Transition Areas Carry Sykora to Top

Pullins nets co-angler crown on Lake of the Ozarks

Marcus Sykora of Osage Beach, Mo., won the March 12 Ozark Division event on Lake of the Ozarks with a 24-pound, 15-ounce limit to claim over $6,300 in prize money. Angler: Marcus Sykora.

March 15, 2016 • MLF • Archives

Local angler Marcus Sykora of Osage Beach, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 24 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to win the first FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Ozark Division tournament of 2016 on Lake of the Ozarks. For his victory, Sykora took home $6,336.

Sykora focused on the Bagnell Dam area, fishing steep banks that led into flatter pockets.

“The bass were grouped up in transition areas along an 18-mile stretch,” says Sykora, the 2014 BFL All-American Champion. “I used a chartreuse and white-colored War Eagle Spinnerbait and a 6^thSense Crush Flat 75X Crankbait. I threw the spinnerbait on the steeper structure, and the crankbait when it flattened out.”

The Missouri angler says his bait color was crucial to his catch and he caught 12 keepers throughout the day.

“With the stain we had in the water, those colors ended up attracting the largest fish,” says Sykora. “Even if the bite was slow, I knew I had to keep pushing on and sooner or later I’d trip over a big one. I ended up hitting nearly 25 different spots.”

The top 10 boaters:

1^st: Marcus Sykora, Osage Beach, Mo., five bass, 24-15, $6,336

2^nd: Wes Endicott, Joplin, Mo., five bass, 22-8, $2,668

3^rd: Jeremy Johnson, Kansas City, Kan., five bass, 20-10, $1,780

4^th: Jason Rhyne, Foristell, Mo., five bass, 20-3, $1,245

5^th: David Ryan, Levasy, Mo., five bass, 20-0, $1,067

6^th: Mark Dunbar, Jefferson City, Mo., five bass, 19-12, $978

7^th: Caleb Spinks, Springfield, Mo., five bass, 18-8, $889

8^th: Steve Ruff, Wentzville, Mo., five bass, 18-5, $800

9^th: Shawn Kowal, Linn Creek, Mo., five bass, 18-4, $712

10^th: Jake Seifert, Jefferson City, Mo., five bass, 18-2, $623

Complete results can be found here.

Greg Berhorst of Holts Summit, Missouri, caught a 6-pound, 9-ounce bass – the biggest of the tournament in the pro division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $840.

Pullins wins co-angler title

Joshua Pullins of Bonne Terre, Missouri, weighed in five bass totaling 17 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to earn $2,668 and win the co-angler division.

The top 10 co-anglers:

1^st: Joshua Pullins, Bonne Terre, Mo., five bass, 17-12, $2,668

2^nd: Michael Montgomery, Cuba, Mo., five bass, 16-13, $1,334

3^rd: Cody Millican, Highlandville, Mo., five bass, 16-10, $888

4^th: Brian Wilbert, Donnellson, Iowa, five bass, 16-2, $623

5^th: Ronald Smith Jr., Kansas City, Kan., five bass, 15-14, $534

6^th: Johnny Ward Jr., Waynesville, Mo., five bass, 15-5, $489

7^th: Robert Loyd, Strafford, Mo., five bass, 15-0, $445

8^th: Bob Keeth, Dixon, Mo., four bass, 14-15, $400

9^th: B.J. Hicks, Richmond, Mo., five bass, 14-8, $356

10^th: Michael Carter, Raytown, Mo., five bass, 14-7, $311

Rick Dahlman of Mokena, Illinois, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the co-angler division, a fish weighing 7 pounds, 11 ounces and earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $420.

The top 50 boaters and 50 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 27-29 Regional Championship on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Arkansas. 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.