Mixed Bag Puts Barnes Ahead on Texoma
For hardly having any experience on Lake Texoma, Evan Barnes sure looks like a local after Day 1 of the Toyota Series presented by A.R.E. Southwestern Division event. The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit pro dropped a 16-pound, 11-ounce mixed bag on the scale to take the lead in the event presented by Abu Garcia and hosted by Discover Durant.
While there’s still plenty of tournament left, Barnes is happy to get off on the right foot on Texoma.
“I had some fun today,” Barnes says. “I fished here in a [Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine] Regional a long time ago as a co-angler and got second. It was the biggest disappointment I ever had fishing because first was a new boat and second was $750. So it feels pretty awesome to start this way this week.”
With limits hard to come by for many in the field and the lake fishing as tough as it is, Barnes isn’t too surprised with his productivity today.
“Things went better than expected, but at the same time I’m not surprised because this lake has got ‘em,” Barnes says. “I pretty much committed to just fishing for big ones. I’m throwing an A-rig and a big swimbait and I know there’s more coming, so I’m not really surprised I caught 16 pounds.”
Big smallmouth and largemouth are players in any tournament on Texoma, so a mixed bag of three smallmouth and two largemouth isn’t odd, though it wasn’t what Barnes expected.
“One of the unexpected big blessings today was catching some smallmouth,” says Barnes. “I had pretty much sold out on catching largemouth I felt like and I pulled out on a main-lake point and for whatever reason – maybe they’re trying to spawn – the big smallmouth were there. And my co-angler caught a 7-pound largemouth off the point. I’m happy for him, but if I would have caught her, I could have a big bag.”
Texoma is fishing small right now and lots of the areas producing fish are crammed tight with boats. But, Barnes feels like he can keep running his program and catch fish, even in crowded areas.
“There’s tons of people fishing the same stuff I’m catching largemouth on,” Barnes explains. “But I feel pretty good that what I’m doing is enough different than everybody else that I should be OK, but anything can happen for sure.”
Top 10 Pros
1. Evan Barnes – Hot Springs, Ark. – 16-11 (5)
2. Tommy Dickerson – Orange, Texas – 15-15 (5)
3. Justin Patti – Peoria, Ariz. – 15-12 (5)
4. Mitchell Webb – Skiatook, Okla. – 15-04 (5)
5. Blake Schroeder – Whitehouse, Texas – 15-03 (5)
6. Wesley Dawson – Chester, Texas – 14-14 (5)
7. Trea Luedke – Montgomery, Texas – 14-9 (5)
8. Larry Puckett – Decatur, Texas – 14-03 (5)
9. Nick Aber – Yukon, Okla. – 14-01 (5)
10. Christopher Temple – Krugerville, Texas – 14-00 (4)
Inderman Ahead in Strike King Co-angler Division
Weighing a mixed bag worth 15-12, Jake Inderman grabbed the Day 1 lead on the Strike King co-angler side of things on a tough Texoma. With a 1-7 lead, Inderman will set out Friday with hopes of making his first Top 10 in Toyota Series competition, and possibly stay in the hunt for the biggest win of his career.
Top 10 Strike King Co-Anglers
1. Jake Inderman – 15 – 12 (5)
2. Billy Sammons – 14 – 05 (4)
3. Hank Williams – 12 – 14 (5)
4. Keith Honeycutt – 11 – 11 (5)
5. Thomas Martens – 11 – 01 (2)
6. Ben Burns – 10 – 13 (5)
7. Eric Chonko – 10 – 10 (3)
8. Rondell Joseph – 10 – 00 (3)
9. Michael Fleehearty – 9 – 11 (5)
10. Trever Tinkle – 9 – 09 (4)