Houchin Stays Hot

Tierney claims co-angler title on Ouachita

Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Arkansas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 15 pounds, 13 ounces, Saturday to win the FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Arkie Division tournament on Lake Ouachita presented by Power-Pole. For his victory, Houchin took home $3,386.

Houchin says he spent his day targeting grass, wood and bushes in two areas within the mid- and upper-lake regions of Ouachita.

“I followed a fairly basic pattern for this event,” says Houchin, who logged his second BFL win of the 2016 season. “I caught my limit on three baits – a white Heddon Zara Spook, a leopard-colored Spro Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog 65 and a perch-colored 6th Sense Lures jig.”

Houchin says the Spook was the most productive of the three and that he caught the majority of his fish before 10 a.m.

“There wasn’t any deciding factor that forced me to switch baits,” says Houchin. “I basically followed my instinct when it came to the rotation.”

The Arkansas angler managed to catch seven keepers over the course of the event.

“I didn’t have a kicker, but I did lose a big one,” says Houchin. “Luckily, it didn’t push me out of the lead.”

The top 10 boaters:

1^st:          Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale, Ark., five bass, 15-13, $3,386

2^nd:         Adam Wright, Benton, Ark., five bass, 13-4, $1,693

3^rd:          Kevin Brown, Malvern, Ark., five bass, 12-13, $959

3^rd:          Cody Glaze, Bald Knob, Ark., five bass, 12-13, $959

5^th:          Derek Sandlin, Mount Ida, Ark., five bass, 11-15, $677

6^th:          Keith Green, Arkadelphia, Ark., five bass, 11-14, $621

7^th:          Dennis Bean, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 10-14, $536

7^th:          Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, five bass, 10-14, $536

9^th:          Drew Dawson, Pocahontas, Ark., five bass, 10-12, $451

10^th:        Jeremiah Kindy, Benton, Ark., five bass, 10-11, $395

Complete results can be found here.

Greg Carpenter of Royal, Arkansas, caught a 5-pound, 6-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $425.

Tierney wins co-angler title

David Tierney of Fayetteville, Arkansas, weighed in five bass totaling 12 pounds, 2 ounces, Saturday to win the co-angler division and earn $1,693.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st:          David Tierney, Fayetteville, Ark., five bass, 12-2, $1,693

2^nd:         Bruce Thompson, Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 12-1, $846

3^rd:          Jason Scoggins, Benton, Ark., five bass, 10-5, $564

4^th:          Don Billiot, Bryant, Ark., five bass, 9-8, $395

5^th:          Rick Cole, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 9-0, $339

6^th:          Michael King, Delaplaine, Ark., four bass, 8-5, $310

7^th:          Colton Garrett, Jonesboro, Ark., four bass, 7-15, $282

8^th:          Kevin Clark, Malvern, Ark., five bass, 7-13, $254

9^th:          Chance Stone, Nashville, Ark., five bass. 7-12, $226

10^th:        Johnny Crider, Fulton, Ark., four bass, 7-6, $198

Weston Beck of Searcy, Arkansas, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 1 ounce and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $212.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 6-8 Regional Championship on Lake Chickamauga in Dayton, Tennessee. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.