GROVE, Okla. — Talented kayak anglers from around the country take to the waters of two-time Bassmaster Classic fishery Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Grove, Okla., on April 16 for the third regular-season stop of the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX season.
Competition Saturday starts at 7:15 a.m. CT, with lines out at 3:15 p.m. An award ceremony will be held at Grove Civic Center at 4:45 p.m.
Sitting atop the field with 484 points in the Old Town Angler of the Year race is Garrett Morgan of Conway, Ark. Morgan took the victory in the season’s first tournament at Lake Fork and holds a one-point lead over event No. 2 champion Justin Largen of Roanoke, Va.
In addition to Morgan and Largen, other anglers competing on Grand Lake for the coveted trophy and a spot in the 2023 National Championship will be multiple-time Bassmaster Kayak Series winner Jim Davis of Tennessee and 2021 Kayak Series Championship winner Mark Pendergraf of Texas.
In addition to the Bassmaster Classic in 2013 and 2016, Grand Lake has hosted nine major B.A.S.S. tournaments. Most recently, in 2021, 852,000 viewers on FS1 watched live as Nick LeBrun claimed the title during the Bassmaster Central Open on Grand Lake.
Instead of a standard weigh-in that requires scales measuring pounds and ounces, anglers will practice “catch, photograph and release” to determine the kayak tournament standings.
When an angler catches a bass, he or she will photograph it lying on an approved measuring board and submit the photo through a special mobile app provided by TourneyX. The boards will measure each bass in inches down to a quarter of an inch, and the angler with the longest five-bass limit will win.
The tournament is being hosted by the City of Grove.
