces Saturday to win $1,944 in the co-angler division.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers:

2nd: Albert White, Crosby, Texas, five bass, 13-12, $972

3rd: Kevin Turner, Sand Springs, Okla., five bass, 13-5, $649

4th: David Blankinship, Cushing, Okla., three bass, 10-7, $454

5th: Bubba Graves, Wagoner, Okla., five bass, 9-11, $389

6th: Mike Ketcher, Stilwell, Okla., four bass, 8-15, $356

7th: Dylan Duncan, Kansas, Okla., four bass, 8-11, $324

8th: Joe Holmes, Claremore, Okla., four bass, 8-1, $292

9th: Mark Oakley, Davis, Okla., four bass, 7-12, $259

10th: Donald Singleterry, Rogers, Ark., three bass, 7-8, $227

Complete co-angler results can be found here.

The next BFL Okie Division tournament is scheduled for Sept. 28-29 on Broken Bow Lake in Broken Bow, Okla. After the last divisional tournament is complete, the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 17-19 Regional Championship on Lake Texoma in Pottsboro, Texas. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.

The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.